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WEEK AT A GLANCE: May 4- 10
WED. 7- Ricky & Bekah Williams @ CHEZ NORA
THURS. 8- Ricky & Dottie Warner @ ARNOLD'S
FRI. & SAT. 9 & 10- Ricky w/Vince Corkery (upright bass)
&
Bob Luther (drums) @ BRANDT'S CAFE-
St. Louis, MO
for
more details, click HERE...
NEWS:
Back from a week in Paris (March 7-14) playing
with Anthony Stelmaszack (guitar),
Thibaut Chopin (upright bass
& harmonica) & Simon "Shuffle" Boyer (drums)...a
gig at the One Way (one of the few existing blues clubs in Paris)
preceded four nights at the legendary Caveau
de la Huchette (located around the corner from the Notre
Dame)...this warmed us up for two days of recording, successfully
completing my upcoming CD release...I couldn't be more excited!!
These guys are true "bluesicologists"- playing and
recording with them was an effortless endeavor- on top of that, they
are some of the most gifted and wonderful people I have ever
known...
A dear friend and piano inspiration, CHARLIE
BOOTY, has passed away... Charlie played the Second and Fifth Blues & Boogie Piano
Summits and was a frequent performer at the Arches Boogie Piano
Stage, part of the annual Cincy Blues Fest
Had a great time @ Trad Blues Fest in Columbus Sat. Feb. 23rd-
the Columbus
Blues Alliance is an outstanding organization...
a sad end to a perfect evening: I slipped on ice in the
parking
lot and fractured the tip of my thumb (and am very sore from the
fall)...
not cancelling any gigs- it's all about adaptability, baby!
Ricky was selected by the Greater
Cincinnati's Cincy
Blues Society to represent them in the solo/duo
category at the International
Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, TN on January 31st,
February 1st & 2nd, 2008
The newest CD releases:
the first solo recording, entitled "SNAPSHOT",
and "HIGHLIGHTS from the EIGHTH ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT"
are now available worldwide at CD BABY
THANKS!!!! to all who attended the
NINTH ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE
PIANO SUMMIT-
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10th, 2007 @ the Historic
SOUTHGATE
HOUSE (859- 431-2201) 24 E. 3rd St., Newport, KY
This year's lineup featured outstanding performances from:
ANN
RABSON
MARTIJN SCHOK
& GRETA HOLTROP
CHRISTOPH
ROIS
RICKY NYE featuring BEKAH
WILLIAMS
thanks also goes to Chuck Madden (photography) Art & Jeremy
Cadell (audio recording) & Landman Productions (videography)
WHAT A NIGHT!
This year shone a spotlight on some of the current women of
the blues: Ann Rabson from the group "Saffire- The Uppity Blues
Women" and her own active solo career; Greta Holtrop, a leading
vocalist from the Netherlands; and Cincinnati's own Bekah Williams,
one of Ricky's musical partners for the last many years, while
continuing to represent traditional boogie woogie & blues piano
with Martijn Schok from the Netherlands and Christoph Rois from
Vienna- rhythm section featuring Brian Aylor (drums), John Schmidt
(upright bass) & special guest from Ann Arbor, MI, guitarist
George Bedard
BIG THANKS to our sponsors: Seta Music, Chez Nora Restaurant, York
Vision, Destiny Yacht Charters, HeaterMeals, CityBeat, Marsh Inc.,
MMP Printing, Eat Well, WNKU 89.7 FM & WAIF 88.3
FM
look for CD release in spring of 2008 & the milestone
TENTH ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT-
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8th, 2008, once again at the
Historic SOUTHGATE HOUSE
Greater Cincinnati and the rest of the world lost three very special
people:
BIG
JOE DUSKIN (1921-2007)
PAUL
SEBRON a.k.a. MR. PIG (1953-2007)
MARK
CHENAULT
some words from Ricky...
These guys are three of the most unique characters I have ever
known- to lose three good friends in a month is too much...
