Mention 'jam bands', and people tend to automatically think of the US, where acts like the Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers Band peppered their performances with endless solos and exciting improvisations back in the 1960s – not dissimilar to jazz in a way. The Netherlands’ own Leif de Leeuw Band has transported this tradition to the other side of the Atlantic. For over ten years, they’ve been regarded as one of the most important European standard-bearers of blues and southern rock. They built up an international reputation with tours through Europe, the US and even China, and De Leeuw was named best blues-rock guitarist in the Benelux no less than ten times. With two drummers, a growling Hammond organ, and spirited bursts of improvisation, the group certainly acknowledges its influences, which is evident by the two cover albums dedicated to their greatest musical heroes: Plays The Allman Brothers Band Vol. 1 & 2, released in 2019 and 2026. This is a band that should definitely be seen in a live setting.
