RipleyBlues’ cracking autumn line-up

One of the continent’s top blues men is one of the highlights of local promoters RipleyBlues’ autumn season.

Dutch guitarist and singer-songwriter Hans Theessink is returning to Ripley Town Hall for an intimate show upstairs in the bluesroom on Saturday, September 20.

A mellow master of country blues and roots music, particularly the Delta blues style, Theessink has released 20 albums in an impressive career stretching back to the 1970s.

Such is his reputation, he’s also released a popular blues-guitar instruction video.

Among a slew of RipleyBlues shows closer to hand comes The Nimmo Brothers and Tom Gee on Saturday, September 13.

Hailing from Glasgow, The Nimmo Brothers - Stevie and Alan - have been producing classics of modern blues-rock in the UK for nearly 20 years.

Their future was in some doubt a couple of years back when Stevie was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, leading to his first solo album, a rootsy Americana affair with country and gospel influences - a contrast to his brother’s mire hard rocking side project King King.

But the Nimmo Brothers have bounced back with their most recent album, Brother to Brother. Recorded in Austin, Texas, some of the US’s most respected blues musicians provided the backing band for this well-received collection.

Supporting them at Ripley Town Hall will be Tom Gee, an up-and-coming young talent with a funky edge to his blues sound, whose band’s debut album Swapping Stories climbed up the iTunes Blues chart earlier in the year.

For tickets and info, visit www.ripleyblues.com