Abi Wallenstein (guitar & vocals) is one of the seminal figures of the European blues scene.  For over 30 years he has been winning the hearts of audiences all over Europe with his own charismatic brand of good rocking blues. Born shortly after the end of the second world war, he moved to Hamburg, Germany in the mid 1960s and has become the closest thing to a genuine folk hero to be found in these parts.

His unique open-tuned fingerpicking guitar style is a fascinating blend of delta blues and rock&roll elements, combining rhythmic bass lines with melody and chord parts in a manner sometimes reminiscent of Big Joe Williams, at other times of Keith Richards and sometimes even of David Lindley. His playing seems deceptively simple at first, but reveals itself as multi-layered and complex, with an effortless groove which has inspired a host of imitators. He is also one of the few guitarists to master the difficult art of playing in different modal positions on the open G tuning. 

Abi is also a remarkable singer. His raw and powerful voice, steeled by years of playing on the streets, is totally convincing, whether delivering deep blues or definitive renditions of soulful ballads. When the weather is good and his busy touring schedule permits, he can still sometimes be seen in the Hamburg inner city today, trying out new material on the “toughest stage in the world”.

In addition to numerous radio and TV appearances Abi has performed on countless blues festivals including the Ascona Jazz Festival (CH), Lahnstein SWF Blues Festival (D), Unna Blues Festival (D), Esløv Blues Festival (S) and many more. He has also opened for such prestigious acts as Joe Cocker, Daniel Lanois, Robben Ford, George Thorogood and Johnny Winter.