shame on you if you missed these shows! they'll be back next year, or come see us in Paris in the near future...in the meantime you can buy our CD entitled "Ville du Bois"
HERE @ CD BABY

MAY 7th thru the 16th, 2010:

RICKY NYE & THE PARIS BLUES BAND

L-R: 
ANTHONY STELMASZACK (guitar/vocals)
RICKY NYE (piano/vocals)
SIMON "SHUFFLE" BOYER (drums)
THIBAUT CHOPIN (upright bass/harmonica/vocals)

Ricky has the great privilege of working with the tops in the European blues scene, due to an introduction five years ago by fellow pianist Julien Brunetaud- they will be gracing the Greater Cincinnati area and joining forces with Ricky for these upcoming shows:

FRI. 7- SOUTHGATE HOUSE BALLROOM
SAT. 8- private party
THURS. 13- BLUE WISP JAZZ CLUB
FRI. 14- RABBIT HASH BARN DANCE
SAT. 15- CHEZ NORA
SUN. 16- MAIFEST in COVINGTON, KY

Their CD release, "Ville du Bois" can be sampled and purchased HERE @ CD BABY- since this is the first time the group has worked together in the U.S., these dates will be acting as one big CD release party

DO NOT miss these guys!!! Together they have been killin' it in Paris and European festivals- now it's being brought to you, Greater Cincinnati!

for more details on these upcoming shows, 
click HERE

 

 the PHIL BLANK TRIBUTE- SUNDAY, MARCH 21st:

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED AND PLAYED!

The Southgate House presented a musical tribute to the late Phil Blank, who passed away on January 15, 2010 due to complications with his battle with cancer. The proceeds were donated to the Play It Forward Foundation, an organization that provides support for musicians in need.

Phil Blank was a Cincy Blues Society Lifetime Achievement Award Winner and a mainstay in the Cincinnati music scene who represented potent Chicago and West Coast-style blues with his groups Slamhammer, White Heat and various incarnations of the Phil Blank Blues Band. He was honored by many of his fellow bandmates and associates throughout the years by recreating the legendary Phil Blank Blues Band show taken directly from Phil’s set lists.

Phil believed the blues to be a true art form. His masterful harmonica playing plus his electric and slide guitar styles, riveting vocals and personal arrangements of blues standards and original tunes created an exciting and unique experience for his audiences.

 

THANK YOU to ALL who attended the
The ELEVENTH ANNUAL 
BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7th @ the Historic
SOUTHGATE HOUSE

which featured: 

LLUIS COLOMA (Barcelona, Spain); 
LISA OTEY (Tucson, AZ) and 
BARRELHOUSE CHUCK (Chicago, IL)
RICKY NYE (Cincinnati, OH)

PLUS:

BRIAN AYLOR (drums)
STEVE PERAKIS (upright bass)
GEORGE BEDARD (guitar)

Stellar performances and a packed house- 
doesn't get any better than that!

The TWELFTH ANNUAL BOOGIE SUMMIT
will occur SATURDAY NOVEMBER 6th 2010- 
news as it happens!

TUESDAY APRIL 27th:

BOOGIE WOOGIE PIANORAMA @ FAT CAT'S
513 E. Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
6:00-10:00 PM

___________________________________________________________________

MARCH 26-29, 2010: RICKY NYE vs. ROB LUMBARD
FOURTH ANNUAL TRI-STATE DOMINATION TOUR

FRIDAY 26- ARNOLD'S BAR & GRILL
SATURDAY 27- SOUTHGATE HOUSE 
SUNDAY 28- RABBIT HASH GENERAL STORE
MONDAY 29- WHO CARES BAR

ROB LUMBARD is a very fine guitar picker and singer from 
Des Moines, IA- when Ricky & Rob get together, it's way much 
more fun than can ever possibly be imagined...as Rob would say: YOWSAH!!!!


___________________________________________________________________

1-9-09

Was in Barcelona to perform for Lluis Coloma's Fifth Annual Blues & Boogie Reunion January 5th & 6th, 2009 along with Fabrice Eulry & Chris Conz. Lluis performed in Cincinnati in the summer of 2007at the Arches Boogie Piano Stage, part of the Cincy Blues Fest, and Fabrice Eulry was just here for the Tenth Anniversary Blues & Boogie Piano Summit...a first time meeting with Chris Conz, a brilliant young boogie man from Switzerland- thanks to Lluis for producing such an outstanding affair, and thanks to his excellent rhythm section of Manolo Germaine (upright bass) & Marc Ruiz (drums)...there is good footage on YouTube from these shows thanks to my friend from Wales, Andrew Elias- his website is www.travelchampion.com

 

Thanks to all who attended the milestone
TENTH ANNIVERSARY 
BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT- 
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8th, 2008
at the Historic SOUTHGATE HOUSE
in Newport, KY

click HERE for the video advertisement
courtesy of Russ Withington- 
www.imagginc.com

Click HERE for an article from CityBeat Magazine written by Brian Baker




Featuring:

CARL SONNY LEYLAND 
FABRICE EULRY 
CHASE GARRETT
RICKY NYE

plus: 

STEVE PERAKIS (upright bass)
BRIAN AYLOR (drums)
GEORGE BEDARD (guitar)


big THANKS to our sponsors who made this all possible: 
Seta Music, York Vision, Chez Nora, Destiny Yacht Charters, 
Heater Meals, Huff Realty, MMP Printing, Marsh Inc., CityBeat & Eat Well

VERY well attended- a truly MAGICAL evening! 

