Peter Clenott

Boogie-woogie touches the heart and lifts the spirits of both players and listeners. Unlike most other musical styles the piano takes centre stage and is not just an accompanying instrument. Boogie & blues piano combines boogie-woogie, blues, rock and rock 'n' roll elements into an enticing mix. The rules of improvisation and how to play along in jam sessions are much easier to learn than, for instance, in complex jazz. Many tricks and licks for playing boogie-woogie have before now been passed from person to person in the international music scene and have not been available in published books. For outstanding pianist and Steinway artist JOJA WENDT, discovered by Joe Cocker during a jam session in a Hamburg piano bar and booked by him as a support act, boogie-woogie was the entry into a successful international career that has now spanned more than 30 years. JOJA WENDT and ULRIKE GAATE, who is one of the very few female boogie & blues piano players in Europe, are experienced musicians who have collaborated to produce this exciting book. They present easily understood and succinct expert tips to help amateur enthusiasts and the next generation of talent alike enter the fascinating world of boogie & blues piano. The book contains clearly structured information provided by experienced professionals, tips for live performance, piano sheet music, original compositions, fingering notations, a large variety of bass lines and multiple exercises. More than 40 mp3 audio samples are downloadable from Joja Wendt's online piano academy: www.jojaspianoacademy.de. Eight original transcriptions, including by Hersal Thomas, Albert Ammons, Meade 'Lux' Lewis und Jimmy Yancey, are included. In addition, many photos, anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories make this book engrossing, informative and a pleasure to read. The level of the book is ranging in difficulty from lower intermediate to advanced learners.