ABOUT US

The blues, rock, funk & more band
 


 

Our Story

THE BLUE SUN BAND was formed in 2002. This formation, as is usual in the music industry, was marked with the coming and going of several early members until the current constellation arose and which now includes:

Fabian DOLES - lead vocal

Billie SIRINOGLU - saxaphone

Udo PETERS - drums

Heinz GANSER - guitar

Werner Höpfner- bass

They came together to play blues influenced music - more on this to follow.

Soon after a small program was developed, the band started to play in public. In particular the blues sessions, in and around Cologne which are regulary organized by several local music idealists, were used as a forum to reach a live public. Only a short time later they had there first large concert when they were invited to play at the 3rd Annual Open Air Blues Event at Mauritiuskirchplatz in Cologne.

The feedback received from these appearances was very positve. In fact a young couple who had seen them play at a blues session booked THE BLUE SUN BAND to play at their upcoming wedding reception party.

Getting such a booking was in part thanks to the fact that BLUE SUN is not a pure blues band.

Though their program includes many classic blues numbers, they also play fun danceable funk and rock numbers, as well as some songs that can better be classified as soul. In particular BLUE SUN interprets "newer" blues musicians like Popa Chubby, Walter Trout and Eric Clapton, who play more "modern" blues which includes more than just the same old blues rhythms. The program also includes songs that have nothing or little to do with blues including Leonard Cohen's First We take Manhatten and several songs by the Eagles as well as others.

This mixture has become the distinctive mark of the BLUE SUN band. The band plays fun music that they themselves like and the audiance can certainly sense this. Although the songs catagorically come from different genres they blend in well when the Band add their own bit of "magic". This recipe has helped the band to create a distinct particular sound of their own.

The BLUE SUN BAND is often accompanied by guests musicians including not only vocals but harmonica, saxaphone and keyboard players. This input helps to keep the program fresh and alive, not only for the audience but for the band members as well.

-menu-

 



Fabian Doles

-Lead Vocal-
acoustic guitar - percussion - blues harp


Fabian was born in Hampton, Virginia USA in 1963, and grew up in the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area. Fabian began singen in his Junior High School choir. In the beginning of 1980 he appeared in New Orleans as a member of the St. Anthony's Boys Choir. Later in High School took part in the 1983 Arkansas State Choir Competition and was awarded 13th chair (Reserve) as a first tenor.

Fabian taught himself to play the guitar and keyboards. Between 1984 and 1990 he was a hotel entertainer in Greece on the island of Crete. In this function he appeared nightly as Master of Ceremonys, cabarietist, and musician. He also used his night off to play music in different bars, restaurants, hotels, as well as participating in many special events (american base - splash day event & various other beach partys).

While he was taking part in a training program as a screen designer in Gelsenkirchen, Germany Fabian was actively involved in the local art & music scence.

In Gelsenkirchen he appeared as a special guest with iDie Erben Band in the Jazz & Art Galerie. He also appeared in concert with the guitarist Jörg Latza in "Bei Franz" a local bar well frequented by local artists and musicians. Fabian circulated with many of local artisit and musicians including: Dr. Stolzenfelz & co., Rudiger Phillip, Barbara Thompson as well as the organizers of the Jazz & Art Galerie Anne & Lutz Motzko as well as the other regular guests of their establishment.

Fabian was an active member of the Gelsenkirchen Artist Group Events for Visual Artists as well as a regular participant of the monthly meeting of Gelsenkirchen's Round Table for Culture (Kultur-Stammtisch). He also made regular appearances at the GGA's (Group for Gelsenkirchens Authors) monthly open stage event Kultur pur at the Jazz & Art Galerie.

Fabian is also an established graphic artist and photograher and had several art exhibitions including a one man show of over 100 photos at the local community colledge VHS-Gelsenkirchen which was reported on German TV's WDR Tips & Termine.

In Gelsenkirchen he first met the musical entertainer Dr. Martin. In conjunction with a musical project he was later to meet Franziska Behrendt in Köln and only later learned that she was Dr. Martin's mother - it really is a small world.

Fabian's move to Cologne in 1999 began a new chapter in his musical career. He felt he was was ready to play in a band, and began to search for an appropriate one. On this quest he sang in try outs with the bands 50/50, Telegraphen Str., Soul United, Matson and the Bluemakers.

He ended up playing with the blues band Bluemakers. Blues was new territory for him. Till then he had been involved with Pop & Rock music. While working with the Blumakers he became involved in a seperate musical project known as Montags Menu. This project took place in the basement studio of Micki Hoberg - and was mainly conceived to creatie original songs. Several songs were written by Fabian during his participation in this project.