 

12-2-08

I was nominated once again in CityBeat's CEA Awards, along with my group RICKY NYE INC. in the blues category.
The nominees are picked by a panel, but YOU, the general public decide who wins! My fellow nominees, along with being fine musicians and friends of mine, are all expert marketers- so help me out! If you like what I do, please vote and also copy and paste this message to e-mail to your friends if you would. 
Vote NOW @ http://cea.citybeat.com/
The Awards Show happens SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23rd at the
Emery Theater- first show in this historic venue in nine years!
Get your tickets now for this outstanding event which includes a tribute to 
one of Cincinnati's greatest treasures, KING RECORDS, and a performance by bluegrass daddy RALPH STANLEY...

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

p.s.- vote now- VOTING ENDS MONDAY NOVEMBER 10th


 

Back from a week in Paris (March 7-14, 2008) 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 folks 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...


 

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.

11-12-07

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 ANNIVERSARY BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT- 
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8th, 2008, once again at the
Historic SOUTHGATE HOUSE

1-23-06...CONGRATULATIONS to the Cincy Blues Society for staging the wildly successful MAINSTRASSE WINTER BLUES FEST- SATURDAY, JANUARY 21st in Covington, KY- ten bands in nine establishments, with each club packed to the rafters and lines out the door- WOW!!! Proceeds went to benefit the Blues Society's "Blues in the Schools" program...I get the feeling this will happen again! Here's who played:

John Redell & the Company He Keeps @ Cock & Bull  
H-Bomb Ferguson & the Medicine Men @ Pachinko 
The Vaporizers with Mike Tucker @ Mulligan's    
II Juicy @ Cock & Bull 
Chris Carero's Newport Trio @ Village Pub  
Ricky Nye & the Swingin' Mudbugs featuring guitarist 
                                              Dave Haley @ Cosmo's   
Sweet Alice Hoskins & Unfinished Business @ ZaZou  
Cheryl Renee & Mr. Keith Little @ Fat Shannon's 
Phil Blank Blues Band @ Zola's 
The Sonny Moorman Group @ Strasse Haus   
  
...and thanks to all the establishments not accustomed to having live entertainment for being so gracious...support Mainstrasse and live music!!!

2-08-05...my first trip to Paris was an unforgettable five days (January 25-29) @ the Lionel Hampton Club (Hotel Meridien Etoile) with fellow pianists FABRICE EULRY (Paris) & RENAUD PATIGNY (Brussels), accompanied by the swingin' rhythm section of Enzo Mucci (upright bass) & Stan Laferriere (drums)...billed as the "Boogie Woogie Connexion", it was two ninety minute sets a night under the brilliant direction of Fabrice...with two grand pianos on stage, a baby grand in the audience and a high emphasis on entertainment, the evenings were very impromptu, never really knowing what the next move would be...the week proved to be perhaps the most challenging & rewarding musical experience of my career...

12-10-04...'twas another grand time in the Netherlands with upright bass plucker Nick Lloyd- a "Boogie Train Ride" coming & going from Apeldoorn, with Julian Phillips (U.K.), Jean-Pierre Bertrand (France), young Tim Deelen (who just played at my  Boogie Summit in October), and organizers Martijn Schok & vocalist Greta Holtrop (also at the Summit)- plus the extra-fine accompaniment of  Thjis Verwer on snare drum & Rinus Groeneveld on the tenor sax...

Next was de Oude Veiling on Sunday in Aalsmeer (the town where we stayed), Tuesday @ The Duke in Leiden, Thursday @ Langs de Lijn in Bussum, 
Friday @ Red Kees in Burgerveen w/ drummer phenom Martijn Groen, and winding things up Saturday in Hoofdorp for the 11th Annual Blues & Boogie Night hosted by Mr. Boogie Woogie, Eric-Jan Overbeek...we were happy to be sharing the bill with Dutch group Guitar Ray & The Rhythm Dukes, featuring 
the outstanding Sax Gordon from Boston, and Grams & Krieger, a duet from Tuscon, performing alone & as part of Mr. Boogie Woogie's group The Hot Wings...

The after hours party @ Red Kees, with Sax Gordon & Guitar Ray destroyin'
the house, went way past the time we left (4:30 AM)- ouch!

Huge thanks from me 'n' Nick to Martijn & Greta, Eric-Jan & Peter Smolders for gettin' us organized, and all our great friends in the Netherlands for making our trips there such beautiful experiences...