Big Joe Duskin had a profound effect on me (as I will tell
below)-
I met Paul Sebron (Mr. Pig) about six years ago, referred to
him to provide entertainment for a monthly crawfish boil he was
organizing. Once it got going, I was with him for over four years,
even playing at the wedding to his dear wife Chris, who carries on
the business on W. Elder St. next to Findlay Market. His crawfish
boils were legendary- Paul was responsible for bringing people from
such varied backgrounds together over his food- the unifying factor.
Plus he always sang after dinner- good blues he wrote (like "My
Baby's Eveready") or improvised on the spot, plus his version
of "Sweet Home Chicago", complete with a dissertation on
Chicago neighborhoods, landmarks and his years in the windy
city...the best was when he invited people to come up &
"testify"- share a good story they had, or to give thanks
(mostly about the food!)...Paul left this earth way too soon, and is
a man that is dearly missed.
Shortly upon moving back to Cincinnati in '79, I met Mark
Chenault when he was working the door at a local club called
Shipley's- he was someone I could talk to about free jazz, punk
rock, blues, funk, soul, whatever- a real music (and life)
enthusiast. About ten years later Mark worked the door at the
legendary Cory's blues club, where I played with probably my biggest
musical mentor, the late Big Ed Thompson. Whenever Mark was in the
house, I knew I had some ears to play to, and he always made me play
good...Mark spent his own time in a variety of bands, but I think
his main gig was that of an ambassador, spreading his energy &
love to all- even though he is gone, he left lots of it here with
his friends & loved ones.
I first met Big Joe Duskin
in ’82, before I ever started to mess around with boogie woogie-
that didn’t matter to Joe, he just knew I played piano, and that
made us friends. Through the time I’ve known him he has always
been very supportive of me, and of so many musicians. His playing
and singing was loved by blues enthusiasts and fellow piano players
all over the world- I can’t tell you how many times, upon
encountering the European leaders in blues & boogie in my
travels, their first words to me were “how’s Big Joe?”
I treasure the times we played together, the many phone calls,
running errands and especially meaningful were the times visiting
Joe during his last year, when he was bedridden- I’d come in, turn
on his keyboard and go at it, and Joe would lay in bed and sing his
head off, improvising blues I’d never heard from him before.
Because I loved Joe, it was inevitable that aspects of his style
made their way into my playing- his album “Cincinnati Stomp” was
a template for me to study boogie woogie, and I learned the title
track to perform as homage to him. When he played a blues, he was on
“Joe time”- the lazy tremolos, the space in his playing all
added up to me. The message in his style also came as words of
advice he gave one day- he said “Rick, take it from an old pro:
don’t work so hard! Take your time, talk to the people- they like
that.” I knew exactly what he was talking about, but I said
“Joe, you have a commanding presence, a big booming voice,
you’re a great storyteller...I’m just a little white guy- what
am I supposed to do? If I start talking away, they’d just tell me
to shut up & play!” And he laughed, which is something I
really miss- his chuckling, and the sound of his laughter will
always resound in my mind.
Big Joe’s love of food is legendary- it mattered as much to him
how you were fed at a gig as any other aspect of the show. If I
called to relate tales of my travels, he’d always ask “how’d
they feed you?” After Joe played a prestigious concert at Music
Hall in Cincinnati, I called to see how things went- he said
“Rick, it was so nice- they had fried chicken, mashed potatoes,
peas...”-nothing was said of the performance! Once when visiting
Joe in the hospital, he asked if I would go downstairs to the Burger
King and get him a cheeseburger & french fries. When I asked if
didn’t they have him on a particular diet, he said “hell with
them- I’m going home tomorrow”. So I indulged him, and you would
have thought he was eating the finest meal of his life...food was a
big pleasure for Big Joe.
His compromised health in the last years of his life did nothing to
dampen his hope and spirit. Joe’s performance at his 84th birthday
party was a perfect example of the transference of love from his
fans right back at them- it was the last time he was truly on fire,
playing and singing until he had nothing left to give. To see him
hold court at the Arches Stage at the annual Cincy Blues Fest was
always beautiful- his appreciation for the other pianists and their
appreciation for him always resulted in a truly inspired and joyous
set.