Despite the split up of the Bluemakers band it was clear to Fabian that blues was to continue to influence his musical carreer.



Aufftritt Max-Planck-Institut
Köln-Vogelsang
 

 
Billie Sirinoglu "Billie B. Good"
Saxophon
e/Bass

Equipment:
Tenor Yamaha Sax, and B&S Sax - but I dream of owning a Selmer Mark VI (gasp)
Bass-Precision


The first instrument that I learned to play was the block flute.

Then the first time I heard the Melody from "Pink Panther" I was hooked.

I just had to learn how to play the saxophone !

I
wish I could say that at age 13-14 I was only interested in Jazz and knew all the numbers in the Real Book, but I was actually more interested in funk, rock & roll, pop music and punk!

M
y favorite saxophonists were Maceo Parker, Jimmy Z. Zavala (Eurythmics, Rod Stewart), Larry Stabbins (Working Week) and not to forget the most handsome of them all gasp Steve Norman (Spandau Ballett).

History:
1990 Together with my identical twin sister Nessie (Guitar) I played in an all female band
"Apropo female" - made up mostly of women involved in the blues scene in Cologne. Later we regrouped and were known as : "Beauties und das Biest" (Power Popin german ). We made several big appearances including Rockpalast as well as an appearance with Jürgen Zeltinger! We were also guest musicians on the record "Scheisse"

1998 Together with my sister formed our own band "Nicht ohne meine Schwester" and in 2001 we won the John Lennon Prize (Förderpreis).
With our cover band "Twice Girls" (Instrumental Fun cover band) we played in 2004 as warm up band for the"Spider Murphy Gang".

With Viva Lolita (all female cover band) we had a guest appearance as a "live band" in the TV criminal series Tatort "Eine Leiche Zuviel".
(05.12.04, ARD).

2005 6 episodes as TV Band on the comedy show "Frei Schnauze" with Mike Krüger on TV channel RTL.


 


Heinz Ganser
E-Gitarre

Musikalischer Lebenslauf

Born 1951 in Aachen – Brand

Always wanted to me a musician and therefore got an accordian from his parents, at that time a solid instrument. After seeing Jimi Hendrix singing "Hey Joe" in Beatclub my parents were horrified that I wanted to play guitar, and the accordian ended up in a corner as a nice decorative piece. It was only after very hard and long discussions with my parents that they were eventually persuaded to give in and I got my first "Kaufhaus" guitar which I still own. I let my hair grow lng and everyone were wondering what would become of this poor boy on the path of self destruction. I taught myself to play. I spent many a weekend watching bands to see the techniques they used I'd then got home and triy to play the same way. My first amp was a converted old tube radio. The first songs I mastered were by Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Status Quo, etc.. The dream of becoming a musician naturally failed and I began my trade as an electrician... a good solid trade which had the advantage that I learned just what was going on inside my instrument and amps.


To date I have played in countless Bands, as a full member or just filling in.
My musical preferances include: Alternative, Blues, Rock, Pop, Soul, Funk, Heavy and others. I do not care for Jazz, German Pop or Carneval Music.
At the moment I can not imagine my life without my music. .
Since 1990 active in Sessions in Köln, Aachen, Bonn, and Bergischer Kreis.

Equipement :


Amplifers: Valvetech 50 W Top und GaWee 15 W Combo

Speakers: 2 x 12 GaWee, 1 x 12 GaWee

Guitars: Dean Vendetta, Epiphone Flying V Popa Chubby, Gibson Les Paul und ES 335, Realguitars Strat Custom ( Leverkusen ), Harley Benton 7 string

Effects: Keeley, Ibanez, Baldringer, Menatone, T – Rex, George Dennis, usw.


Muscal Idols include : Hendrix, Geoff Whitehorn (priorly Procol Harum), Rory Gallagher und warum in die Ferne schweifen (ist wirklich wahr) H.B. Hövelmann, Gregor Hilden, Peter Driessen, Hendrik Freischlader, Alex Beiroth (priorly Sinner), Jens Filser (esp. Guitarits Anne Haigis), Jörg Henneböle alias Blue George, and many more.
Gerade von den Hiesigen lerne ich auch heute noch bei deren Auftritten viel und es macht mir Spaß, ihnen zuzuhören.

Out of love, I live in Merzenich / Düren.

I am also in the process of creating a band together with my dear wife Gabi in Merzenich / Düren im Aufbau.

As July 2007 I began sporadically to play with BLUE SUN filling in for Klaus Kemmerling, now I am a full fledged member.


