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WEEK AT A GLANCE: SEPT. 12- 25

for more details click HERE...
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BRAND NEW RELEASE: "GETTIN' LOOSE!"



featuring:
Anthony Stelmaszack (electric & acoustic guitars)
Simon "Shuffle" Boyer (drums)
Chris Douglas (upright bass)
and me on upright piano, Hammond organ and voice

thanks to Manley Fairchild @ Ultrasuede Studio and to Maurice Mattei for design

a tribute to such varied folk as Bob Wills, Nat King Cole, Jimmy Yancey,
Little WIllie Littlefield, Big Joe Duskin & Lonnie Mack, plus a few original numbers

it's a rockin' li'l record! soon to be available on CD Baby, but in the meantime
pick up a copy at any of my shows...get ready to "GET LOOSE!"
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TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!   MARK YOUR CALENDARS!




announcing the

17th ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT

FEATURING:

CARL SONNY LEYLAND (U.K.)
CRAIG BRENNER (U.S.)
RICKY NYE (U.S.)
LLUIS COLOMA (SPAIN) - FRIDAY
ETHAN LEINWAND (U.S.) - SATURDAY

with:

CHRIS DOUGLAS (upright bass)
PAUL ELLIS (drums)
GEORGE BEDARD (guitar)
BRIAN "BOSS" HOGG (tenor sax)

DOORS 8:00 PM / SHOW 9:00 PM

Reserved seating guarantees you non-specified seating
No row or seat numbers provided, so arrive early for up close seating

RESERVED $25 Advance / $30 Day of Show

STANDING ROOM $20 Advance / $25 Day of Show

ticket link for Friday November 4th show: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1242681?utm_medium=bks

ticket link for Saturday November 5th show: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1242683?utm_medium=bks


THIS IS AN ALL AGES / NON SMOKING EVENT

SPECIAL DINNER OFFER from our friends @ POMPILIO'S RESTAURANT (located at 6th & Washington, one block from SGHR): with your advance paid purchase of a ticket to the Blues & Boogie Piano Summit, buy one entree and get a second entree FREE (of equal or lesser value). In order to redeem, please present your ticket or your printed receipt for your ticket at Pompillio's at time of purchase.

MANY THANKS to the SPONSORS that make it all happen:

PIANO PROS
YORK VISION
MS. KAREN TYLER
DEWEY'S PIZZA
POMPILIO'S
EAT WELL CELEBRATIONS AND FEASTS
BANG BANG SALON
ESQUIRE / MARIEMONT / KENWOOD / EASTGATE THEATERS
WVXU 91.7
WNKU 89.7
CITYBEAT MAGAZINE

CARL SONNY LEYLAND

Born & raised on England’s south coast, CARL SONNY LEYLAND took up the piano at age 15 inspired by the blues & boogie sounds of old masters such as Pinetop Smith,
Albert Ammons, Jimmy Yancey, & Cow Cow Davenport. Within three months, Leyland had performed in public & soon after was hired by a local blues band which gave him the opportunity to develop further into an all-around blues pianist.

At age 23, Leyland emigrated to the US, coming first to New Orleans where he spent nine years. In addition to working under his own name, he toured with the Dallas based group Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets (featuring blues great Sam Myers). After relocating to California in 1997, Leyland joined prominent rockabilly group Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys with whom he spent three and a half years.

In the years that followed, Leyland expanded his repertoire to include early jazz styles such as Ragtime, Stride, & Swing. Much of his playing is pure improvisation & the result combines spontaneous expression with the authentic feeling of those eras in which the music originated. Learn more about Carl and his many recorded releases @ www.carlsonnyleyland.com


CRAIG BRENNER

Called "a fine and funky pianist" by Living Blues, CRAIG BRENNER grew up in South Florida, where he studied classical piano with Elizabeth Fishbein and jazz with Wally Cirillo. He attended the IU School of Music from 1976-80, studying piano with Enrica Cavallo, improvisation with David Baker, and composition with John Eaton. In the late 1970s, Craig attended the New Orleans Jazz Fest and saw Professor Longhair, James Booker, Tuts Washington and others who explore rhythmic and barrelhouse styles. Exposure to these pianists caused Craig to reevaluate his direction, and he began studying, playing and composing blues and boogie woogie.

Craig has played with Bo Diddley, opened for B. B. King, C. J. Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco and many more, and plays at blues and jazz festivals throughout the US. Since 2006, he has performed annually in New Orleans at one of the Jazz National Park venues in the French Quarter.

