Following our announcements over the last two weeks revealing two contestants in the 2019 UKBlues Challenge we are very pleased to announce that the third participant is the Crossfire Blues Band who say of their involvement with the UKBlues Challenge:
''We (Crossfire)are extremely honoured and excited to be participating in this year's UKBlues Challenge and are very much looking forward to preforming our latest original material.
Best wishes
Alice,Marcus,Graham and Eddie''
Crossfire Blues Band is a charged and captivating live show of old-school blues mixed with elements of soul, funk and jazz, rapidly gaining traction on the UK live music scene since the band’s conception.
Crossfire was formed in 2017 by Marcus Praestgaard. Nominated in the FORM UKBlues Awards Young Blues Artist of the Year category in 2018, Marcus has been described as an old-blues soul in the body of a young, accomplished guitarist. Marcus is influenced by B.B. King, Albert Collins, Robben Ford, Jimmy Herring and Larry Carlton.
The band is fronted by young powerhouse vocalist Alice Armstrong, whose large vocal range, emotive delivery and big stage presence guarantees a memorable performance. Alice’s style is heavily influenced by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Dinah Washington, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker and Donny Hathaway.
Graham Walker provides the solid groove on drums, delivered with the sure handedness of a man who has worked with the likes of Gary Moore, B.B. King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Mick Jagger and George Harrison.
Completing the line up is the brilliant ‘Steady’ Eddie Masters on bass. Eddie’s vibrant and distinctive style has shared the stage with artists including Jet Harris, Tom Jones, Wanda Jackson, Lonnie Donegan Band, Rod Argent, Bad Influence, Mick Clarke and Nigel Bagge.
Catch Crossfire Blues Band in action here
Kyla Brox - Winner of the European Blues Challenge 2019
As already announced, the 2019 UKBlues Challenge will take place on Saturday 14th September 2019 at the Bluefunk Rhythm & Blues Club, Poynton, to whom our sincerest thanks go.
At this event five bands will compete with the winner being invited to go on to represent the UK at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January 2020 and the European Blues Challenge in Zaandam in the Netherlands in April 2020.
Four of the contestants have been selected through the recent nomination process whilst the fifth will be one of the four bands chosen by Jessica Foxley Stages to take part in the 30th Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival in Colne which takes place between 23rd & 25th August 2019 and sees some 170 acts playing on 22 stages over the three days.
We will be announcing how you can get your tickets to attend the 2019 UKBlues Challenge together with more details about the event very soon
Ashwyn Smyth
Chair
UKBlues Federation
www.ukblues.org
The UKBlues Federation (UKBF) is an Active Member of the European Blues Union and the sole UK Affiliate of the Blues Foundation,
