MC Barry told us this all-female Swedish quartet were on a short tour, playing just two gigs besides this one, and by the end of the evening we were counting ourselves very lucky to have caught their well-honed set of scorching blues. Forget any stereotypes – this, by all the best criteria, is one hell of a band! They comprise singer and harp player Little Jenny, bassist Maria Kempff who shares vocals, Lotta Parpapuoli on guitar and drummer Justina Lakin. The band was formed in 1997 and this particular line-up dates from 2001. To judge by their excellent live CD Nefertiti Blues Show recorded that year, they were quickly into their stride and five years on their dynamic, tightly-meshed sound makes them a match for any European band of either sex.

Little Jenny can really deliver a song, with vocal echoes of Bonnie Raitt. Her harp playing is in the top league, too, whose varied influences probably include Butterfield and Musselwhite. Lead guitarist Lotta is a seriously good player, a devoted student of Hendrix whose wah-wah work on the stately ‘Autumn Blues’ rivals the master for taste and delicacy. Musical arrangements are great, maximising contrast and dramatic qualities, with the rhythm section oozing musicality as well as power and handling solos every bit the equal of those we heard from the frontwomen. And all of it comes from a deep understanding of the blues and its entertainment potential.

There were plenty of Chicago standards, with Muddy featuring prominently, albeit with his macho lyrics undergoing a timely feminine makeover. Original songs held up well, musically and lyrically, and it was nice to hear one or two in their native tongue including the catchy novelty number “Schting Schtang” sung effectively by Maria. They took us on an exhilarating tour of blues styles, swing, slow blues, country diversions, funk, boogie, metallic rock … you name it, they did it. And they did it all with such confidence and style that we were pretty much blown away by the end. It would be absolutely no surprise to see a band of this calibre on some big stages in the near future and I can picture prima donnas in more than a few all-male bands quaking in the wings while this dedicated, selfless team rock the joint.

Dave Kingsbury (From Blues in Britain March 2006)

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