Craig has six CDs and appears on many recordings by others. His most recent CD, Live At The Old Mint: Blues & Boogie Woogie Piano, features Alfred “Uganda” Roberts on congas and Lori Brenner on rubboard. In addition to performing and recording, Craig composes, arranges, and teaches the fundamentals of jazz, blues, and boogie woogie. His book, Piano Music by Craig Brenner, is available at www.craigbrenner.com/home.


ETHAN LEINWAND

ETHAN LEINWAND is a blues pianist and preservationist. Originally from Middletown, CT, he lived in New Orleans and New York City before settling in the historic piano town of St. Louis.

A student of the music's rich history and varied regional styles, Ethan presents personal interpretations of many of the great (and forgotten) old-time barrelhouse masters. He specializes in St. Louis pre-war piano blues, Texas barrelhouse, early Chicago boogie-woogie, and New Orleans rhythm 'n' blues.

His influences include: Jimmy Yancey, Henry Brown, Little Brother Montgomery, Peetie Wheatstraw, 'Pinetop' Sparks, 'Cripple' Clarence Lofton, Montana Taylor, Jabo Williams, Leroy Carr, Albert Ammons, Professor Longhair, Otis Spann and James Booker. Ethan is currently celebrating the release of his debut solo disc entitled “Low-Down Piano”. Visit him on the web @ www.ethanleinwand.com


LLUÍS COLOMA

Born in Barcelona in 1973, LLUÍS COLOMA started classical piano studies at an early age. After hearing the sounds of Jerry Lee Lewis, Roosevelt Sykes and Alan Price he migrated from classical lessons to self-taught rock and roll, eventually showing a remarkable ability for blues and boogie woogie. Lluís Coloma is now one of the most recognized and in demand pianists in this musical scene, often appearing at music festivals in Europe and Asia.

Acclaimed for his innovative vision and energy, Lluís has developed a personal touch in the interpretation of blues & boogie woogie in performance and in his own compositions. Lluís has recorded more than 10 CDs featuring solo piano, with his trio and septet, a set of duets with other piano greats of the genre, and most recently released a CD featuring Sax Gordon, one of the best rhythm and blues saxophonists in the world.

Lluís is devoted to the promotion of Blues and Boogie Woogie in Spain where organizes annual events like The Blues & Boogie Reunion in Terrassa, Spain. During his professional career he also has performed with musical greats such as James Harman, Corey Harris, Phil Upchurch, Manu Dibango and Sharon Jones to name a few. More info can be found @ www.lluiscoloma.com


RICKY NYE

Traditional blues, boogie woogie, and classic New Orleans jazz and R&B all come flying from the fingers of Cincinnati, OH pianist and vocalist RICKY NYE. The driving force behind the annual BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT held in Greater Cincinnati since 1999, Ricky has been inducted into the International Boogie Woogie Hall Of Fame, voted “Blues Artist Of The Year 2013 & 2014” in Cincinnati’s CEA Awards, and "Best Local Musician" by CityBeat Magazine's "Best Of Cincinnati 2013 & 2014” reader's poll.

Ricky began his performing career at age twelve with his family’s band, and in his twenties and thirties established working relationships and friendships with Cin-cinnati blues icons such as Big Ed Thompson, H-Bomb Ferguson and fellow pia-nists Big Joe Duskin and Pigmeat Jarrett.

For over fifteen years Ricky has maintained notoriety on an international level, performing his infectious blend of American roots music in solo, duo and combo settings in locales such as France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Vienna, England, and Switzerland. Ricky also celebrates a long-time performing and recording collaboration with "The Paris Blues Band", the very finest purveyors of swingin' blues and boogie in Paris, France. More information can be found @ www.rickynye.com
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on Saturday February 13th, 2016 the town of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky
was dealt a terrible blow when this general store, which has been operating for
185 years, was devastated by a massive fire...this is a strong, heartfelt and soulful community that is dedicated to rebuilding its gathering place but they need your help- I encourage you to click HERE to contribute- THANK YOU on behalf of the
beautiful people of Rabbit Hash !
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click HERE to read a great article written by Chris Varias for Cincinnati.com regarding this past February 5th & 6th's WINTER BLUES FEST

presented by the CINCY BLUES SOCIETY
and more specifically, my young piano playin' friend BEN LEVIN !


