Blues Section are a

Finnish rock Finnish rock ( Finnish: ''suomirock'' or ''suomirokki''—also known as Finnsrock, Finnrock or Finrock) refers to rock music made in Finland. The initial rock and roll boom of the 1950s was preceded by a long tradition of popular culture. ''Suomir ...

music group. They started in 1967, formed around the vocalist Jim Pembroke, a British expatriate songwriter now living in Finland. The other members of the band were Eero Koivistoinen (saxophone),

Ronnie Österberg Ronnie may refer to: * Ronnie (name), a unisex pet name and given name * "Ronnie" (Four Seasons song), a song by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe *"Ronnie," a song from the Metallica album ''Load'' * Ronnie Brunswijkstadion, an association football stadiu ...

(drums), Hasse Walli (guitar), and

Måns Groundstroem Måns Ivar Åkesson "Måsse" Groundstroem rʊndström(b. 23 April 1949) is a Finnish bass player, studio technician and music producer. He has recorded ca. 100 music albums and produced another 70 albums. Most of these albums were released by Lo ...

(bass). Their influences came above all from

John Mayall John Mayall, OBE (born 29 November 1933) is an English blues singer, musician and songwriter, whose musical career spans over sixty years. In the 1960s, he was the founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band that has counted among it ...

's Bluesbreakers and

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

, who had played a gig in Helsinki in May 1967. One can also hear in Pembroke's British-flavoured song-writing some echoes from The Beatles and The Kinks. Blues Section released a self-titled album late 1967 on Helsinki's Love Records. In 1968 Groundstroem and Pembroke left the band, being replaced by

Pekka Sarmanto Pekka Eerik Juhani Sarmanto (born February 15, 1945 in Helsinki) is a Finnish jazz bassist. Heikki Sarmanto is Pekka's brother. Pekka Sarmanto first studied classical violin at the Sibelius Academy from 1958 to 1964 before he switched to upright ...

and (another British vocalist)

Frank Robson Frank Robson (born 27 April 1946, Bradford on Avon, United Kingdom) is a rock musician of English extraction who has achieved fame in Finland. He is known as a singer and a piano and organ player. He first came to Finland in 1967. Robson had me ...

, respectively. Also Koivistoinen would leave the band during the same year, and by the end of 1968 Blues Section was over. The Blues Section members would continue in such acclaimed progressive rock bands as Wigwam and

Tasavallan Presidentti Tasavallan Presidentti (in English '' President of the Republic'') is a Finnish progressive rock band. It was founded in 1969 by guitarist Jukka Tolonen and drummer Vesa Aaltonen. Other founder members were Måns Groundstroem (bass) and Frank ...

. Eero Koivistoinen was to become an internationally acclaimed jazz musician, and Hasse Walli would discover world music, playing in such bands as

Piirpauke Piirpauke is a Finnish musical group combining free jazz, flamenco, mbalax, Arabesque, carnatic, romantic, modern, classical, humppa, impressionist, hindustani, salsa, Amharic, Lappjoik, Tibetan, Balkan, Karelian, Finnish, national romantic ...

Singles discography

* Blues Section & Jim Pembroke: ''Call Me On Your Telephone'' / ''Only Dreaming'' (7", 1967) * Blues Section & Jim Pembroke: ''Hey, Hey, Hey'' / ''Shivers Of Pleasure'' (7", 1967) * Kirka Babitzin & Blues Section: ''Anna suukko vain'' / ''Silloin ihminen kaunein on'' (7", 1967) * Kirka Babitzin: ''Avaruuslaulu'' / Otto Donner: ''Riemun siemenet'' - ''Tanssi'' - ''Kampaamon riemu'' (1968) * Jim Pembroke & Blues Section: ''Semi-Circle Solitude'' / ''Cherry Cup-Cake Twist'' (7", 1968) * Blues Section & Frank Robson: ''Faye'' / ''Sun Of Love'' (7" 1968) * Ronnie Österberg & Blues Section: ''Kauan kuljen'' / ''Hei vaan'' (7", 1968) * Ronnie Österberg & Blues Section: ''Ei kauempaa'' / ''Kun yö hyväilee'' (7", 1968) * Otto Donner & Blues Section: ''Pääskytorni'' / ''Kuka kertoisi minulle'' (7", 1968)

Album discography

* ''Blues Section'' (1967) * ''Some Of Love'' (compilation, 1969) * ''Once More For The Road'' (1980) (compilation, 1980) * ''Classics - The Ultimate Collection'' (compilation, 1990) * ''Blues Section 2'' (compilation, 1995)

Appearances on compilation albums discography

* ''Football'' (on "Perspectives '68 - Music In Finland", LP, 1968) * ''For Mods Only'' - ''Lucy Jane'' (on "Reunion", LP, 1970)

External links

Blues Section

Historien om klubb Filips del 1. (The history of club Filips pt. 1)

Historien om klubb Filips del 2. (The history of club Filips pt. 2)
Finnish rock music groups {{Finland-band-stub