Bob Seeley (USA) Piano
Born in 1928 in Detroit, Bob Seeley’s list of credentials for playing and performing boogie woogie are second to none. He is a truly outstanding international artist, having performed widely in Europe, South America and North America. We are indeed fortunate to have Bob appearing at this year’s festival and witness his powerful boogie woogie playing, although he is equally at home with stride, ragtime and even selections from the classic American Songbook!
He has seen the famous boogie woogie trio of Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis perform live and he forged a lasting friendship with Meade. As a result of this influence, he remains today the foremost exponent of Meade’s style of playing. Bob has accompanied classic blues singer Sippie Wallace at festivals in Detroit and Chicago and he has duetted with Jay McShann and Otis Spann.
He was even a chauffeur for the great jazz pianist, Art Tatum!
This extraordinary list of achievements represents only a fraction of Bob’s activity in the world of boogie woogie and in 2002, Bob was inducted into the Boogie Woogie Hall of Fame together with Chuck Berry’s pianist, Johnny Johnson. Enjoy the artistry, enjoy the showmanship, and enjoy the legend that is Bob Seeley!
Jean-Paul Amouroux(France) piano
Jean-Paul has been playing the piano professionally since 1973. He first attended the UK Boogie Woogie Festival in 2006 and makes a welcome return this year. He is one of the world's greatest and most prolific boogie woogie players and at the same time having published many scholarly articles about boogie woogie in the French blues magazine, Soul Bag.
He has developed a distinctive style of playing, drawing from his study and wide knowledge of the history of boogie woogie.He has performed throughout Europe and beyond and is Artistic Director of the annual boogie woogie festival at La Roquebrou in France. La Roquebrou is said to be the largest boogie woogie festival in the world (70 musicians planned for 2013) and is host to some of the best boogie woogie players alive today.
Jean-Paul has performed and recorded with some of the legends of boogie woogie, including his great friend, Memphis Slim. Other collaborations include Jay McShann, Sammy Price, Willie Mabon and Milt Buckner.
Balazs Daniel (Hungary) piano
' Mr Firehand '
Those of you who attended last year's festival will know how talented this young Hungarian is. His performance in St Mary’s Parish Church was outstanding and we are delighted to welcome him back this year.
Balázs Dániel was born in 1990, Győr, Hungary. He started to play piano for his own pleasure when he was 14 years old and his first solo appearance was in his hometown, in 2007. This sell out concert would be followed by many performances in different cities in Hungary. In 2009, for the first time, he also showed his pianistic abilities abroad. Since then, he has played regularly throughout Europe.
“Mr. Firehand” has released several CDs during the last few years. He was only 18 when his first CD was released with the appropriately titled Burning Fingers (2008). His latest album is Boogie Cocktail (2012)
Balázs is the organizer and host of the one and only boogie woogie festival in Hungary, The Boogiefeszt – International Boogie Woogie Festival Győr, first held in 2008.
Daniel Moore (UK) Piano Vocal
Daniel is from Dorset. He started playing the piano aged 11 and discovered the boogie woogie sound five years later. Shortly afterwards he met Julian Phillips and is now a regular face at the UK Boogie Woogie Clubnights in Sturminster Newton.
He has played at various venues around Dorset with Julian Phillips, Chris Davidson and other Club members as well as performing with his own family based trio, 3 Moore. Daniel has been influenced by many quality boogie woogie players including Vince Weber, Julian Phillips and Johan Blohm.
Emily Lees (UK) Piano
Emily first heard boogie woogie at the
2007 UK Boogie Woogie Festival in Sturminster Newton and was instantly hooked. She started having lessons the next month with Julian Phillips and has been learning ever since.
Her style of playing developed from a strong grounding in classic boogie woogie with a mixture of influences including players such as Jimmy Yancey. Further exposure to many boogie woogie musicians at the monthly club nights has encouraged Emily to create her own pieces.
She has also been influenced strongly by Yvon Momboisse (France) and has enjoyed playing at festivals in Switzerland and France.
Julian Phillips: Julian is one of the founder organisers of the UK boogie woogie festival. Julian will be performing a solo set this year as part of the Friday evening concert at the Royal British Legion on piano and vocals. Julian has an active solo career and duo act with bass box player Chris Davidson and appears in festival programmes around Europe and the USA.