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EVERY WEDNESDAY @ ESQUIRE THEATRE - 320 Ludlow Ave, Cincinnati, OH 
it's "LIVE 'N' LOCAL" from 7:00-9:00 PM

a great opportunity to enjoy great live music in the early evening in a concert setting free of television sets and noisy chatter- bar will be open serving beer, wine, liquor and snacks, and WEDNESDAY is HALF PRICE WINE NIGHT! plus a Baldwin grand
piano on hand- please support this wonderful series!
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a recording I made with old friends
Rob Lumbard & Nick Lloyd, entitled "BLUES IN A BOTTLE"
just won BEST SELF-PRODUCED CD @ the
International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis! alrighty!


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Sunday thru Saturday July 12-18, 2015 @ Blues & Swing Week at Augusta
(Davis & Elkins College in breathtaking Elkins, West Virginia) was truly one of the most moving experiences of my life on many levels- interaction with students and faculty, the new friendships made- many thanks to organizers Daryl Davis,
Wendi Bourne and to all the warm-hearted people I had the honor to meet-
you really touched my soul! hope it's not the last time we see each other-
bless you all!
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MERCI ! to the good people @ COGNAC BLUES PASSIONS FESTIVAL & MARTELL who chose me to play the 1715 AVENUE DU BLUES STAGE Thursday July 3rd, 2015- quite an honor!
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BRAND NEW 2 CD SET available now- debut release from vocalist DOTTIE WARNER- "A SERENADE IN BLUE/ THURSDAYS AT ARNOLD'S"- '20's, '30's & '40's jazz and blues- available @ CDBABY.COM- also available @ Arnold's Bar & Grill during business hours- Dottie appears there every Thursday from 7:30-9:30 PM
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CD available NOW!

FEATURING:
Chris Douglas- upright bass
Paul Ellis- drums
Brian "Boss" Hogg- tenor sax
Sylvain Acher- guitar
Tom Moore- harmonica
Dan Dorff- percussion

recorded @ Ultrasuede Studio- Cincinnati, OH
engineered by Brian Niesz
mastered by Dave Davis
artwork by Maurice Mattei

currently available at all live shows, at Cincinnati, OH record shops Everybody's Records, Shake It Records and @ www.cdbaby.com

wonderful review by Rhys Williams @ Blues Blast Magazine-
read it HERE  (February 26th, 2015 issue)
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so proud to have been inducted into the
INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE HALL OF FAME-
big thanks to Dr. Philip Leming & Dr. Robert Cody
for making the ARCHES BOOGIE PIANO STAGE
@ THE CINCY BLUES FEST possible!
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THANK YOU READERS of CityBeat Magazine for voting me
"Best Local Musician" in their "Best Of Cincinnati" 2013 Awards-
in a town full of outstanding musicians, I take this as quite an honor!

THANK YOU READERS for voting me "BEST BLUES ARTIST"
in 2013 CEA AWARDS presented by CityBeat Magazine-
the awards show took place Sunday January 27th
@ The Madison Theater in Covington, KY- happy to play a short set
with CHRIS DOUGLAS (upright bass), to be joined by 46 LONG,
and to take part in the tribute to HERZOG STUDIOS-
CONGRATULATIONS to all nominees and winners-
proud to make music here in Greater Cincinnati!

SOLO RELEASE:

"THE THREE B'S: BLUES, BALLADS & BOOGIE WOOGIE"

LISTEN to a wonderful review by music historian
David Lewis, aired on NPR station WVXU 91.7 FM

exclusively available Cincinnati, OH record shops
Everybody's Records, Shake It Records, and all shows

"JUMP STEADY"- RICKY NYE & THE PARIS BLUES BAND

"HIGHLIGHTS from the 13th ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE
PIANO SUMMIT"

"TWISTIN' AT RAY'S" - FABRICE EULRY
(I co-produced this release, recorded in Cincinnati, OH)

these CDs are AVAILABLE NOW! @ CD Baby,
@ Cincinnati, OH record shops Everybody's Records
& Shake It Records, and all shows   

THANK YOU! readers, voters and listeners for voting me
"Best Local Musician" in CityBeat Magazine's
"Best Of Cincinnati 2012" issue- I feel loved! :o)

happy to be voted in the "Best Local Musician" category of
CityBeat Magazine's "Best Of Cincinnati 2011" Readers Picks-
THANK YOU READERS!

