19. Henk de Kat

Van Velzen

19. Henk de Kat

Henk de Kat (Delft, 1947) joins the BB Bluesband as a bass guitarist in the seventies. Known for its danceable blues, this Delft-based group starts off mostly performing during weekend-festivities in the (later torn down) community house Tot Ieders Genoegen (To everyone’s pleasure), located behind the Stads Doelen. In 1977 this is where Henk, as a way of experimenting, shares his newest musical discovery, Zydeco.  The tryout of this swinging ‘black’ accordeon-centered blues from the swamps of Lousiana is a hit on the first night and because of this relatively ‘new’ style of music for the Dutch, the BB Bluesband is in high demand by left-wing manifestations. Henk de Kat first founds La Blusa in 1985 and then proceeds to establish Les Chats Cadiens, which still draws crowds to this day.

Watch the videos of Henk de Kat