10-14-04...Another edition of the BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT (#6)
has come and gone- what an amazing evening...incredible acoustics in Xavier University's Gallagher Center Theater, which I know will make for a great recording, and stellar performances from everyone on hand: Renaud Patigny; Martijn Schok & Greta Holtrop; twelve year old prodigy from the Netherlands, Tim Deelen;  Big Joe Duskin; and myself w/ fellow Swingin' Mudbugs Nick Lloyd on upright bass & Tony Franklin on drums...the evening culminated in a finale, with ten hands on one piano (!)...

5-5-04...Thanks to MARTIJN SCHOK for my inclusion in his first INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE FESTIVAL HOLLAND, held in Bussum on May 1st, 2004 at the five-star Jan Tabak Hotel- a smashing affair! Also on the bill were German boogiemeister AXEL ZWINGENBERGER, Switzerland's SILVAN ZINGG, JEAN-PAUL AMOUROUX from France, and, coming out of retirement for this very special show, the legendary LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD- also great piano contributions from JEROEN SWEERS, puttin' on some pre-show boogie!
The show was made even more special with syncronized swing dancing from Amsterdam's dance troupe SWING CLUB BOOGIEWORLD, and representing what, at least in the U.S., is seeming to be a lost art form, mezmerizing tap dancing ("claquettes") and vocalizing from France's PHILOU...

12-6-03...Back from another amazing experience across the sea...first in the Netherlands, performing a series of one-nighters with my bassist pal and cohort NICK LLOYD, thanks to the organization and gracious hosting of pianist MARTIJN SHOCK & vocalist GRETA HOLTROP (plus many thanks to Dick & Diana, Peter & Carla and Monique!)- then off by my lonesome to perform at RENAUD PATIGNY's BRUSSELS BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT, with the likes of France's brain-damaging REMI TOULON and U.K. wunderkid JACK CARTER at the breathtaking THEATRE ST. MICHEL...Renaud really outdid himself this time, with attendance at nearly 1000!!...looking forward to May 2004, performing for Martijn Schok's First International Boogie Festival...stay tuned!

(dated 9-3-03)... August was a busy month...a set on the Arches Boogie Piano Stage @ The QUEEN CITY BLUES FESTIVAL Saturday, August 2nd- then shows in Switzerland with Silvan Zingg and off to France for the LAROQUEBROU BOOGIE WOOGIE FESTIVAL- finishing the month w/Little Frank & The Premiers for dates in South Bend, Indiana...too much fun!

(dated 9-16-03)... and it was a BALL! with Robin Lacy & DeZydeco at the co-CD RELEASE PARTY on Saturday, September 13th @ the MADISON THEATER in Covington, KY, celebrating new releases from Ricky Nye ("QUICK 'N' DIRTY" and "HIGHLIGHTS from the FOURTH ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT") & Robin's new disc ("HAVE NO FEAR")...individual sets from both groups with LOTS of musical mingling...but the real star of the show was MR.PIG and his crew, out on the sidewalk with his smoker & steam table, servin' up ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, red beans & rice & greens all night long! Sorry if you weren't there...

(dated 11-23-02)... the FOURTH ANNUAL BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT, held Saturday, NOVEMBER 16th, 2002 at the HISTORIC SOUTHGATE HOUSE in Newport, Kentucky was a SMASHING success!!! Thanks to all who attended! The lineup was SILVAN ZINGG from Lugano, Switzerland, MARK BRAUN (also known as "MR.B") from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Cincinnati's RICKY NYE, and back for a return visit, CARL SONNY LEYLAND, born & raised in Southampton, England and presently residing in Orange, California- super-fine accompaniment by Tony Franklin on drums & Eric Sayer on upright bass... thanks to Frank Seta at Seta Music in Cincinnati, who provided two excellent Baldwin grand pianos to play- halleluiah!...thanks also to York Vision, Chez Nora Restaurant, Marsh Inc., CityBeat Magazine, Mansion Hill Tavern, WXIX FOX 19 and WNKU 89.7 FM and WAIF 88.3 FM for their kind support- can't do it without the sponsors- thank you so much!

(dated 10-17-02)... Just back from another tremendous time in Europe- first in the Netherlands with MARTIJN SCHOK & vocalist GRETA HOLTROP (guesting with them in Weesp, and with Martijn's Trio in Doesburg), having a general good time in Amsterdam, then a train ride to Brussels, Belgium to play at RENAUD PATIGNY's three-day piano FESTIVAL DE BOOGIE, witnessing the delights of France's FABRICE EULRY, JEAN-PIERRE BERTRAND, JEAN-PAUL AMOUROUX, PHILIPPE LEJEUNE, and performing Saturday evening with SILVAN ZINGG, along with guesting on Thursday & Friday's finales- got to make some new friends (thanks Peter & Carla in Aalsmeer!) and catch up with some old ones- BIG FUN!!!!