Henrik Freischlader
A Wuppertal-based guitarist and label owner who learned the blues from Gary Moore's records — three-time winner of the German Blues Award in the guitar category, and producer for artists like Layla Zoe and Tommy Schneller.
Musical Influence
Henrik Freischlader's influence has less to do with founding a whole new school of blues playing and more with showing a generation of German blues guitarists that you can build an international career from Wuppertal without ever moving to Chicago or Austin. He is today regarded as one of Germany's most successful and prolific blues guitarists, with three German Blues Awards in the guitar category (Source: German Blues Awards, Wikipedia). As a producer he has passed on both craft and a signature sound to younger artists such as Canadian singer Layla Zoe and saxophonist Tommy Schneller, both of whom recorded albums produced by Freischlader on his own Cable Car Records label (Source: discography data, Cable Car Records). That he was able, in 2017, to gather some of Gary Moore's own former musicians for the tribute album "Blues for Gary" shows how close he now stands to the very international blues-rock tradition he grew up admiring (Source: gitarrebass.de interview).
Formative experiences
- •Discovered Gary Moore around age 13 — the direct reason he took up guitar at all (Source: gitarrebass.de interview).
- •Taught himself guitar and drums by ear, and found his way to B.B. King, Albert King and Albert Collins through Moore's own influences (Source: gitarrebass.de interview).
- •Played weekend gigs as a teenager in the local bands Lash and Bluescream around Wuppertal, before his national breakthrough (Source: English Wikipedia).
- •Met his great hero Gary Moore backstage in Mosbach in 2009, after opening for him — the meeting laid the groundwork for the 2017 tribute album 'Blues for Gary' (Source: gitarrebass.de interview).
Instruments & Equipment
Guitar
Freischlader's self-declared favourite guitar, played at nearly every show (Source: RockTimes interview, 2006).
Supporting guitars in his stage rig (Source: gitarrebass.de interview; official website).
Other
A combo amp built specifically for Freischlader by Realtone, with Celestion speakers and tube reverb (Source: gitarrebass.de interview).
Regular parts of his live signal chain (Source: gitarrebass.de interview; gear aggregator sites).
Stories & Anecdotes
"When Freischlader finally met Gary Moore backstage in Mosbach in 2009, having himself opened for him, he called it the fulfilment of a childhood dream — the encounter became the seed of the tribute album 'Blues for Gary' eight years later (Source: gitarrebass.de interview)."
"He has chosen to keep certain releases off Spotify, arguing that handcrafted music deserves fair payment for the people who make it (Source: gitarrebass.de interview)."
"On his songwriting process, he has said: 'I always have the songs in my head first, then show them on the guitar or explain them in a few sentences' (Source: RockTimes interview, 2006)."
Collaborators
Contributed a guest guitar solo on the title track of 'Still Frame Replay' (2011) (Source: Last.fm).
Freischlader produced and played on albums for the Canadian blues singer, including 'Sleep, Little Girl' (2011), on his own Cable Car Records (Source: discography data).
Freischlader produced two albums for the saxophonist/vocalist, including 'Smiling For a Reason' (Source: discography data).
Touring guitarist in comedian-musician Helge Schneider's live band since 2018, alongside his own career (Source: Klotz artist page).
Bass and backing vocals in the Henrik Freischlader Band from 2025 (Source: RockTimes concert review, Goslar 2025).
Drums and backing vocals in the Henrik Freischlader Band from 2025 (Source: RockTimes concert review, Goslar 2025).
The band's longtime Hammond organist and pianist, died of cancer on 23 November 2024, aged 44 (Source: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Freischlader).
Watch & Listen
Henrik Freischlader live | Leverkusener Jazztage 2023 | Rockpalast
WDR Rockpalast
Watch & Listen
Press & quotes
"And so, after the moment of remembrance, a good two-hour concert unfolds with the raw power of a power trio (with a short break for the smokers!), of the finest kind and quality."
"The band felt at home across every terrain. The rhythm section always delivered a solid groove that the soloists could build on perfectly."
"Henrik Freischlader proved again tonight that he ranks among Germany's best blues-rock guitarists, and that he has nothing to hide behind when compared to international string wizards."
Discography
| Year | Title | Producer | Studio | Label | Chart | Sales | Musicians | YouTube | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Blues | — | — | ZYX Music | — | — | — | Debut album with the Henrik Freischlader Band. | |
| 2007 | Get Closer | — | — | — | — | — | — | Second studio album with the band. | |
| 2011 | Still Frame Replay | — | — | Cable Car Records | — | — | — | Solo album. The title track features a guest solo from Joe Bonamassa. | |
| 2012 | House in the Woods | — | — | Cable Car Records | — | — | — | Won the German Blues Award for Best Recording 2013. | |
| 2013 | Night Train to Budapest | — | — | Cable Car Records | — | — | — | Solo album. | |
| 2016 | Openness | — | — | Cable Car Records | — | — | — | With the Henrik Freischlader Trio. Won the German Blues Award for Best Recording 2017. | |
| 2017 | Blues for Gary | — | — | Cable Car Records | — | — | — | A tribute to Gary Moore, featuring several of Moore's former musicians. | |
| 2018 | Hands On The Puzzle | — | — | Cable Car Records | — | — | — | Album with a new band lineup. | |
| 2020 | Missing Pieces | — | — | Cable Car Records | — | — | — | Studio album with the Henrik Freischlader Band. |
Famous songs
Awards & Recognition
External links
Booking / Contact
Booking runs through the artist's own label, Cable Car Records — no independent booking agency is publicly documented.
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