Mitch Woods(born April 3, 1951,Brooklyn, New York[2]) is an American modern dayboogie-woogie,[1]jump bluesandjazzpianist and singer.[1]Since the early 1980s he has been touring and recording with his band, the Rocket 88s.[3]Woods calls his music, "rock-a-boogie," and with his backing band has retrospectively provided a 1940s and 1950s jump blues style.[2]
Mitch Woods | |
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 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | April 3, 1951 Brooklyn,New York City, United States |
| Genres | Boogie-woogie,jump blues,[1]jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Piano, vocals |
| Years active | Early 1980s-present |
| Labels | Blind Pig,various |
| Website | Link |
Biography
editWoods got his start playing clubs near theState University of New YorkBuffalo campus. He moved to San Francisco in 1971.[4]
Originally a student of jazz and classical music, on relocation to theWest Coast,Woods started playing jump andrhythm and blues.Upon hearingLouis Jordan's jive, Woods played throughout the 1970s as asoloistat localclubs.In 1984,Blind Pigreleased the debut album of the Rocket 88s, the band he had formed with HiTide Harris four years earlier.Steady Date with Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88sled to a national concert tour, including theSan Francisco Blues Festivalin 1985, as well as several European engagements. In 1988, they issued their second LP,Mr. Boogie's Back in Town.[2]
In 1991 their third album,Solid Gold Cadillac,was released, followed byShakin' the Shack(1993).[2]Woods, capable in four styles of piano playing,Chicago blues,Kansas Cityboogie-woogie, West Coast jump blues and the poly-rhythmic accents ofNew Orleans,got the opportunity to play with some of his musical heroes, when he recorded his 1996 Viceroy album,Keeper of the Flame.[5]Their next album,Jump for Joy,appeared in 2001.[2]
The 2006 release,Big Easy Boogiefeatured veteran New Orleans musicians backing Woods.[6]In 2007 Woods was nominated for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year Award at the Blues Awards inMemphis,Tennessee, presented by theBlues Foundation.[7]
Latterly he and his band toured with the Efes Pilsen Blues Festival.[8]
Discography
edit- Steady Date with Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88s(1984)Blind Pig Records
- Mr. Boogie's Back in Town(1988) Blind Pig
- Solid Gold Cadillac(1991) Blind Pig
- Shakin' the Shack(1993) Blind Pig
- Keeper of the Flame(1996) Viceroy/Lightyear Records
- Jump for Joy!(2001) Blind Pig
- Big Easy Boogie(2006) Club 88 Records
- Jukebox Drive(2008) El Toro Records (with The Lazy Jumpers)
- Gumbo Blues(2010) Club 88/VizzTone Records
- Blues Beyond Borders: Live in Istanbul(2012) Club 88/VizzTone Records
- Jammin' on the High Cs(2015) Club 88/VizzTone Records
- Friends Along Way(2017) eOneMusic/EOM
- A Tip of the Hat to Fats(2019) Blind Pig
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcDu Noyer, Paul (2003).The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music(1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 166.ISBN1-904041-96-5.
- ^abcdeBill Dahl (April 3, 1951)."Mitch Woods | Biography & History".AllMusic.RetrievedOctober 13,2015.
- ^Mark Hedin (May 21, 2006)."MITCH WOODS SWINGS TO THE BIG EASY BEAT".San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^Derk Richardson (December 13, 2007)."Mitch Woods Whether playing solo or with his bands, Bay Area pianist rockets to New Orleans and back, then around the world".San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^"Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88 si Blues Profile".Mnblues.com.RetrievedJanuary 18,2015.
- ^AWilliam Ruhlmann (June 6, 2006)."Big Easy Boogie – Mitch Woods | Songs, Reviews, Credits".AllMusic.RetrievedOctober 13,2015.
- ^[1]ArchivedJuly 14, 2011, at theWayback Machine
- ^[2]ArchivedOctober 12, 2010, at theWayback Machine