Katmandu Blues Band - Big In Nepal (Feat. Sean Carney) (2023)

By the end of their two week tour of India and Nepal in 2010, the newly named Katmandu Survivors had truly lived up to their new moniker and these songs tell the true story of their experience; "Welcome to Katmandu!"
A spinoff of Finland's most venerated and respected Blues outfit, The Wentus Blues Band, leader/bassist Robert Hagnas, assembled a four piece band for the short tour of India/Nepal with outstanding guitarist Kepa Harkonen, vocalist, Juho Kinaret and harpman/ Ollie Ontronen, both strong drummers who can capably switch duties at the drop of a hat.
The Finnish band connected with American Blues guitarist/vocalist, Sean Carney, who also made the ill fated tour, along with the Himalaya Blues Festival promoter and his assistant.
The five musicians connected on and off stage, even as the tour of India began to unravel, with four concert dates in India suddenly reduced to one. Fortunately, The Himalaya Blues Festival was a successful (if chilly) evening of international Blues. Magic happened on stage and Hagnas and Carney made a plan to reunite the band a year later for a tour in Finland.
It so happened the musicians had 2 days off and got together to write songs for a planned recording session. The band naturally drew on their experiences in India and Nepal for all of the original songs on this recording, honestly (sometimes brutally!) telling the story of their unforgettable time in "the sub continent."
Songs like, "Big in Nepal," "Delly Belly Blues," and ad "Immune To Your Love" push into hot blues rock territory, with lyrics inspired by Indian culture and the trip of a lifetime, while "Our Love," and "Chicken Tika Masala," dig interesting new ground. There's even a cover from The Rolling Stones to draw listeners into some familiar territory as the unfamiliar story unfolds.
With this recording you'll journey back thirteen years and thousands of miles to Katmandu, where an international musical collaboration to document the journey of a lifetime was born! "Welcome to Katmandu!" Strap in!