Playing the blues is a long way from classical violin, but that's how Sam Burckhardt started his musical career. Sam played drums for Eddie Boyd (when Burckhardt was only 14) and saxophone with such blues' luminaries as Jimmy Rogers, Pinetop Perkins, Moose Walker, Detroit Junior, and Erwin Helfer. He had a long-time association with Sunnyland Slim, and his current gig is with The Mighty Blue Kings.
Burckhardt, from Basel, Switzerland, started classical violin around the age of six, because his mother wanted each of her four children to play an instrument. But Sam and violin lessons didn't get along. . . "I hated every day. I hated it with a passion." When he was ten, he rebelled against the lessons, informed his parents that he wanted nothing more to do with the violin, and wanted to play the drums. They weren't happy but struck a deal with Sam that if he could raise enough money to buy a drum set, he could have lessons. "I don't remember exactly how I did it, but I got the money together."
At age 14, he met blues pianist, Eddie Boyd, through a friend of his oldest brother. " I played two dates with him, and that was absolutely thrilling to me--of course, you know being 14-years-old. One of the things I remember that he taught me was that we were playing, and he kind of understood what was going on, and here's this little kid, and he's kind of nervous, and so he said okay, you don't have to be nervous, and don't worry about a thing. All you got to do is watch my foot. My foot is your meter and go tap, tap, tap, and that's your meter. And so everything else you do, but that's your meter so you know where I am. So I just watched his foot, and I was fine all night."
His talent with the drums led to a two-date gig with Sunnyland Slim when Burckhardt was 17. This was the beginning of a friendship that lasted up to Sunnyland's death in 1995 at age 87. A friend of Sam's made a high-quality recording of that first performance, and it was released in 1991 as, "Sunnyland Slim Live in Europe, 1975," on CD [Airway 0001]. This is a great recording with Sunnyland's singing and piano playing backed only by Burckhardt on drums.
Sunnyland invited Sam to visit him in the States. Burckhardt took him up on the invitation and visited with him in Chicago for a week in 1976. He then traveled through the States for a month. They would continue to see each other when Sunnyland would perform in Europe. In 1981, wanting a break from college, Burckhardt again visited Sunnyland in Chicago.
"I planned on staying about two or three weeks, and I stayed two and a half months. We played Chicago Fest, and I got to meet Steve Freund, the guitar player with whom I worked for many years, and Robert Stroger (bass), and just tons and tons of great people. And then I went back to Europe. Here's this old man, and I was playing with him, and it was the thrill of my life, and I had an opportunity to join his band. I figured studies can wait. And so I came back. I went to Europe, and I worked for half a year to make enough money, 'cause I kind of knew that in the beginning it would be rough."
It was rough because Sunnyland didn't even pay him, though he did live with Sunnyland rent-free. He worked as a translator and interpreter to make ends meet, and the other band members started slipping him a few bucks after gigs. After touring Europe in 1983 with an Austrian band, Sam gathered up his courage and spoke to Sunnyland about getting paid. "Look," I said, "I've been to Europe, and I need to make some money. I can only continue to work with you if you pay me like everybody else. And he goes, "Oh, okay." And the next gig I was paid like everybody else."
Burckhardt switched to saxophone when he was 17, taking lessons for a few years--then letting his talent take over. He started doing everything by ear for many years. But the death of his oldest brother in 1993 caused him to realize that life was short. He decided to take saxophone lessons again and continued to do so until 1995.
When Ross Bon (vocalist) and Jimmy Sutton (stand-up bass) were putting together "The Mighty Blue Kings," Bon called Sam and asked if he would be interested in joining them. Bon had heard Sam playing with Sunnyland. He'd also heard him with pianist, Donnie Nichols, when Sam and Donnie had a regular Thursday night gig at a Chicago club. Nichols also became part of this newly-formed band.
The Mighty Blue Kings paired Sam with fellow saxophonist, Jerry Di Vivo. The two provide great wailing sax to the group's jump blues sound. Bob Carter backs them on drums, and Gareth Best, on a hollow-bodied guitar, rounds out the band.
They are all great musicians, but this is just part of their success and popularity. Burckhardt says that featuring each musician, giving them a chance to stand out, is a big factor in their sound. The Kings have been together about a year and a half, and they pack the house wherever they play. Though they have been very busy, they have a good time and don't tire of playing because according to Burckhardt, "There's always something else you want to explore."
"Meet Me In Uptown," on R-Jay Records is the Kings' first release and available in local record stores.