I can’t believe our Boogie Woogie Stomp is now 14 years old!
The show is always a highlight of the Palladium season. Officially titled the Boogie Woogie/Blues Piano Stomp, this show, with its eight-hands, two-piano finale, never fails to bring audiences to their feet.
If you’ve never attended, I need to tell you that the stomp features four of the best boogie pianists, two grand pianos, a guitarist and drummer, plus cameras projecting their eight-to-the-bar fireworks on the big screen.
This year’s model features one of the Palladium’s longtime favorites – Barry Cuda. A great showman, Barry led the popular Silver King Band, and has called Key West home for a few decades, though he now lives mostly in Europe. A master of blues, stride, boogie woogie, and New Orleans piano, Barry is also a student of the music, tracing the history back to Cuba and beyond.
The Stomp happens Saturday, July 13, at 8 p.m., in Hough Hall. For tickets and lots of information on the players you can follow this link.
Joining Barry Cuda Saturday night are three other great pianists, plus a drummer and a guitarist.
Craig Brenner plays boogie woogie, blues, jazz, stride, New Orleans, and barrelhouse piano. Craig has appeared with Bo Diddley, Bob Seeley, Henry Butler, Marcia Ball, and many others; opened for B. B. King, C. J. Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco, Gary Burton, and more; and performs at boogie-woogie, blues, and jazz festivals throughout the US and Europe.
Henri Herbert, the youngster on the bill, lives in Austin, Texas and tours extensively in the U.S. and Europe. In the New Yorker, Lawrence Wright called Henri “a blazing young piano player.”
Opening the show, as usual, are the founders of the Stomp, Liz Pennock and Dr. Blues. Liz brought me the idea almost 15 years ago and the show has been a hit ever since. Liz and Doc live in St. Pete and are both members of the Boogie Woogie Piano Hall of Fame. Liz is the pianist and Doc plays blues guitar. Barry Cuda’s favorite drummer, Mick Kilgos, will also be on stage Saturday night.
I’ll be MCing the show. I look forward to seeing you in the audience.
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