Biography

Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado Scandinavia’s premier root-rockers reveal their brand new album “House of Sticks” Scandinavia’s premier roots-rock renegades Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado return with their brand new album of high-energy swamp rock, smouldering ballads and cinematic blues-rock on ‘House of Sticks‘, which will be released on 31 January via Provogue / Mascot Label Group. Their ninth studio album delivers a fresh, modern take on the blues. It channels the vibes of contemporary giants like The Black Keys and My Baby or a modern JJ Cale take while staying true to the band’s deep blues roots. The band have spent the last two decades traversing Europe, covering almost every inch, over twenty countries, sweeping through the islands and mainland of their home country Denmark and through the rocky terrains and bright lights of Sweden, Finland and Norway countryside and cities. They’ve graced stages in the valleys and mountain regions in Switzerland and have circumnavigated Germany, France, The Netherlands as well as hurtling through Croatia, Greece, the UK and Spain. They’ve played aboard cruise ships, packed all eight members into smokey jazz bars to large theatres and captivated the biggest festival stages. Their euphoric blend of Blues’ n Roll has taken them as far as the US, Canada and India on their quest to enchant crowds into the Black Tornado congregation with their electrifying live performances. Spending nine to ten months a year on the road means that Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado are all about the journey, physically and figuratively. Staring out of the van windows as the eight band members career through highways, mountain paths and city back streets. It’s impossible not to watch the world go by and think. But it’s the listener and the fan in the crowd that they want to bring onto the journey. From moving feet on the dancefloor to moving minds within the lyrics, telling people is not what they’re here for. It’s about bringing them along for the experience. “I don’t like to analyse my lyrics too much.  I find it kind of devalues the song if it’s explained too much,” says the smooth voiced and softly spoken Risager. “I might have thought about something when I wrote it, but it can mean something else for the listener. If I say it means something else, it’s taking away the listener’s experience,” he explains.  “I’ve had moments where people have said that a song I’ve sung is something they have experienced or had couples tell me that a song has been used at their Wedding or has been “their” song, and I’m proud of that. They’ve used the song for their experience.” They have revealed their single, “Inner Light,” a soulful funk-laden earworm that fuses Sly and the Family Stone’s swagger with Risager’s distinctive smoky vocals. “This song,” he says, “was pretty clear to me when writing about it. It’s about getting older. The light has changed a little bit. It happens to everybody. The whole thing is not as bright as it once was when you get older.” Though reflective, the song also oozes with optimism as he croons, “I know I’m stronger than the darkness, I’m going to hold on till summer comes around, and I remember every soul that we lost along the way,” to a bright brass section, bringing the light into view. “I’m also a big funk fan. I always create a funk song when I write the songs for the album. It’s usually a floor filler, too. We see ourselves as a blues rock band, but funk is a part of the blues family,” he smiles. Things have been steadily building for the band over recent years. “We’re constantly growing,” enthuses Risager. “It’s a crucial thing,  and one of the reasons why it’s still fun is because it’s always moving in the right direction to bigger venues, bigger crowds. We’ve also been playing in new countries. For instance, we just started playing in Spain last year, where we never played there before; we played in mainland Spain and the Islands. The Spanish audience was really enthusiastic.” “Some of the places we’re biggest in are Hamburg, Berlin, Stockholm, and Malmö. When I started out, I would call around Copenhagen venues for a support slot and not get anything. Now we headline with nearly 1000 people there to see us,” he smiles. “But,” he interjects, “I’m always more nervous when playing in my hometown than when I’m playing anywhere else. I can play in Germany for 4,000 people and be fine, and then I can play a small duo or trio show in Copenhagen and be really nervous.” When the Octet takes to the stage, it’s a visual feast. The traditional set up of vocals, guitar, bass and drums is joined by a piano, woodwind, brass, strings and multiple backing vocalists.  “I don’t see myself as a very good entertainer,” he says modestly. His laid-back stage presence and delivery are complemented by the band of friends of twenty years around him. “They do that department of the show. They get people to clap and do funny moves, and of course, they also have their solos. So we have so many strings to play on, and that’s also one of the secrets of how we’ve been together for so long. I’m not standing with the whole responsibility to entertain the audience.  