Before Izzy Young came to Sweden in the early 1970s, he had been a part of the second folk revival of the 1960s. In New York, he founded the Folklore Center where a fellow named Bob Dylan was a frequent performer. After the buzz surrounding the folk revival cooled down, Izzy came to Sweden and founded the Folklore Centrum in Stockholm in 1973. Ever since then, he’s been responsible for bringing an American vibe and mixing it by arranging exciting concerts at the Folklore Centrum on Wollmar Yxkullsgatan.
Nicholas John Stevens was born in New York, raised in Dallas, Texas, and lived in Sweden for 11 years. It was here that the country/folk/blues artist cut his first records. With four albums released under the moniker Heavenly Blues, Nicholas John Stevens makes music that is on one side hard to define, but at the other very accurate. It’s country mixed with folk, all shrouded with a thin blanket of blues. He’s been called a kneeling drunkard, and compared to artists like Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Townes van Zandt and of course Bob Dylan. All of this is okay, I guess, but Nicholas John Stevens is still very original in this day and age, and should never be taken for granted.
For a mere 80 kronor, which is a more than fare price, you can enjoy the melancholy country bluesy sounds of Heavenly Blues at possibly one of Stockholm’s finest musical venue, The Izzy Young Folklore Centrum. Don’t miss out on the experience.
Words by David Johansson
Heavenly Blues is at the Folklore Centrum on March 27.