Chris Corcoran is one of the most sought after guitarists on the UK bluesand music scene. He runs his own trio which launched it's debut CD 'The Getaway' this year. Pipeline Instrumental Review said of the album, 'There's much for the guitar purist here'. The Chris Corcoran Trio works regularly across the South of England and is booked for two shows at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain in Liverpool this November.
Chris has played with some of the leading lights of UK Blues including harmonica maestro West Weston and The Iconic Man of UK Boogie Woogie, Big John Carter. Chris has his own unique sound and feel that puts him in a class of his own, a real musician's musician. Blues in Britain magazine sums him up as 'The Business!'
Dancers:
JELLY GERMAIN - Dancer
World class tap and jazz dancer. Jelly is a specialist in traditional authentic American tap and jazz dance styles. In addition to his stunning performances during the concerts Jelly will also be giving a tap dance class during the festival, see our Workshops page for more details. www.culture-jazz.com
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JASON FOSTER - Dancer
Jason has been teaching swing dance lessons in the Portsmouth area for over three years, and has been dancing for over nine. His classes focus on the importance of having fun while simultaneously learning a well-honed technique and swinging style.
Jason’s first international dance camp was Goodnight Sweetheart, UK, in 2007; since then he has travelled all over Europe, the U.K. and the U.S. to learn from some of the world's most acclaimed swing dancers and instructors. As well as teaching in the local area, Jason has also instructed at some of the UK's premier lindy events including the London Swing Festival, Newcastle Swing Thing and Future Sound of Swing in Leeds. Jason has now competed on a number of occasions and has been successful in various categories including Jack and Jill’s and Strictly Lindy events.
Jane Story - Dancer
Jane was initially inspired by boogie woogie piano and in 1993 started dancing boogie woogie. Like Ben, she immediately fell in love with the dance. She found her way to lindy hop via a route of street dance and jazz and soon became a regular attendee at camps and competitions across Europe. Her focus is on connection and recognising space within the dance for follower improvisation. Jane is also proud to be a member of Jenny Thomas' Sophisticated Ladies girls jazz performance group.
Ben van Hal - Dancer
Ben comes from the Netherlands and started dancing boogie woogie in 1984, immediately falling in love with the dance. In 1995, he took his first trip to Herrang, Sweden, to join the boogie woogie “competition” week and it was there that he got to see lindy hop. Over the following years, he combined both boogie and lindy into his Herrang trips and also went to a lot of other camps around Europe in order to learn and compete. His focus in dance is connection, clear leading and following, “keeping it simple” and having fun!
He is 3 times Boogie Woogie Champion of the Netherlands. This year we have invited Ben to perform and teach with Jane Story as we increase the range of dance events at the festival.
Big John Carter: Big John is the iconic UK boogie woogie man. He has become a mainstay by providing seemingly endless supplies of first class Boogie Woogie. Between performing here at the UK festival and regularly at the UK Boogie Woogie Club, in support of the festival, he has, amongst others, performed in Hamburg with Axel Zwingenberger and Vince Weber.
This year Big John has teamed up James Goodwin and together they will be presenting The History of Boogie Woogie. So you can be sure of hearing some first rate boogie piano there!
James Goodwin: At the festival last year James put the boogie and blues pianos style into perspective by playing us a selection of much earlier pieces from the barrelhouses,(in the age before the term ‘boogie woogie’ was coined!),which was fascinating. James’ interest and knowledge of the development of this blues music has led him, together with Big John Carter, to create The History of Boogie Woogie, a show including live renditions from some of the many artists attending and will be presented by James and Big John at this year’s festival.
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Howard Meyrick: On Tenor Saxophone, performing with the festival backing band and 'The Stuff' boogie woogie band.
Chris Davidson: On his unusual 'Boogie Box' bass, a one string instrument that is also known as a 'Tea Chest Bass', Chris is often found playing next to Julian Phillips' piano and with The Stuff boogie woogie band.
Andrew Elias: Andrew is the UK Boogie Woogie Festival official Photogragher and his fine photos can be viewed via this website gallery. Andrew also designs and constructs websites like his own www.travelchampion.com