35 Jaar Cuby + Blizzards: Blues Traveller

Biography

Cuby + Blizzards – also known as Cuby & the Blizzards were a Dutch blues group, founded in 1964 by vocalist Harry Muskee, and guitarist Eelco Gelling. During the 1960s, the band's mixture of sound, drawing upon a variety of genres which included blues and rock and roll, gave them a pioneering sound which was completely different from any other Dutch band in the same time period, using the name Peter & the Blizzards. The spelling of the name varies, with 'Cuby' also written as 'QB' and the ampers...

Cuby + Blizzards – also known as Cuby & the Blizzards were a Dutch blues group, founded in 1964 by vocalist Harry Muskee, and guitarist Eelco Gelling. During the 1960s, the band's mixture of sound, drawing upon a variety of genres which included blues and rock and roll, gave them a pioneering sound which was completely different from any other Dutch band in the same time period, using the name Peter & the Blizzards. The spelling of the name varies, with 'Cuby' also written as 'QB' and the ampersand (&) also written as 'and' or '+' and the 'and' sometimes left out. The spelling 'Cuby + Blizzards' was used on the first albums.

The band's first single, a blues-based track bearing similarities to The Pretty Things output, was "Stumble and Fall" in 1965. From the start, they were a big hit in the Netherlands. In 1967 they toured with Van Morrison (after he had left Them), recorded an album, ' Praise the Blues ' with U.S. blues musician Eddie Boyd and scored a hit with "Window of my Eyes". That year, John Mayall stayed at their farm and the next year they regularly played with the 'king of British blues' Alexis Korner, who is featured on their album Live in Düsseldorf (1968).

The line-up of the band changed regularly, but founders Harry Muskee and Eelco Gelling remained at the core of the band until 1976. Herman Brood was the pianist from early 1967 until mid-1968 (which kickstarted his career) and again in 1976. Also in 1976, Gelling left to join Golden Earring. Muskee then decided to drop the name C+B and to form the Harry Muskee Band. This band recorded one album before Muskee decided to leave the music business. In 1980 he formed the Muskee Gang with a line-up of Herman Deinum (bass guitar) and Hans la Faille (drums), who had both joined C+B in 1969, together with saxophonist Rudy van Dijk, Paul Smeenk (guitar) and Jeff Reynolds (trumpet).

In 1996 Cuby + Blizzards re-formed without Eelco Gelling, who was replaced by Erwin Java on guitar. In 2004 they went on a theatre tour to honor John Lee Hooker. C+B came to an end when Harry Muskee died of cancer on 26 September 2011.

The band received an Edison award for their debut album Desolation. The song "Window of my Eyes" (a Top 10 hit in The Netherlands in 1968), was featured over the ending credits for the 2010 film The American.

Line-ups

Early line-up
Harry "Cuby" Muskee, vocals
Eelco Gelling, guitar
Hans Kinds, guitar (replaced by Herman Brood, piano)
Willy Middel, bass (replaced by Jaap van Eijk)
Dick Beekman, drums (replaced by Hans Waterman)

Late sixties line-up
Harry Muskee, vocals
Eelco Gelling, guitar
Herman Deinum, bass guitar
Hans la Faille, drums
Helmig van der Vegt, piano

1983 – line-up
Harry Muskee, vocals
Rudy Van Dijk, tenor sax
Paul Smeenk, guitar
Herman Deinum, bass
Hans Lafaille, drums
Jeff Reynolds, trumpet

Reunion line-up 1996-2011
Harry Muskee, vocals
Erwin Java, guitar
Herman Deinum, bass guitar
Hans la Faille, drums
Helmig van der Vegt, piano
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