Richard Koechli

Richard Koechli is a professional and popular roots-musician from Switzerland. He has played with many well known artists such as Larry Garner ("…maybe I'll forget your face, but I’ll never forget your slide-guitar!"), Philipp Fankhauser, Hank Shizzoe, Jens Krüger, Yvonne Moore, Polo Hofer, Max Lässer, Reto Burrell, Jenny White, Andy Martin, Keiser-Twins and many more. He is a regularly sought after studio musician and has also been engaged as producer for Swiss artists such as Daenu Brueggemann, KRIZZ, Deanu Wisler ore Blues-Max. Richard is also internationally known for the successful guitar-books he has written and released under AMA Publishing; "Slide Guitar Styles", "Best in the West"(translated in English and distributed by MELBAY) and the new award-winning release „Masters of Blues Guitar" (BEST GERMAN EDITION-Award 2011).



In 2002, Koechli had the creative vision to combine Celtic-Folkmusic with the Blues . He went on to produce the album „Blue Celtic Mystery" (MARA Records, AMA 626635). "Highly recommended!" (Glen Clifford, celtic-musicians.net). "He takes the myths of our lands and adds music that retains a hint of the ancient but is truly 21st century in style. He concocts new tales for our timeless times!" (Nicky Rossiter, www.rambles.net ). 

Koechli was a guitarist and instrumental-composer for a long time, but now he definitely seems to be on his way to the world of Songwriting. Together with his musically solid and brilliant backup-band "Blue Roots Company", Koechli recorded the album “laid-back” (MARA Records, AMA 626668) in 2008. This album presents Richard in his best Singer/Songwriter manner and as a master of Slide guitar. Roots music at its finest , in two languages (French and English), caringly produced! Koechli puts together the spirit of all his inspirations: from Blind Willie Johnson, Fred Mc Dowell and Elmore James to Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, from Gary Rafferty, Zachary Richard, Eric Clapton and Randy Newman to … his biggest influences: the laid-back-Masters J.J. Cale and Mark Knopfler.



Between 2008 – 2010, Koechli played more than 180 club-gigs in Switzerland and wrote his new award-winning book „Masters of Blues Guitar“. In 2011 he felt that it was the right time to follow his Blues-roots and produce a real Blues-album, dedicated to the pioneers of Afro-American Folk Blues: HOWLIN' WITH THE BAD BOYS (Nation Music, NB 0262). „Brilliantly delivered original compositions, deeply rooted in traditional blues – Richard Koechli bows before the legends and gets every blues-loving soul moving“ (Guido Schmidt, President Lucerne Blues Festival)
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