Freddie & The Cannonballs is a Swiss blues band fronted by bassist, vocalist, and blues enthusiast Freddie “Cannonball” Albertoni, who has been on the Swiss-Italian blues scene for two decades. The talented and dynamic musicians who joined his sextet are Mad Mantello (guitar), Roberto Panzeri (drums), Donato Cereghetti (keyboards), and saxophone players Nigel Casey and Olmo Antezana. Along with some swinging blues classics and favourites of the 50s and 60s, the band’s repertoire also features a bunch of original songs.
Formed in 2018, they have since published an EP entitled “F” (2019) and performed at most major Swiss blues festivals (Bluesfestival Baden, Bellinzona Blues, Lugano Blues to Bop, Sierre Blues Festival, Summerblues Basel, Vallemaggia Magic Blues, Caslano Blues, JazzAscona, etc). They are the winners of the 2021 Swiss Blues Challenge, which allowed them to compete in the 2022 International Blues Challenge organized by the Blues Foundation. In Memphis ‘Freddie & the Cannonballs’ would reach the semi-finals! A new album called “Two Sides of the Same Coin” was published in June 2022. It consists of a double album that features a bunch of original songs (CD1) and some swinging blues classics and favorites of the 50s and 60s that were recorded live in concert (CD2).
In 2023, the band keeps on performing at some of the best blues clubs on the Swiss and Italian blues scene. Also, Freddie & the Cannonballs were joined on stage by New Orleans-based trombonist Chris Butcher and they had the tremendous honor of representing Switzerland at the European Blues Challenge finals, which took place in Poland. In October 2023 Freddie & the Cannonballs announced their upcoming Autumn Blues Tour 2023 (which includes a show at Lucerne Blues Festival). In 2025, the band was also featured in the Swiss Blues Award.
