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Boogie-woogie was a party-time sensation in the 1930s, a driving eight-to-the-bar piano style that took the world by storm. Geoffrey Smith selects some potent examples by pianists and big bands alike.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 31 Dec 201700:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • C. Smith & Smith, Pine Top

    Pine Top's Boogie Woogie

    • Boogie Woogie Special.
    • Topaz.
    • 3.

  • Romeo Nelson & Romeo Nelson

    Head Rag Hop

    • Boogie Woogie Special.
    • Topaz.
    • 5.

  • Meade Lux Lewis

    Honky Tonk Train Blues

    • Meade Lux Lewis 1927-1939.
    • Classics.
    • 1.

  • Wesley Wallace

    No. 29

    • The Piano Blues Volume One.
    • Magpie.
    • 13.

  • Montana Taylor

    Indiana Avenue Stomp

    • The Many Faces Of Boogie Woogie.
    • Avid.
    • 3.

  • Little Brother Montgomery

    Farish Street Jive

    • New Orleans Volume 3.
    • RCA.
    • 7.

  • Count Basie, CARL SMITH, Lester Young, Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing & Jo Jones

    Boogie Woogie

    • Count Basie 1936-1938.
    • Classics.
    • 3.

  • Joe Turner and Pete Johnson, Pete Johnson & Joe Turner

    It's All Right Baby

    • FROM SPIRITUALS TO SWING.
    • VANGUARD.
    • 14.

  • Albert Ammons

    Shout For Joy

    • Boogie Woogie Man.
    • Topaz.
    • 6.

  • Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson & Meade Lux Lewis & Albert Ammons

    Boogie Woogie Prayer Part 1

    • Boogie Woogie Man.
    • Topaz.
    • 4.

  • Earl Hines

    Boogie Woogie on The St. Louis Blues

    • The Many Faces Of Boogie Woogie.
    • Avid.
    • 6.

  • Jimmy Yancey

    At The Window

    • Jazz Immortals No. 1.
    • Vogue.
    • 5.

  • Jimmy Yancey

    State Street Special

    • Boogie Woogie Special.
    • Topaz.
    • 13.

  • Jay Mcshann & Jay Mcshann With Rhythm Accompaniment

    Hold 'Em Hootie

    • Jazz: Kansas City Style.
    • Topaz.
    • 23.

  • Mary Lou Williams

    Roll 'Em

    • Boogie Woogie Special.
    • Topaz.
    • 22.

  • Art Tatum

    Tatum Pole Boogie

    • Jazz from America on Disques Vogue.
    • SONY.
    • 7.

  • Oscar Peterson, Oscar Peterson, Bert Brown & Frank Gariepy

    The Sheik of Araby

    • The Complete Young Oscar Peterson.
    • RCA.
    • 4.

Performers:

Title: Pine Top’s Boogie Woogie
Performers: Pine Top Smith 
Composers: Pine Top Smith
Album Title: Boogie Woogie Special
Label: Topaz Catalogue No: TPZ 1025 
Duration: 03’22 

Title: Head Rag Hop
Artist: Romeo Nelson 
Composers: Romeo Nelson 
Album Title: Boogie Woogie Special
Label: Topaz Catalogue No: TPZ 1025
Duration: 02’56
Performers: Romeo Nelson, piano; Tampa Red & Frankie ‘Half Pint’ Jaxon, speech.

Title: Honky Tonk Train Blues
Performers: Meade Lux Lewis 
Composers: Meade Lux Lewis
Album Title: Meade Lux Lewis 1927-1939 
Label: Classics Catalogue No: CLASSICS-722 
Duration: 03’13 

Title: #29
Performers: Wesley Wallace 
Composers: Traditional 
Album Title: The Piano Blues Volume One
Label: Magpie Catalogue No: PY 4401 
Duration: 03’13 

Title: Indiana Avenue Stomp
Performers: Montana Taylor 
Composers: A. Taylor & Montana Taylor 
Album Title: The Many Faces Of Boogie Woogie 
Label: Avid Catalogue No: AMSC-553 
Duration: 03:28 

Title: Boogie Woogie
Artist: Count Basie
Composers: Carl Smith 
Album Title: Count Basie 1936-1938 
Label: Classics Catalogue No: Classics-503 
Duration: 03’12 
Performers: Carl Smith, trumpet; Lester Young, tenor saxophone; Count Basie, piano; Walter Page, bass; Joe Jones, drums; Jimmy Rushing, vocal.

Title: It's All Right Baby
Performers: Pete Johnson & Joe Turner 
Composers: Pete Johnson & Joe Turner 
Album Title: From Spirituals To Swing 
Label: Vanguard Catalogue No: 169-71-2 
Duration: 02:38 

Title: Shout for Joy
Performers: Albert Ammons 
Composers: Albert Ammons 
Album Title: Boogie Woogie Man 
Label: Topaz Catalogue No: TPZ-1067 
Duration: 02’24 

Title: Boogie Woogie Prayer Part 1
Performers: Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis 
Composers: Albert Ammons & Lewis Johnson 
Album Title: Boogie Woogie Man 
Label: Topaz Catalogue No: TPZ-1067 
Duration: 04:57 

Title: Boogie Woogie on the St. Louis Blues
Artist: Earl Hines 
Composers: W.C. Handy 
Album Title: The Many Faces Of Boogie Woogie 
Label: Avid Catalogue No: AMSC-553 
Duration: 02:49 

Title: At the Window
Performers: Jimmy Yancey
Composers: Jimmy Yancey
Album Title: Jazz Immortals No. 1 
Label: Vogue Catalogue No: LDE-166 
Duration: 02’57 

Title: State Street Special
Performers: Jimmy Yancey
Composers: Jimmy Yancey 
Album Title: Boogie Woogie Special 
Label: RCA Catalogue No: 730-510 
Duration: 02’39 

Title: Hold 'Em Hootie
Artist: Jay McShann 
Composers: Jay McShann 
Album Title: Jazz: Kansas City Style 
Label: Topaz Catalogue No: TPZ-1036 
Duration: 02:41 
Performers: Jay McShann, piano; Gene Ramey, bass; Gus Johnson, drums.

Title: Roll ‘Em
Artist: Mary Lou Williams 
Composers: Mary Lou Williams 
Album Title: Boogie Woogie Special 
Label: Topaz Catalogue No: TPZ 1025 
Durations: 02’38 
Performers: Mary Lou Williams, piano; Frank Newton, trumpet; Vic Dickenson, trombone; Edmon Hall, clarinet; Al Lucas, bass; Jack Parker, drums.

Title: Tatum Pole Boogie
Performers: Art Tatum 
Composers: Art Tatum 
Album Title: Jazz from America on Disques Vogue
Label: Sony Catalogue No: 8875140962
Duration: 02’20 

Title: The Sheik of Araby
Artist: Oscar Peterson
Composers: Ted Snyder, Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler
Album Title: The Complete Young Oscar Peterson 
Label: RCA Catalogue No: 7432122-6122 
Duration: 03’00 
Performers: Oscar Peterson, piano; Bert Brown, bass; Frank Gariepy, drums.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 6 Mar 201600:00
    BBC Radio 3
  • Sun 31 Dec 201700:00
    BBC Radio 3

Podcast

  • Geoffrey Smith's Jazz

    Geoffrey Smith's Jazz - a weekly sequence exploring what makes great jazz great music