I was honored to be voted "Blues Artist of the Year 2010" 
by CityBeat Magazine at their CEA AWARDS held at  the 
Madison Theater in Covington, KY on Sunday, November 21st-
thank you for your support and to all that voted- you make a difference!  

OTHER CD RELEASES:

RICKY NYE & THE PARIS BLUES BAND- follow-up to 2008's 
"Ville du Bois" disc, recorded with the most outa-sight blues players 
in Paris: Anthony Stelmaszack (guitar); Thibaut Chopin (upright bass/harmonica); Simon "Shuffle" Boyer (drums) and special guest Nico Duportal (guitar)- available NOW @ www.cdbaby.com

TWELFTH ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT 
featuring BOB SEELEY (Detroit, MI), JULIAN PHILLIPS (U.K.), PATRICK SMET (Belgium) & RICKY NYE plus exciting rhythm section (Brian Aylor- drums; Buck Stevens- upright bass; and George Bedard- guitar)- available NOW @ www.cdbaby.com

ELEVENTH ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT 
featuring LLUIS COLOMA (Barcelona, Spain), BARRELHOUSE CHUCK (Chicago, IL), LISA OTEY (Tucson, AZ) & RICKY NYE plus outstanding rhythm section (Brian Aylor- drums; Steve Perakis- upright bass; and George Bedard- guitar)- available NOW @ www.cdbaby.com

all the above titles are NOW also available as DIGITAL DOWNLOADS!


PIANO KILLERS
All instrumental recording of Ricky Nye with Fabrice Eulry (Paris) & Renaud Patigny (Brussels)- solos, duet and trio compositions all performed on one piano- recorded in Paris- available NOW @ www.cdbaby.com

VILLE DU BOIS  
A disc recorded with the most outa-sight blues players in Paris is available NOW @ CD BABY 

***PRICES SLASHED on ALL BOOGIE SUMMIT CDs-
#3 through #13- NOW only $9.97 @ CD BABY!!!***

CDs also available at all live shows and in Cincinnati @ Everybody's Records & Shake It Records


 

:
A TRIBUTE to BIG JOE DUSKIN (1921-2007) by Ricky Nye


I first met Big Joe Duskin in ’82, before I ever started to mess around with boogie woogie- that didn’t matter to Joe, he just knew I played piano, and that made us friends. Through the time I’ve known him he has always been very supportive of me, and of so many musicians. His playing and singing was loved by blues enthusiasts and fellow piano players all over the world- I can’t tell you how many times, upon encountering the European leaders in blues & boogie in my travels, their first words to me were “how’s Big Joe?”

I treasure the times we played together, the many phone calls, running errands and especially meaningful were the times visiting Joe during his last year, when he was bedridden- I’d come in, turn on his keyboard and go at it, and Joe would lay in bed and sing his head off, improvising blues I’d never heard from him before.

Because I loved Joe, it was inevitable that aspects of his style made their way into my playing- his album “Cincinnati Stomp” was a template for me to study boogie woogie, and I learned the title track to perform as homage to him. When he played a blues, he was on “Joe time”- the lazy tremolos, the space in his playing all added up to me. The message in his style also came as words of advice he gave one day- he said “Rick, take it from an old pro: don’t work so hard! Take your time, talk to the people- they like that.” I knew exactly what he was talking about, but I said “Joe, you have a commanding presence, a big booming voice, you’re a great storyteller...I’m just a little white guy- what am I supposed to do? If I start talking away, they’d just tell me to shut up & play!” And he laughed, which is something I really miss- his chuckling, and the sound of his laughter will always resound in my mind.

Big Joe’s love of food is legendary- it mattered as much to him how you were fed at a gig as any other aspect of the show. If I called to relate tales of my travels, he’d always ask “how’d they feed you?” After Joe played a prestigious concert at Music Hall in Cincinnati, I called to see how things went- he said “Rick, it was so nice- they had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, peas...”-nothing was said of the performance! Once when visiting Joe in the hospital, he asked if I would go downstairs to the Burger King and get him a cheeseburger & french fries. When I asked if didn’t they have him on a particular diet, he said “hell with them- I’m going home tomorrow”. So I indulged him, and you would have thought he was eating the finest meal of his life...food was a big pleasure for Big Joe.

His compromised health in the last years of his life did nothing to dampen his hope and spirit. Joe’s performance at his 84th birthday party was a perfect example of the transference of love from his fans right back at them- it was the last time he was truly on fire, playing and singing until he had nothing left to give. To see him hold court at the Arches Stage at the annual Cincy Blues Fest was always beautiful- his appreciation for the other pianists and their appreciation for him always resulted in a truly inspired and joyous set.

