Boogie Woogie Bob Seeley at the Yamaha
Bob Seeley, 85 years old in September, is a “National Treasure,” an exponent and proponent of Boogie Woogie. He grew up when Boogie was popular music, never forgot Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, James P. Johnson. He remembered when Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson played a duet at Carnegie Hall in 1938, from spirituals to boogie – it was a Boogie Woogie Dream!
A natural entertainer, he speaks about all the great pianists of the past, including some we’ve never heard of, like Freddy Slack, who wrote Strange Cargo.
Bob Seeley teaches us about past masters
Bob started out with Seeley’s Boogie. He played W. C. Handy’s St. Louis Blues first in boogie, then switched to stride – first slow, then at a thundering pace, sounding as if there were three pianists. Unbelievable!
He was having a problem with the piano – the ‘sustained key’ pedal on the Yamaha piano was hard, and stride has many sustained notes. He just pushed harder.
He asked for requests and unfortunately got one – Jay was having his 70th birthday and his wife asked for Happy Birthday. Jay got his Happy Birthday Boogie. (Fortunately there were no copyright police around to collect the royalties on it.)
Seeley loves what he’s doing!
Amazing Grace began very slow and reverent as a spiritual and quickly turned into a fast boogie – audience loved it, and he loved the audience. “Mature audience – thank goodness!!”
This is from the 2012 Hot Steamed Jazz Festival:
Hot Steamed Jazz Festival is located at a Steam Train Museum – he had to play something about railroads – he chose Honky Tonk Train. This was Meade Lux Lewis’ special tune that requires a muscular left hand. It has a repetitive bass that sometimes gives the left hand cramps. He was ferocious and wild! From there he continued with Pete Johnson’s JJ’s Boogie – at an exhausting pace!
He gets together with another fine piano player whenever he’s here at the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival. They generally start out peacefully. But with Barnhart, one never knows…
Seeley and Barnhart at piano
Jeff Barnhart and Bob Seeley
When Barnhart plays – Seeley can’t sit still – no way! Loves to prance around.
And he never misses a parade!
Always has his tambourine with him…
He is a Happy-go-lucky Treasure!
“Boogie Woogie demands precise fingering and split second timing. It’s one of the most demanding and dangerous pieces of music to perform and only a handful of people left on earth possess it.”
Here he was on June 11th at the Blind Boone Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival in Columbia,Missouri ~ June 11, 2013. Video by Tom Warner (tdub1941) http://youtu.be/M8fz6jLnLr0
We are indeed fortunate to have Bob Seeley here in Connecticut to show us how its done. See you next year!!