I feel truly blessed to have had Joe as a friend and inspiration to
me. Years ago, after he was in the hospital on a regular basis, I
wondered when the day would come that Joe would leave this earth,
and that day arrived- May 6th, 2007. Yet his spirit is alive and
strong, in myself and every other musician he’s played with and
encouraged. Whenever I play, especially now, I offer it up for
him...
God bless Big Joe Duskin.
R.I.P. H-BOMB FERGUSON
(1929-2006)
Historical information about H-Bomb Ferguson can be found @ www.cdbaby.com/cd/hbombf
Video footage & photo montage from documentary filmmaker
John
Parker
the NEWEST-
Ricky's first solo recording entitled "SNAPSHOT",
and "Highlights from the EIGHTH
ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO
SUMMIT"-
plus "QUICK 'N'
DIRTY" & "Highlights from the THIRD,
FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH
& SEVENTH
BLUES &
BOOGIE PIANO SUMMITS" ("PIANO IS
FUN!" & Highlights from the SECOND
SUMMIT are currently out of print, but a few copies remain at some
of the shops listed below...) are available worldwide through
www.cdbaby.com, and if you're in
Cincinnati, they are available NOW @ Shake It Records,
Phil's Records (Latonia, Kentucky ), Everybody's
Records, Mole's and Joseph
Beth Booksellers (check out the CD
reviews of the Second Summit & Third Summit from the Cincinnati
Enquirer)...
and here's a review of "Quick 'N' Dirty" from CityBeat Magazine
(12-24-03):
The title of Ricky Nye and the Swingin'
Mudbugs' sophomore release (the follow-up to 1998's Piano is
Fun!) is a play on the recording philosophy behind the album.
Nye likes to record in as few takes as possible, and Quick
was done with little overdubbing or other fixes (just like
Fun!). But if you've seen Nye's trio perform live, you know
that the local prince of boogie-woogie-styled piano probably doesn't
require many "do-overs." There are certainly no holes in Quick
'N' Dirty. The energy and spontaneity exhibited makes listeners
feel like they are dancing the night away in some sweaty bayou
speakeasy. That intimacy translates superbly as Nye and Mudbugs Tony
Franklin (drums) and Nick Lloyd (upright bass) rip effortlessly
through a plethora of blues stylings on songs written by a variety
of composers (save "Oh Yes," the sole Nye original). From the
down-low blues of Muddy Waters' "What Is That She Got?" and the more
up-tempo R&B of "Grits Ain't Groceries" (made famous by Little
Milton) to the yearning, soulful balladry of "Please Send Me Someone
To Love" and Nye's trademark barrelhouse rolls on "Downtown Boogie"
and "Dixie Lullaby," you can take Quick 'N' Dirty as a
musical history lesson or, more appropriately, as a joyous escapade
through the repertoire of one of Cincinnati's most talented
musicians. Nye obviously has the deepest respect for the New
Orleans-spawned art form, but he doesn't treat the material too
preciously, raucously banging out the tunes with skill and grace,
but also with a genuine sense of glee, something that permeates from
nearly every note. Between quality releases like Quick 'N'
Dirty, Nye's organization of regular blues and boogie piano
summits, featuring like-minded artists from around the world, and
steady European touring, his place as one of the preeminent masters
of the style is secure. -- MIKE BREEN
("QUICK 'N' DIRTY" also made CityBeat's
TopTwenty Local Releases of 2003)
Pick up a copy of BEKAH
WILLIAMS excellent debut CD @
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bekahwilliams
Produced by Ricky & Bekah, featuring The Swingin' Mudbugs with
special guests (Dave Haley & Sonny Moorman on guitars, and local
tenor sax icon Ray Heckman), and recorded by Erwin Musper @
his Bamboo Room Studio- it's a mighty fine
songbook...get yours today!
Click
HERE for the old RICKY NYE & NICK LLOYD bio page (not
presently working together, but former longtime musical
partners), complete
with MP3s and a nifty neat-o VIDEO of Ricky
& Nick performing Ricky's tune "Walk The Walk" (video production
courtesy of Jim McKell)...also, see the boys playing with Kevin Fox
(on the same page), and check the other performances from many of
Cincinnati's finest...
See what they say about Ricky @ http://www.boogiewoogie.com/
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