I feel truly blessed to have had Joe as a friend and inspiration to me. Years ago, after he was in the hospital on a regular basis, I wondered when the day would come that Joe would leave this earth, and that day arrived- May 6th, 2007. Yet his spirit is alive and strong, in myself and every other musician he’s played with and encouraged. Whenever I play, especially now, I offer it up for him...

God bless Big Joe Duskin.
 

 



R.I.P.  H-BOMB FERGUSON  (1929-2006)


Historical information about H-Bomb Ferguson can be found @ www.cdbaby.com/cd/hbombf

Video footage & photo montage from documentary filmmaker 
John Parker

 

"QUICK 'N' DIRTY"  & "Highlights from the THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH, SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH & TENTH BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMITS"  ("PIANO IS FUN!" & Highlights from the SECOND SUMMIT are currently out of print, but a few copies remain at some of the shops listed below...) are available worldwide through www.cdbaby.com, and if you're in Cincinnati, they are available NOW @ Shake It Records, Everybody's Records, Mole's and Joseph Beth Booksellers (check out the CD reviews of the Second Summit & Third Summit from the Cincinnati Enquirer)...

***PRICES SLASHED on Boogie Summits #3 through #13 NOW only $9.97 @ CD BABY!!!***

and here's a review of "Quick 'N' Dirty" from CityBeat Magazine (12-24-03): 

The title of Ricky Nye and the Swingin' Mudbugs' sophomore release (the follow-up to 1998's Piano is Fun!) is a play on the recording philosophy behind the album. Nye likes to record in as few takes as possible, and Quick was done with little overdubbing or other fixes (just like Fun!). But if you've seen Nye's trio perform live, you know that the local prince of boogie-woogie-styled piano probably doesn't require many "do-overs." There are certainly no holes in Quick 'N' Dirty. The energy and spontaneity exhibited makes listeners feel like they are dancing the night away in some sweaty bayou speakeasy. That intimacy translates superbly as Nye and Mudbugs Tony Franklin (drums) and Nick Lloyd (upright bass) rip effortlessly through a plethora of blues stylings on songs written by a variety of composers (save "Oh Yes," the sole Nye original). From the down-low blues of Muddy Waters' "What Is That She Got?" and the more up-tempo R&B of "Grits Ain't Groceries" (made famous by Little Milton) to the yearning, soulful balladry of "Please Send Me Someone To Love" and Nye's trademark barrelhouse rolls on "Downtown Boogie" and "Dixie Lullaby," you can take Quick 'N' Dirty as a musical history lesson or, more appropriately, as a joyous escapade through the repertoire of one of Cincinnati's most talented musicians. Nye obviously has the deepest respect for the New Orleans-spawned art form, but he doesn't treat the material too preciously, raucously banging out the tunes with skill and grace, but also with a genuine sense of glee, something that permeates from nearly every note. Between quality releases like Quick 'N' Dirty, Nye's organization of regular blues and boogie piano summits, featuring like-minded artists from around the world, and steady European touring, his place as one of the preeminent masters of the style is secure. -- MIKE BREEN

("QUICK 'N' DIRTY" also made CityBeat's TopTwenty Local Releases of 2003)

 
    
Pick up a copy of BEKAH WILLIAMS excellent debut CD @
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bekahwilliams  Produced by Ricky & Bekah, featuring The Swingin' Mudbugs with special guests (Dave Haley & Sonny Moorman on guitars, and local tenor sax icon Ray Heckman), and recorded by Erwin Musper @ his Bamboo Room Studio- it's a mighty fine songbook...get yours today!

            LOCAL MUSIC ACHIEVEMENTS AWARDS:

CEA AWARDS (sponsored by CityBeat Magazine)-
BLUES ARTIST OF THE YEAR: 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013 & 2014
NOMINEE in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2015

CITYBEAT MAGAZINE "Best Of Cincinnati" Readers Poll Awards-
BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN: 2012, 2013 & 2014

CAMMY AWARDS- formerly sponsored by The Cincinnati Enquirer:

BEST BLUES BAND (Ricky Nye & The Red Hots)- 2001
BEST SOLO ACT- 2001
BEST BLUES/R&B INSTRUMENTALIST- 2002
BEST SOLO ACT- 2002