"Once I thought I'd listen to tapes of the American Folk Blues Festival of 1968. After awhile I spotted Mitch's name on the cover..."
Detlev Hoegen, founder of Crosscut RecordsBorn on May, 17th, 1985, Mitch Hillford has been under the influence of handmade music from the cradle. His father used to sing and play the guitar occasionally, which fascinated the young boy and not before long he wanted to learn to play an instrument, too. His parents took him to the music school but there were no vacancies for guitar students, so he had to pick up the violin instead. A couple of years passed with Mitch practising on his instrument getting better and better but he disliked the strict rules and regulations of classical music more and more.Around his 14th birthday he decided that things had to change and that he needed more musical freedom and an instrument that he could play the way that felt right to him. So he took his father's guitar and started to practise. The first steps were painful, but soon he found himself sitting down with the trusty old instrument all the day, forgetting everything around him. 'It was almost frightening how good he was all of a sudden', says his mother, 'he'd take up the guitar where- and whenever it was possible. That really made me crazy sometimes. Even if he would talk to you he would not stop to play'. But there was a bigger problem: The music Mitch grew up with and which he loved so much - the Blues - was not admired by any of his classmates and friends. They rather went for punk, pop, or techno. There were a lot of bands with young musicians in those days, but they almost all consisted of untalented kids banging their heads, playing the same two power chords over and over and barking out four-letter-words. Hillford did not jump on this train, although he grew isolated more and more and didn't have too many friends, because nobody wanted to hear the latest news about BB King or listen to Robert Johnson's records. And of course nobody wanted to form a Blues Band with him.As a consequence Mitch had to concentrate on his own abilities and started playing solo acoustic gigs. That was funny and raised a bit of pocket money, but the interest was gone very soon, when he played electric guitar for the first time. 'Going to Paul's Music House was always like havin' birthday - There were so many different guitars and amps and everything. I would'nt speak too much when we were over there, there were too many things to explore. Stuff I had never dared to dream about.', remembers Mitch. His parents began to be concerned about their son, because he did nothing except sitting in his room and playing guitar. When he asked them to buy him an electric guitar like Eric Clapton's 'Blackie', they told him first to finish school. But Mitch didn't believe that this could help. It would rather delay his development and harm his creativity. So he ordered the guitar from one of his teachers. When his mother found out about the activities of her son, he had to give it back. But that was a little too late. The guitar was never given back ...In his High School years he started to make some money and spent it all on equipment. He learned to play the drums and found engagements with the Soderblom Big Band and the jazz-fusion project 'ensemble sept'. He received good grades and everything seemed to be alright, but deep in his heart he still had the strong wish to front a blues band and record blues material, to play live.Meanwhile the word of his talents on the guitar had spread and he had several recording sessions, even German Blues veterans 'Das Dritte Ohr' asked him to join their group. (He had to turn down their offer because he hadn't finished school yet).Around the time he got his driving license, he started to attend Osnabruck's famous 'Blue Monday' sessions where he received enthusiastic reactions not only by the audience but also by veterans as Chris Rannenberg, Doug Jay, Memo Gonzales or Toscho Todorovic. It was Gonzales who started to call him 'Junior'.One of his concerts was attended by German jazz legends Wolfgang Schmid and Curt Cress, who both had a huge grin on their face throughout the gig.When saxophonist Scully Cording formed a new 'All-Star' outfit playing soul, RnB and funk in 2003, he asked Mitch to join the band. They are currently touring Northern Germany, calling themselves the "74ScullysRockOrchestra"Having passed his A-Levels in May 2004, 'Junior' Hillford hit the road in July and August - November with his own blues band, 'Mystery Train', including Heiwi Meier on Bass, Sebastian Heise ..boards and Peer Soehring on drums.In the spring of 2005 the Band recorded their debut album "trouble in mind", which excited crowds as well as critics.Gary Bookwood replaced Meier in May 2005 and Daniel Ellermann took over the drummer's chair.In March 2006 Mitch teamed up with master drummer George Loewe (Madonna King), Heiwi Meier and keyboarder Andreas Potter for a weekly nightclub engagement. The group was christened "White Room" and gave Mitch the opportunity to play more urban blues again and concentrate on his improvising skills. Occasionally, the Band was extended by Christof Mueller on percussion and flute and by the legendary british guitarist and producer Pete Thomas.
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