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Download Big Easy Boogie Press Kit (PDF)
Download Big Easy Boogie Press Sheet (PDF)
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MITCH WOODS’ BIG EASY BOOGIE
Pianist/vocalist Mitch Woods brings together an unsung inner circle of Rock ’n’ Roll royalty in his latest project, Mitch Woods’ Big Easy Boogie. Featuring some of New Orleans’ legends including original members of the Fats Domino band, Herb Hardesty and the Blue Monday Horns, and Jimmy Moliere on guitar, the sound is true to the roots New Orleans R&B. It is vintage rock’ n’ roll and boogie inspired by New Orleans piano greats Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, and Little Richard, performed in Mitch’s joyous entertaining style that makes you feel like you are not only in the audience but on stage with him having a ball! Whether it is a pounding piano pumper, a Mardi Gras mambo, or a moody late night blues with cascading piano and sultry sax, Mitch Woods’ Big Easy Boogie will delight all lovers of New Orleans music.
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 has finally realized his dream of recording his latest project with the 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 are plenty of good-time, rock’ n’ roll boogie, played by the originators of the style, fronted by one of their star pupils. The CD/DVD, Big Easy Boogie is available worldwide on Club 88 Records. It has been garnering airplay on all the major satellite and cable radio stations, including XM (#3 on picks to click-Bluesville), Sirius, Music Choice, as well as BBC 2 and blues programs worldwide.
"A two-fisted love letter to Fats Domino and Professor Longhair" – Blues Revue
"if it's legitimate roots and Soul music from N'awlins that's your passion, step right up for here it is,...by Woods and company." -- Blues Wax
"Vintage rock ‘n’ roll inspired by New Orleans piano great Fats Domino and Professor Longhair" --San Francisco Chronicle
"Three Stars! Mitch Woods' Big Easy Boogie is a loving tribute to the vintage New Orleans sounds of Fats Domino, Little Richard and Professor Longhair" --Philadelphia Inquirer
"Top shelf from beginning to end" – Big City Blues
FOR BOOKING CONTACT: email rocket88@gte.net phone: 415-332-1882 www.mitchwoods.com
A BluesWax Reprint
This review originally ran in
BluesWax on June 7, 2007Mitch Woods
Big Easy Boogie
BluesWax Rating: 9 out of 10
Fat Tribute
Mitch Woods has created an album that is a tribute to Fats Domino. He has written 11 of the 12 songs in the style popularized by Fats. For this project he has enlisted the aid of Dave Bartholomew, who is credited as co-producer. Dave Bartholomew was Fats Domino's producer and co-author of most of Fats Domino's hits (including "I'm Walkin'," "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday," "Ain't That A Shame," "Walkin' To New Orleans"). Woods has also enlisted the Fats Domino Band, so along for this ride is Jimmy Moliere (guitar), Herb Hardesty (tenor sax), Erving Charles, Jr. (bass), and drummer Earl Palmer. Along with Dave Bartholomew, original band members Hardesty and Palmer are among those considered architects of Rock 'n' Roll as they were part of the house band at the J & M studios that helped crank out hit after hit for Fats, Little Richard, and others. In fact the whole band is here, including the five-piece Blue Monday horn section with Fred Sheppard, Clarence Johnson III, Reggie Houston, and Dave Bartholomew. Guest artists include Maria Muldaur, Charmaine Neville, and John Mooney.
Song highlights are "Big Easy Boogie," "Thought I Heard Satchmo Say," "Fallin' For You," and "I Left My Baby At The Mardi Gras Cryin'." Woods also pays tribute to "Fess," Professor Longhair, as he and Maria Muldaur duet on "Mojo Mambo." "Short, Sweet and Tender" is a spin off on Jackie Wilson's "Reet Petit." Two instrumentals are included, "Crescent City Flyer" with its Earl Palmer introduction and "New Gert Town Blues." Tex Stephens vocalizes "The Ballad of Dr. Daddy-O." Woods also covers Fats Domino's "I'm Ready." The songs jump out at you as only The Fats Domino Band can.
If this wasn't enough for the price of admission, Woods includes a DVD, let's call it "The Making of Big Easy Boogie."The DVD begins with rare footage on the history of J & M studios with archival photographs of Little Richard, Fats, Smiley Lewis, and Lloyd Price. There is also live footage of the band playing the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2002 with split screen views of Earl Palmer drumming on the left and Woods on the right. Segue to the rehearsal studio and Bartholomew is directing the band on "Big Easy Boogie" and "Fallin' For You and Earl Palmer is working out his snare intro to "Crescent City Flyer." This is remarkable footage. Mitch Woods narrates, introduces himself, and pays tribute to the masters. Then comes a biography on Earl Palmer who played on countless hits (Etta James' "Dance With Me Henry," Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba"), television themes (The Odd Couple, 77 Sunset Strip), and even movie soundtracks (Cool Hand Luke, The Hot Spot, Pretty Woman) as he became the drummer in the Quincy Jones Orchestra. The interview with Palmer that follows is priceless. Next is an interview with Herb Hardesty. Then there is a roundtable discussion with Hardesty, Palmer, and Cosimo Matassa (founder of J & M studios). Finally, Woods joins them.
Mitch Woods was born in Brooklyn where he was classically trained. After moving to San Francisco he fell in love with boogie-woogie. He has recorded five previous albums as Mitch Woods and His Rocket 88's. This CD/DVD is self-produced and conceived entirely by Woods. This is the best self-produced effort I have ever seen and a fitting tribute to the Fat Man.
Richard Ludmerer is a contributing editor at BluesWax
Copyright Visionation, Ltd 2007. All Rights Reserved with limited rights offered to artist and their agents for publicity purposes only with proper citation to BluesWax, BluesWax.com, or www.blueswax.com.
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Photo By Lou Holscher
Photo by Nita Winter
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Bookings
& Questions To Mitch Woods:
(email)
rocket88@gte.net
Mitch Woods & his
Rocket 88's
P.O.B. 545 Mill Valley Ca. 94942
Telephone (415) 332-1882
FAX (415) 332-5065
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