Our saxophone player, Hans Nybo, is a natural. As soon as he steps on stage, he just draws people’s attention.” ‘House of Sticks’ was recorded between April and June 2024 between Medley Studios and MillFactory NuVenue Studios in Copenhagen. It was produced once again by Risager and bass player Søren Bøjgaard, with additional production by guitarist Joachim Svensmark. “I can’t write songs when I’m on the road,” Risager explains his songwriting. “There’s too much going on when I’m touring. So, I need to be very concentrated and very focused on the concert. I recently found out that when I’m home I can write the best between 9am and noon. It’s taken a long time to work that out.  Once I have written the song and I take it to the band, that’s because I know this is going to hold water. We don’t work on songs with the band or in the studio that won’t be on the album.” The award-winning Danes have already released the pulsating groove of “Long Time Ago,” which sees Risager’s soulful vocals swoon around the swampy, raw energy that has become synonymous with The Black Tornado’s sound.  When “Already Gone” dropped in June, it was the band’s first new music since the release of their 2022 album, ‘Navigation Blues’. Its galloping rhythms strides through groove-infused blues rock, buoyed by searing solos and wrapped around a forlorn love story – “This is what I would call the most classic Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado song on the album.” “I will say my favourite track of the album is the title track “House of Sticks.” I think it’s a really wonderful song. I didn’t write it, it was our guitarist Joachim Svensmark,” he says. “It’s not a 12-bar Delta blues but has a Delta vibe, while still sounding very fresh; I think writing this kind of Delta blues is tough. So even though I didn’t write it, that song really sticks out, I think.” Elsewhere the band deliver a Stax-loaded masterstroke on “Climbed a Mountain”, the singer-songwriter ballad infused with Sam Cooke warmth on “Fine Summer Night,” and bring the listener on a journey of reflective laments and dancefloor-filling stompers. Therein lies the compelling charm of Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado – the ability to take you on their journey. “We’re quite broad; of course, some people think we’re too broad. It’s not really something that I do on purpose. This is just the 10 songs that came out this time,” he explains. The band’s adventures have taken them to highs and lows – From playing in India where Risager jammed on stage with the legendary Buddy Guy – “That was a big experience for me,” he says. To be victims of bad luck of Hollywood comedy movie proportions – delayed flights from the US to Canadian show saw them have to split the group up and travel separately across to the US to their destination, only to be hit by more flight and automobile troubles and to be saved by a fan getting wind of their problems and driving half the band to Canada to play the show. They’ve sold over 60,000 physical albums and surpassed 25 million streams over the past decade with thirteen albums, including eight studio; From the Heart (2006), Here I Am (2007), Track Record (2010), Dust & Scratches (2012), the multi-award-winning Too Many Roads (2014), Change My Game (2017), Come On In (2020) and Navigation Blues (2022) as well as a Best Of.  They’ve won four Danish Music Awards (with seven nominations), the “Best Band” in the European Blues Awards and won the prestigious German Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik Jahrespreis – German Record Critics’ Awards. Blazing a trail worldwide, they’ve captivated crowds with their dynamic stage presence and a sound that fuses soul Chicago blues, boogie, and rock ‘n’ roll with a voice where Ray Charles, Van Morrison, and Billy Gibbons meet in the middle. They’ve opened for Bonnie Raitt, the Tedeschi Trucks Band even picked up a fan in Elwood Blues himself – Dan Aykroyd! – who hailed their “Hot rhythm and blues.” Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado are showing no signs of slowing down. With every tour and every release, the Octet are bringing that delicious blend of swaggering boogie and irresistible blues to captivate even more people to come along for the ride. Musicians: Thorbjørn Risager – Vocal, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar Emil Balsgaard – Piano, Organ, Wurlitzer, Mellotron, Clavinet Joachim Svensmark – Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Viola, Background Vocals, Mellotron, Drum Programming Kasper Wagner – Alto Sax, Baritone Sax, Flute Hans Nybo – Tenor Sax Peter W Kehl – Trumpet, Fluegelhorn, Sousaphone, Trombone Søren Bøjgaard – Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer, Bass Synthesizer, Electric Guitar, Piano Martin Seidelin – Drums, Percussion DISCOGRAPHY: Live 2004 (Music Mecca/Cope 2005) From the Heart (Cope Records 2006) Here I Am (Cope Records 2007) Live at Victoria (Cope Records 2009) Track Record (Cope Records 2010) Dust & Scratches (Cope Records 2012) Between Rock and Some Hard Blues (Cope Records 2013) Too Many Roads (Ruf Records 2014) Songs From The Road (Ruf Records 2015) Change My Game (Ruf Records 2017) Come On In (Ruf Records 2020) Best Of (Ruf Records 2021) Navigation Blues (Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group 2022) House of Sticks (Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group 2025) “This is the sort of band that gets booked by unwary festival promoters as an early evening support only to discover they’ve stolen the show by 8 pm. If you haven’t seen them yet, do. If you haven’t booked them yet, do…” Download the Biography as pdf here! …und German Bio hier!