Walo shows Sweden’s love of the blues

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007 | 6:56 a.m.

Who: Andy Walo

House of Blues: 9 p.m. Wednesday and 10 p.m. Thursday , Crossroads Room, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South; free; 632-7600

Sand Dollar Lounge: 10 p.m. Friday ; 5531 Spring Mountain Road; $7; 871-6651

Info: andywalo.com

Andy Walos, a blues guitarist, on the popularity of blues and jazz in Scandinavian countries

The world beats a path to Las Vegas. You'll find entertainers from almost every country, from China and Russia to Colombia and French Polynesia.

Blues guitarist Andy Walo hails from Sweden and now lives in Los Angeles. But he makes it to Las Vegas for three engagements each month - two at the House of Blues, one at the Sand Dollar.

"Sweden is big on blues and jazz," Walo said. "There's a big audience for it. There are a lot of good players in the Scandinavian countries. They're really up to date on what's going on in the blues and jazz scene."

Walo was playing blues in clubs in Sweden, Denmark and England when guitarist Albert Collins spotted him and persuaded him to move to Chicago in 1993. Collins died later that year.

Walo then hooked up with blues singer and harmonica player Junior Wells, who had performed with such legends as Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy and with rock stars such as the Rolling Stones and Van Morrison. Wells, who had hits with "Messin' With the Kid" and "Hoodoo Man," died in 1998.

"When I joined the band, he was already up there in years," Walo, 39, said.

Walo toured the world with the Buddy Guy Band for a couple of years and eventually moved to Los Angeles in 1999.

"I started from scratch," he said. "I wanted to get away from touring, so I started to play a lot in L.A. and now in Las Vegas. I've been playing there monthly for the last couple of years."

He's usually at the House of Blues the last Wednesday and Thursday of the month and at the Sand Dollar the last Friday .

He has one recent album, "Live Your Life," and is working on another. Three of his songs are scheduled to be in the movie "Two Tickets to Paradise," starring John C. McGinley, D.B. Sweeney and Ed Harris.