IIt's blues time: musicians from the international blues scene will be visiting Binz this year from 11 to 14 June for the multi-award-winning Blue Wave Festival Binz. Plucking, drumming and singing in many places will make New Orleans pale with envy.
A special highlight are the "Pink Piano" concerts on the Kurplatz, with musicians as soloists or in bands - an experience not only for blues connoisseurs.
ELIF BATMAN & THE UPPER SIDES (DEU)
Elif Batman has long refined the second row with her voice - now she is in the spotlight: Elif Batman, backing singer of the legendary Blues Company, is going her own way and bringing more than just musical talent to the stage. With Turkish roots, a deep respect for the traditions of black American music and an unmistakable voice, she creates a modern soul sound that touches, moves and shakes people up. Together with the Frankfurt soul label Soulport Records, which stands for tape recording, dirty sounds and authenticity, the first EP is released. The first live session with the label's house band "The Upper Sides" also whets the appetite for the first full-length album.
Between performances of traditional Turkish music and her favorite genre, American soul, Elif Batman finds her very own expression. Her songs breathe the spirit of Ann Peebles, Mavis & Co. without losing themselves in it. They are imbued with genuine feeling, empowerment, love, loss and attitude. Because for Elif, soul is not just a sound, but a language that is still used today.
With a stage presence that electrifies and a vocal color that gets under your skin, she brings the genre back to life. No retro show, no nostalgic decal - Elif Batman stands for a new, authentic soul era in which cultural identity, musical heritage and visions of the future dance together.
