Album (P)review
HENRI HERBERT – ‘Boogie Woogie Piano’ (HH Records)
Out 6 April 2018
CD/LP
Henri Herbert is a piano-playing phenomenon, one of the best and most sought after boogie woogie blues piano men in the world. The former pianist of the mighty Jim Jones Revue now blazes his own trail….
The Live at the Gypsy Hotel album, by Henri and his band the Fury was one of the best of last year. Reviewed here. But as well as recording and touring with them – a full-on piano-led power-trio, with who he sings – he is still doing dates and releasing music as a solo, Boogie Woogie instrumentalist. (Tour dates for both are below)
Herbert returns to his blues roots with a collection of 10 rocking instrumentals, all performed on solo piano and hugely influenced by the greats Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Jerry Lee Lewis.The ten tracks on this LP are timeless, displaying a virtuosity and depth rarely heard in music today.
They are fabulous. I don’t pretend to be a fan of the genre but after seeing Henri live with Jim Jones and with his trio, I am a fan of his. Listening to these ten instrumentals, just one man, one instrument, no gimmicks, no production trickery, just skill and verve, it works as a kind of musical palette cleanser. (I listen to loads of different flavours of music, old and new believe it or not). Here are the details broken down track by track…
Opener Gotta Have Joy is a classic jump blues underpinned by Herbert’s rocking left hand followed by Blues in the Dark and Boogie forOscar, the former an introspective, smokey slow blues while the latter kicks up the tempo to stratospheric as Herbert pays homage to the great Oscar Peterson. Next up is Sidetracking, a strident piano stomp which recalls blues greats Otis Spann and Jack Dupree. This is followed by Gettin On Down, a driving rock n roll boogie in the style of Jerry Lee Lewis but with Herbert’s personal touch. The unlikely influence of Ennio Morricone comes next with Red Dusk Blues, a mournful and atmospheric torch ballad inspired by Herbert’s long nights on the Greyhound buses between shows on his latest USA tour. The highly individual Groove no.2 is next – a Lalo Schifrin-inspired boogie with echoes of Charles Mingus and Dave Brubeck. Lead single Henri’s Boogie, was composed on the spot on the public piano at St Pancras train station, this and album closer 154 Boogie were produced by Derek Nash from Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.
As you can tell, Boogie-Woogie takes in jazz, the blues as well as rock’n’roll and can set a mood and soundtrack a movie in your mind. It’s great stuff, from a master of his art.
Henri will release “Boogie Woogie Piano” with a launch party on April 1 2018 at The Green Note in Camden, followed by a worldwide digital release on April 6 2018. Herbert will also perform at The Club Foot in Harlow with fellow boogie man Chas Hodges on 29th March 2018, accompanying a screening of “Instrument of Change”, a documentary about street pianos featuring Henri, Chas and Jools Holland. He will also return to the USA and tour Europe with his band “Henri Herbert and The Fury”.
Come and see us live at the following UK dates, both solo and with the band. The solo Green Note show on April 1 is almost sold out! Get in quick!
March 23 – Henri Herbert and The Fury – Hastings – The Albion – Free
March 24 – Henri Herbert and The Fury – Kingston – The Fighting co*cks – Free
March 29 – Henri Herbert Solo with Chas Hodges – Harlow – Club Foot
April 1 – Henri Herbert Solo – CD release party – London – The Green Note
April 26 – Henri Herbert and The Fury – Falmouth – Blind Pig Boogie
April 27 – Henri Herbert and The Fury – Torquay – The Apple And Parrott – Free
April 28 – Henri Herbert and The Fury – Abertillery – The Dolls House
May 4 – Henri Herbert and The Fury – Birmingham – The Night Owl
May 5 – Henri Herbert and The Fury – Glasgow – Macsorleys – Free
May 6 – Henri Herbert and The Fury – Leeds – The Grove Inn – Free
HH Website
OnlineSTORE
Press Release (bold type) annotated by Ged Babey for LTW
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FAQs
Henri Herbert is in Nashville, TN.
