F.l.t.r.: Paulo Simões, Christian Ries & Rob Schauls. Photo: © Mars Lépine 2023.
BMAD, aka Boogie Music Against Depression (or Blues Makes A Difference), was established in 2020 amidst the pandemic as a duo, intent on having a good time and shielding themselves from drifting into depression. By 2023, BMAD expanded into a trio, with Christian Ries playing the piano and singing with his gravelly voice, Paulo Simões strumming the guitar, and Rob Schauls commanding the drums.
BMAD delights audiences with a captivating blend of boogie-woogie, blues, and timeless jazz classics, alongside their own compositions. Their distinctive sound bears marked influences from esteemed musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Eddie Boyd, Jimmie Bell, Leroy Carr, John Len Chatman (Memphis Slim), Blind John Davis, Champion Jack Dupree, Eleanora Fagan (Billie Holiday), Eroll Garner, Sammy Price, Roosevelt Sykes and Fats Waller, …
Line-up (2023)
- Christian Ries: stage piano, vocals
- Paulo Simões: guitar
- Rob Schauls: drums