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Mitch Woods has been the torchbearer of
a great American blues musical heritage, not for two years but two
decades. Taking his inspiration from the great jump n' boogie outfits
of the late 40s and early 50s, he breathes fresh life into the music
that gave birth to rock n' roll. Woods first album, Steady Date (Blind
Pig Records) got hot reviews in 1984 and led to appearances at two
San Francisco Blues Festivals, openings for the Fabulous Thunderbirds,
Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Blasters, The Neville Brothers, and James
Brown. By 1987, Woods was doing a six-country Europe tour highlighted
by a rousing performance at the Belgium Rhythm and Blues Festival.
Seven years later on his album Solid Gold Cadillac (Blind Pig Records),
Woods and his band were joined by Ronnie Earl, Charlie Musselwhite
and the Roomful of Blues Horns. Woods himself was starting to become
a guest star, appearing on that year's new releases by John Lee Hooker
and John Hammond, and the boogie pianist headlined both the Amsterdam
Blues Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Woods was developing
his passion for band leading and discovering the power of being a
strong singer. "I'll always consider myself a piano player, butmy
voice has developed over the last few years. It's an incredible release,
when you can sing, it's like blowing an axe, and it's great to entertain
a naudience," he says. After spending more than twenty five years
soaking up the New Orleans sound and performing with many of the Crescent
City's musical elite, Mitch finally realized his dream of recording
founding fathers of New Orleans R&B including Earl Palmer, Dave Bartholomew,
and Herb Hardesty. Woods reunited the surviving members of Fats Domino's
original band, played a live show in New Orleans during the Jazz &
Heritage Festival, took them into the studio, and filmed the whole
shebang. The results were plenty of good-time, rock'n'roll boogie,
played by the originators of the style, fronted by one of their star
pupils and released as a CD+DVD set on Club 88 Records. In 2007 Mitch was nominated for Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of
the Year Award at the Blues Awards in Memphis. Presented by the Blues
Foundation this is one of the highest achievements a blues musician
can earn. Mitch will continue to tour worldwide with both his Rocket
88's and Big Easy Boogie and The Lazy Jumpers. In 2008 he will be
appearing at some of the world's most prestigious music festivals,
including Jazz A Vienne - France, San Javier International Jazz Festival
- Spain, International Boogie Woogie Festival - Lugano, Switzerland,
Lionel Hampton Jazz Club at Le Meridien - Paris, Edmonton Blues Festival
- Canada, The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise - Caribbean , Taiwan
Blues Bash - Taiwan, and many, many more....
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EL TORO R&B 206 - MITCH WOODS WITH THE LAZY
JUMPERS - JUKEBOX DRIVE
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It was during on of his European
tours that Mitch Woods stoped by Barcelona city to team up with
Spanish Jump Blues aces The Lazy Jumpers and record the 12 tracks
of Jukebox Drive for El Toro Records.
Mitch Woods and The Lazy Jumpers sound on this new album as
the jumpin' n' jivin', shoutin' n' honkin', pumpin' n' poundin'
bands of the late 40' s and early 50' s; Louis Jordan, Wynonie
Harris, Joe and Jimmy Liggins, Amos Milburn, Roy Milton... Adding
a healthy dose of New Orleans rhythm and blues, piledrivin'
piano, and some of his own contemporary playful lyrics.
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Track Listing
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1. Jukebox Drive
2. Drunk
3. Boppin' The Boogie
4. Blue Light Boogie
5. Saturday Night Boogie Woogie Man
6. Blues Hangover
7. Boogie Woogie Bar-B-Q
8. Tipitina
9. Boom Boom
10. Parchman Farm
11. Swell Lookin' Babe
12. Mitch's Boogie |
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