Artist Detailed Info: The Mudbirds

Alan Laws – acoustic guitar, vocals, blues harp
René Tweehuysen – dobro, weissenborn, acoustic lap steel guitar

Alan Laws and René Tweehuysen both share a passion for the blues. In 2007 ‘The Mudbirds’ became a reality. With their unusual combination of dobro and blues harp they have created a new sound. Powerful rhythmic blues with subtle harmonies. Inspired by acoustic pre-war blues they have developed a highly original style, also expressed in their own compositions.

Alan Laws started as a busker on the London underground in the seventies, and was active for many years in the blues scene. He gained a reputation as a virtuoso bluesharp player. His music has always been a mixture of blues, gospel and jazz, often performed in a duo or trio. In 1990 he moved to the Netherlands, and has been active there ever since .

René Tweehuysen is one of the few players in the Netherlands who plays the blues on a dobro. By fully using the haunting/ 'lonesome sound' of this instrument he is able to add his own personal and dynamic colour to the music.


Review: Blues Matters Magazine

Slick Blues

The Mudbirds have really surpassed themselves with this 13 track acoustic Blues album in the purest Blues roots tradition, the kind which makes you tingle all over. You cannot but be impressed by the quality of this CD, there is such spontaneity here and the sound gives the thirteen tracks a kind of infernal roots magic, we’d even go as far as saying it’s come straight from the devil himself, and the devil is never far from the Crossroads, right? And to make the mixture as sinful as possible, Alan Laws (acoustic guitar, vocals and harmonica) and René Tweehuysen (dobro and acoustic lap steel guitar) slip in, amongst their own compositions, four traditional songs beautifully rearranged such as the superb ‘Blood Red River’, ‘Lovin’ In My Baby’s Eyes’ by Taj Mahal and an excellent version of ‘Whipping Post’ by Gregg Allman. Not only those two great birds are sensational guitar and harmonica players, they are also extremely talented songwriters. How can you not be moved by the superb ‘Vanishing Point’ written by René Tweehuysen, then let yourself flow into the sensational ‘Mud Slide’ and its incredibly captivating harmonica. After such an experience, you will believe that these two have actually written classics such as ‘Come Back Baby’ or ‘Beautiful City’. These birds must have come across who you know at the Crossroads because the album is devilishly good. Devilishly good indeed.
Frankie Bluesy Pfeiffer and Nat Harrap

← Go Back