My first exposure to Kid Andersen occurred at the 2005 Portland Waterfront Blues Festival when he was a part of the road band for Charlie Musselwhite. Musselwhite performed in his customary top notch style and was grooving along when he turned over a solo to this big, tall, red-haired, babyfaced giant playing guitar. Charlie stepped back and the Kid stepped forward and proceeded to blow the doors off the old Chevrolet! The solo soared and enthralled the crowd. It was so cool to see Charlie, joining the crowd, bobbin' his head with a huge smile as Kid tore the place up. A true highlight of a musical performance.

Kid's CD, Rock Awhile, will also have Charlie and you bobbin' your heads and smiling right from the opening title cut, when Kris says in his unique Nordic-influenced voice "Feelin' good this mornin' feel like I am gonna rock awhile." Oh yes...you will definitely rock awhile throughout this 2004 release from Blues Soul.

You can hear some of the influences on Kid's guitar playing, from blues studs like B.B. King on "Someday You Got To Pay" to the unforgettable guitar of Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green on "Hangover Day," and hints and tastes from the likes of Freddie King, T-Bone Walker and Buddy Guy. Those influences aside, Andersen is his own man and displays it often with fine guitar work showing off his skills with great abandon and using that unique voice with controlled emotion. Andersen wrote or co-wrote nine of the 14 selections, showing that he has some abilities other than being a hot guitar slinger. You listen to his "You Ain't So Pretty No More" and you hear the bitter end to a love affair, and "Hangover Day," where he uses very sparse words intertwined with haunting guitar, blaming his drinking on his lover, and you know that this is the blues.

Kid is joined by Mark Hummel, Terry Hanck and the always volatile guitar work of Junior Watson making guest appearances.

Kid Andersen is now, primarily, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, gigging with Charlie Musselwhite and assorted other Bay Area musicians. He will be appearing on Musselwhite's new album to be released in May and a new one of his own, entitled Greaseland, sometime this year.

Rock Awhile is a fine album that will serve as a great introduction to a young bluesman, guitarist and songwriter. Don't miss it. Go out and rock awhile!

--- Steve Spoulos