Who was most noted for boogie-woogie piano style? ›
Among the greatest popularizers of boogie-woogie were Jimmy Yancey, Pinetop Smith, who is generally credited with inventing the term itself, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, and Meade “Lux” Lewis.
When did boogie-woogie piano start? ›
Boogie-woogie is a genre of blues music that became popular during the late 1920s, developed in African-American communities since the 1870s. It was eventually extended from piano to piano duo and trio, guitar, big band, country and western music, and gospel.
Who was a major boogie-woogie piano pioneer? ›
Jimmy Yancey, Albert Ammons, & Meade Lux Lewis
These three artists were pioneers of boogie woogie piano in the 1920s. As childhood friends, these three pianists took the Chicago music scene by storm and were at the forefront of boogie woogie music's emergence into mainstream music.
Where does Herbert live in Family Guy? ›
Herbert lives in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island, which is modeled after Cranston, Rhode Island. He is a single elderly man who dresses in a baby blue bathrobe and utilizes a walker due to his age; his dog Jesse is equally elderly and decrepit, being unable to use his hind legs.
Where does George Herbert live? ›
George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon
| The Right Honourable The Earl of Carnarvon |
|---|
| Born | George Reginald Oliver Molyneux Herbert 10 November 1956 London, England |
| Spouses | Jayne Wilby ( m. 1989; div. 1998) Fiona Aitken ( m. 1999) |
| Parent(s) | Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon Jean Wallop |
| Residence | Highclere Castle |
5 more rowsIn the 1940's Boogie Woogie reached its peak of popularity, becoming a national craze and creating several international stars including Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, and Meade Lux Lewis, who became known as the Kings of the style.
Is boogie-woogie piano hard? ›
Boogie woogie is hard for anyone but an accomplished pianist to master. Sure, the cord progressions are straightforward and repetitive, but doing two different things with your hands, at speed, and making it sound good is not easy.
Is boogie-woogie harder than classical? ›
When you compare blues or boogie woogie with classical, then classical would win hands down every time when looking at the very highest end of technical difficulty. Take Evgeny Kissin for example, who is considered to be one of the greatest living classical pianists.
Why do they call it boogie-woogie? ›
The origin of the term boogie-woogie is uncertain. The most likely explanation is that it is a reduplication of boogie, which was the name given to a rent party in early 20th century USA. These parties were impromptu affairs, set-up (pitched) to raise money to pay rent, at which a small entrance fee was charged.
Boogie Woogie was the first and to date the only exclusively piano music to issue from the blues.
Where is the birthplace of boogie-woogie? ›
Marshall, Texas, The Birthplace of Boogie Woogie.
Which rock and roll boogie-woogie piano players first hit was called the fat man? ›
"The Fat Man" is a song by American rhythm and blues recording artist Fats Domino. It was written by Domino and Dave Bartholomew, and recorded on December 10, 1949. It is often cited as one of the first rock and roll records or at least a strong influence on the genre.
Where does Grand Duke Henri live? ›
Grand Duke Henri is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a member of The Mentor Foundation (established by the World Health Organization) and a director of the Charles Darwin Trust for the Galápagos Islands. The grand duke lives with his family at Berg Castle in Luxembourg.
Where does Lucas Herbert live? ›
Lucas Herbert (golfer)
| Lucas Herbert |
|---|
| Personal information |
|---|
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st) |
| Sporting nationality | Australia |
| Residence | Peregian Beach, Queensland, Australia |
17 more rowsJohnson and Lochhead have a daughter. Their divorce proceeding went for three years. He lives in Racine, Wisconsin.
Where did Mary Herbert live? ›
Mary Sidney, sister of Philip, was married at sixteen to Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, who was nearly thirty years her senior. They lived primarily at Wilton, their country house near Salisbury, which became a centre for learning and poetry; Philip Sidney wrote The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia there.
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