Blues Company
Founded in Osnabrück in 1976 by Todor 'Toscho' Todorovic — Germany's oldest and most successful blues band, with around 4,000 concerts, three German Record Critics' Awards, and a 50-year career still going strong.
Musical Influence
Blues Company's most important contribution to German musical culture is sheer endurance — nearly fifty unbroken years that have shown a whole generation of German musicians that the blues can be a lifelong vocation, not just a phase. Todorovic taught guitar and band coaching at the Osnabrück music school from 1979 to 2015, and still teaches blues ensembles at Hochschule Osnabrück — a direct transfer of craft to younger musicians (Source: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todor_Todorovic). The band's early years touring as the backing group for Sunnyland Slim and James Booker gave them a authenticity and network that has opened doors for numerous younger German blues bands since (Source: bluescompany.de/info.php). With three German Record Critics' Awards and a reputation as demo material for high-end audio equipment in the German hi-fi industry, they have also shown that blues can serve as a benchmark for sound quality, not just genre identity (Source: Westfalen-Blatt, 2 November 2024).
Formative experiences
- •Sang from age seven in his father's Orthodox church choir and, from 1961, took part in the Yugoslav folk-dance ensemble 'Oro' — a Balkan musical background he has said still shapes his blues playing (Source: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todor_Todorovic; blues.gr interview).
- •Started on acoustic guitar at age nine, switched to electric at fifteen (Source: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todor_Todorovic).
- •Heard B.B. King's 'Live At The Regal' roughly fifty years ago — described as decisive for the direction he chose, alongside 'the three kings' B.B., Albert and Freddie King, and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee (Source: connect.de interview, 2019; Sounds of South interview, 2020).
- •Completed a bank clerk apprenticeship (1968–1971) before studying classical guitar and voice formally from 1972 to 1978 (Source: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todor_Todorovic).
Instruments & Equipment
Guitar
No specific guitar model is publicly documented; the band emphasises choosing the right guitar, amplifier and drum kit over heavy studio effects (Source: connect.de interview, 2019).
Mike Titré, a member since 1980, plays guitar, slide/dobro and harmonica (Source: bluescompany.de/info.php).
Vocals
Todorovic's voice was shaped by early church-choir singing and Balkan folk music before it encountered American blues (Source: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todor_Todorovic).
Stories & Anecdotes
"The band toured Europe as the backing group for American blues veterans Sunnyland Slim and James Booker — an early mark of authenticity that opened many doors (Source: bluescompany.de/info.php)."
"During the 2020 pandemic lockdown, Todorovic said: 'For the first time in 50 years I had no goal' — the pandemic halted the band's regular four-times-a-week rehearsal routine (Source: Sounds of South interview, 27 September 2020)."
"During the 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree' holiday concert series in Osnabrück, Todorovic explained why he plays four intimate club shows rather than one big hall: 'You are the reason I play here four times and not once in the Osnabrückhalle' (Source: Osnabrücker Rundschau, December 2024)."
Collaborators
American blues pianist Blues Company toured Europe as backing band for (Source: bluescompany.de/info.php).
American piano legend Blues Company toured Europe as backing band for (Source: bluescompany.de/info.php).
American guitarist/multi-instrumentalist, collaborated on the album 'Johnny Heartsman & the Blues Company: Made In Germany – Live' (1994) (Source: discography data, In-Akustik).
Guitar, slide/dobro and harmonica in Blues Company since 1980 (Source: bluescompany.de/info.php).
Bass and keyboards in Blues Company since May 2008 (Source: bluescompany.de/info.php).
Drummer in Blues Company since 2000 (Source: bluescompany.de/info.php).
Watch & Listen
Blues Company Gründer Todor 'Toscho' Todorovic: Vom Bankkaufmann zur Blueslegende
noz.de (Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung)
Watch & Listen
Press & quotes
"One could tell immediately that this was a tight, solid band with excellent musicians. An exceptional rhythm section, where you can tell these are classically trained musicians!"
"The sound was excellent and transparent from the very start."
"Concert by concert and album by album, Blues Company has continuously grown its fanbase."
Discography
| Year | Title | Producer | Studio | Label | Chart | Sales | Musicians | YouTube | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | So What | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Early studio album on In-Akustik, the start of a 35-plus-year label partnership. | |
| 1990 | Live 89 | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Live release. | |
| 1993 | Public Relations | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Studio album. | |
| 1994 | Johnny Heartsman & the Blues Company: Made In Germany – Live | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Collaborative album with American guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Johnny Heartsman. | |
| 1997 | Blues, Ballads and Assorted Love Songs – Best Of | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Compilation album, certified Gold. | |
| 2003 | From Daybreak To Heartbreak | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Studio album, released on CD, SACD and LP. | |
| 2010 | O' Town Grooves | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Won the German Record Critics' Award 2010. | |
| 2014 | X-Ray Blues | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Won the German Record Critics' Award 2014, released in a numbered limited edition. | |
| 2015 | Ain' Nothin' But | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Won the German Record Critics' Award 2015, with an accompanying DVD. | |
| 2017 | Jubilee Edition | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | 40th-anniversary box set with 5 CDs. | |
| 2023 | United Nations of Blues | — | — | In-Akustik | — | — | — | Based on the project band 'Tosho's United Nations of Blues' from the 2022 Lahnstein Blues Festival, with musicians from nine countries. |
Famous songs
Awards & Recognition
External links
Booking / Contact
An acoustic-duo booking agent is also listed: Uwe Kossmann, info@gitarre-tourneeplanung.de, +49 234 705516.
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