The experience from Clarksdale and Pinetop Perkins Foundation Workshop 2025
With help from EBU, Fred Delforge and Jostein Forsberg, on the eighth of June I got the honors to travel to the United States of America for the Pinetop Perkins Foundation Workshop 2025. My first arrival was in Memphis, Tennessee where I met two other great musicians who also got scholarships: the pianist Jadran Mihečić from Croatia and Kristoffer Seren, drummer from Norway. Whom I met earlier at Little Steven’s Blues School in Notodden, Norway. And of course Fred Delforge who gave me a wonderful program for the week and supported us during our stay.
The Blues Travel
Being on American soil, the birthplace of Jazz, gospel, soul and the blues was breathtaking. As a young musician I have only heard recordings and places of the legendary blues artists like, Robert Johnson, Son House, Bukka White, B.B. King (the list goes on). You really get a whole different feeling when you’re in the roots and you really understand the music. It was life changing. Fred took us to some famous blues landmarks of old Juke joints, legendary recording studios and gravesites of the blues legends we listen to today. I was in awe when I saw the building of Trumpet Records in Jackson, Mississippi. Where one of my favorite harmonica players first recorded Sonny Boy Williamson number two. Other places that got me goosebumps in amazement was to stand at Dockery Farm the birthplace of blues and see the graves of Robert Johnson, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Charley Patton and Sonny Boy Williamson number two.
Another interesting place we attended was the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, Mississippi. I bought my first Gibson 335 because of him. I always loved his playing and the style in his singing. When I saw all those legendary 335’s at the museum on the display plus the very fancy tailored suits he had. I could really feel his presence and the joy he shared for the music. Which makes me wanna spread the music I play. Besides all those historical landmarks we all attended the Pinetop Perkins Foundation Workshop in Clarksdale Mississippi. My teacher for the harmonica course was Bob Corritore and alongside him he had Young Rell Davenport. Both of these mentors showed us new techniques to play better harmonica. I am privileged to have Bob Corritore today as one of my harmonica teachers where we take online lessons.
The Workshop
All of my classmates who attended the harmonica course were all American and it gave me a huge impact. I started to understand the difference between real Chicago blues and West Coast Blues. Not all the players had the repertoire of only blues music, but a lot were influenced by jazz and Neoclassical music. The Pinetop Perkins workshop is located at Hopson’s Plantation. A very important place to understand a piece of American history. It’s powerful to see how one of the places blues music as a genre was born. I was so surprised to meet some of the attendees at Pinetop that I’ve already met in Notodden Norway at Little Steven’s Blues School. With warmth they welcomed me alongside Jadran and Kristoffer.
When you’re at Pinetop you really like you’re a part of a big family. The teachers who had the different masterclasses (guitar, drums, piano, vocal etc). Are famous musicians who are glad to help the younger generation to learn the essentials for a successful music career. In the evenings after school we always had blues jams and it was fun to sing one of my favorite blues singers Peps Perssons Swedish version “Got My Mojo Workin’” (Min Trollmoj Funkar) along with Andrew Sullivan.
The last day of school we were preparing a show at the famous Ground Zero. Morgan Freeman is an owner of the club. Our harmonica group did a little Harmonicats style playing with only harmonica. Which was incredibly fun! And the audience reaction when we walked off the stage and outside to the parking lot was priceless! I say this anyone if you want to know the real roots and history. Come to Mississippi. It will change your perspective on the music.
Branko Bergstrand
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