 
 


Werner "Mr. Right"
Höpfner (born Arlt)

Bass & Gesang


B
orn 19.04.1970 in Leverkusen-Opladen
Married 12.04.08 toYvonne
Occupationu: Locksmith
Hobbies: Music, Building Models
Favorite bands: Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Led Zeppelin
M
usal Experience:

At age 12 my father taught me a few chords on the guitar. By age 15 I joined my first band Fundament on guitar and vocals. After my vocational training I played with severalbands in various styles.


1996 I switched over to bass and played with the rockbands Aimless (Grunge/Rock) and Black Penny (Rock)...I sang and played bass in both bands.

1999 I met Micki Hoberg and have played with Free Step together with Klaus Kemmerling (Blue Sun guitarist 2002-2007) and Udo Peters (Blue Sun drummer). Together with Klaus and Fabian I played in the project group HOT COFFEE and recorded a CD with the studio engineer Justus Liebich.

Between 2001 and 2003, with the help of Micki Hoberg,
I produced my first solo CD.

 


 




Udo Peters
Drums - Vocals

born 13.10.1958 in Köln/Cologne
Autodidact and playing since he was 10 years old

Inspired by:
Simon Phillips , John Bonham und Ian Paice
Equipment: Mapex Maple, Sonor Performer, und Gretsch Birke Drum Set; Sabian - Zildjian - Ufip - Paiste Meindl Becken; Ludwig, Tama, Yamaha, Mapex Black Panther, Serie Snare Drum.


My father wanted to make a professional soccer player out of me and presented me on my 8th birthday a ball and all the accessories that one could need and said " Now, get out there and see to it that you become a good player". So off I went and played soccer with my friends in the streets. Soon afterwards, while playing, my best friend broke his Hachse. That was enough for me, and I threw in the towel and ended my soccer career.

From then on I only sat on the side lines with my soccer ball. The ball between my legs I began to beat the ball with two sticks. As time went on the beating became more and more rhythmic and complex. n.

This new game of mine was fun! And soon afterwards I "borrowed" my father's drumsticks (he played drums in a club) and with the help of a cassette recorder I soon learned to imitate the beat of a marching band. Soon afterwards I was oftern to be seen marching and drumming in the streets of Cologne-Deutz.

Later I played in various school bands and progressed to a Rock-Drummer in an Oldies Band. That was the beginning of a my love for percussions and drumming.

1970/73
 
  Drummer in various marching bands
1974/75   School Band "The Spider"
1975/77   Rockband "Burning Dream"
1978/79   Army Service - diverse Bands
1979/80   Rockband "Just"
1979   Oldie Rock Band "Cosa-Nostra"
2004   R & B Sessions in Cologne
2004   Blue Sun Band
     


Unfortunatly the guys from the Oldies Band were never very ambitious, and because of my own time limits due to my own profession, I never found the time to begin any other projects with any other bands.

N
ot long ago I got a call from from "Blues Willy" of the "Köln-Kalk Blues Band" who asked me if I was interested in playing with them. And soon afterwards there I was playing with them in Kalk.

Others who were later to use me as drummer were Stefan from the "Eifel Blues Gang", and then Heijo from the "Blue Sun Band". And so here I am playing to my hearts content, including various gigs and Jam und Blues Session’s in the Rheinland area including a few open air events. It was at one of these events, on my 30th birthday, that I met and played with Heinz Bernd Hövelmann.

I had not seen Heinz Bernd for over sixteen years, and I only recognized him by his red Super Strat guitar.

Recently I had another reunion at Heijo's Birthday- Blues Event in the Eifel. There I ran across the father of the Blues Scene here in Cologne, Bernd Groll, who also needed a minute to recognize me. I had participated in a Blues Work Shop that he had given in the OT St. Gereon sixteen yeasr ago.

Now we are ready to Rock and Jam!

New Drummers are always needed!!!!!

Now I'm making up for 16 years of lost time and am happy to be playing gigs again.

Long live Rock’n’ Blues

Udo Peters



 

EHEMALIGE BANDMITGLIEDER


Klaus Kemmerling
Gitarist
2002-2007
Als Aushilfe immernoch dabei



Britta Zeiglerg
Background Singer 2002




Raimond Jung
Drummer 2004





Heijo (Heinz-Joachim)
Woelkey
Bassist 2002 - Sept. 2008
Als Aushilfe immernoch dabei




NorbertNorbert Weller
Gitarist 2002 bis Anfang 2005

Gitarrist 2002- anfang 2005



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