Franck Goldwasser

Singer, guitarist and songwriter Franck Goldwasser is no stranger to those who have been paying attention to the West Coast blues scene over the last two decades. Born in Paris, France in 1960, his initial blues inspiration came from Hound Dog Taylor, Brownie McGhee and T-Bone Walker. After working his first professional gig at age 21 supporting Sonny Rhodes, Rhodes invited him to move to the San Francisco Bay Area. With the commitment of a true believer Read more on Last.fm …read full bio

Singer, guitarist and songwriter Franck Goldwasser is no stranger to those who have been paying attention to the West Coast blues scene over the last two decades. Born in Paris, France in 1960, his initial blues inspiration came from Hound Dog Taylor, Brownie McGhee and T-Bone Walker. After working his first professional gig at age 21 supporting Sonny Rhodes, Rhodes invited him to move to the San Francisco Bay Area. With the commitment of a true believer, Franck packed his bags and moved to the Bay Area within a year, whereupon he was immediately hired by Troyce Key (who gave him the stage name of "Paris Slim") to play in the house band at Key's legendary Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland. He eventually assumed leadership of the group while Key took a professional hiatus, and became deeply immersed in the area's still-vibrant blues scene. He racked up three years touring with Jimmy McCracklin, as well as positive reviews for appearances at most of the prominent local venues with a distinguished roster of blues talent including Lowell Fulson, Percy Mayfield and Charlie Musselwhite. Four years after his first single was issued in 1984 on San Francisco's Backtrack label, his CD debut "Blues For Esther"appeared, a strong outing which received a nomination from the prestigious W.C. Handy Awards. Its follow-up, "Bleedin' Heart", was co-produced with Joe Louis Walker, who guested along with Sonny Rhodes. An ongoing list of other sessions and frequent European touring (most prolifically as part of the Fedora Records house band behind Clay Hammond, Jimmy Dawkins, Homesick James and others) followed. Relocating to Southern California in 1998, he became a fixture on the vibrant L.A. blues scene, and continued to absorb new influences and hone his art. His recent CD "Bluju"was produced by Randy Chortkoff, and has garnered acclaim as one of the most progressive blues releases in years while still remaining firmly rooted in the blues tradition. His association with Chortkoff has led to a West Coast tour with Chicago blues legend Jody Williams, and The Mannish Boys. Franck Goldwasser recorded an album in Santa Barbara, California with the Alastair Greene Band, shortly before relocating to Portland, Oregon. In Portland, Franck has appeared with the late Paul Delay, D.K. Stewart, Lloyd Jones, Jim Wallace, and Bill Rhoades and the Party Kings. Influences: Sonny Rhodes, Cool Papa, Ron Thompson, Bobby Murray, Troyce Key, Big Jack Johnson, Percy Mayfield, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ike Turner, Robert Nighthawk, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, B.B., Albert, Freddie, Muddy, Little Walter, Lowell Fulson, Guitar Slim, Eddie Taylor, T-Bone Walker, Jimmy McCracklin, Tampa Red, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Cornell Dupree, Jimi Hendrix, Louisiana Red, Otis Rush, Junior Parker, Junior Wells, Phillip Walker, Pee Wee Crayton, Michael Bloomfield, Bee Houston, Luther Allison, Willie James Lyons, Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers, Buddy and Phillip Guy, Jimmy Dawkins, Eddie Kirkland. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

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…shrink me down again