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Life, History, Music

The words, “Life, History, Music,” loom large on the AMRF letterhead. If you have any questions about what those words mean to us, look no further that the cover story in the October 1, 2008 edition of Detroit’s Metro Times on Little Sonny Willis, one of the performers in  this weekend’s 10^th Annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival at the Music Hall. See the pictures and read the article here.

We could ask for no better endorsement of our work than that of the Arts League of Michigan,  We thank the Arts League in general and President Oliver Ragsdale in particular for coverage of the Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival in his weekly column.

10 Years Young!

The Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival has always been about more than just presenting a great annual concert or two. From the beginning it was conceived as a vehicle that would bring great artists together so that their performances and stories could be captured on videotape. Just look at the poster on the left side of your screen.The goal is to document and preserve our musical and cultural heritage so that future generations will have an opportunity to understand it. This is the mission of the American Music Research Foundation.  

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary we can look back with satisfaction on the history we have preserved and even some history we have made. We have documented the music and stories of over 50 artists, including such seminal figures as Koko Taylor, Johnnie Johnson, and Jay McShann. (For a complete list visit the artists page of our website.)

In 2004 Maria Muldaur recreated the sound and look of the Classic Blues singers of the 20's with James Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band, a performance that inspired the best selling album, "Naughty, Bawdy & Blue," and the title of our TV show and DVD, "Boogie & the Blues Diva."In 2006 we presented 22 artists on stage for a night of Big Band Boogie Woogie, including performances in which world renowned solo pianist Bob Seeley played with a big band for the first time. In 2007 we reintroduced Frank "Sugarchild" Robinson, who disappeared from the scene after having been one of the biggest stars of the day as a child in the 50's.

We have produced four public television programs that have aired over 600 times on close to 200 stations across the country. Five additional hours of programming are in production, and this year's Festival will result in two more.

Throughout our 10 years, our good friend John Collier has documented our festivals with his brilliant photography.
VIEW A PHOTOGRAPHIC RETROSPECIVE OF THE MOTOR CITY BLUES &BOOGIE WOOGIE FESTIVAL. 

For our 10th annual festival we are proud to present a particularly rich array of artists with deep roots in the Blues, Boogie Woogie, Gospel, and Soul. The on-camera interviews will capture over 600 years of history, from New Orleans to the cotton fields of Mississippi and Alabama and the Midwestern industrial centers of Chicago and Detroit.

The concerts themselves, to be held at Detroit's Music Hall  October 3rd and 4th, will undoubtedly be among the most memorable we have ever produced. Make sure you're there! 

TICKETS : $35/NIGHT GENERAL ADMISSION
$60 FOR A 2-DAY PASS
$75/NIGHT VIP TICKETS INCLUDE MEZZANINE SEATING, COMPLEMENTARY BUFFET, AND CASH BAR
AVAILABLE AT THE MUSIC HALL BOX OFFICE 313-887-8486
OR VIA TICKETMASTER.COM

Get tickets now!

THE 10TH ANNUAL MOTOR CITY BLUES & BOOGIE WOOGIE FESTIVAL

OUR BIGGEST FESTIVAL EVER!
AT THE MUSIC HALL CENTER IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT

Friday October 3 Doors 7:00pm show 8:00pm
Bob Seeley, Pinetop Perkins with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Allen Toussaint

Thanks for Visiting at Jazzfest

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to talk to you about the American Music Research Foundation at the Detroit International Jazzfest Labor Day weekend.

The 10th Annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival is just around the corner and it's going to rattle the rafters at the Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts.

Friday night October 3rd is a piano blues bash with Bob Seeley, Pinetop Perkins with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Allen Toussaint.

Saturday night October 4th brings Detroit's King of the Harmonica Little Sonny Willis with very special guest Eddie Burns, followed by Otis Clay and finally, the great Bobby Rush.

General admission tickets are just $35 a night, or $60 for a 2-night pass. VIP tickets providing mezzanine seating, a complimentary buffet, and a cash bar are available for $75 a night. Call the Music Hall Box office at 313-887-8486, or buy online from ticketmaster.

Make sure to use those postcards we gave you at the jazzfest for 10% discounts on tickets. And congratulations to the winners of our drawing for free tickets, Julie Evans-Zelinske of Dearborn and Patricia Walker of Detroit. We'll see you at the show!

The American Music Research Foundation is a non-profit dedicated the preservation, promotion, and documentation of American music, particularly Blues and Boogie Woogie, Gospel, Jazz, and Rhythm & Blues. As we celebrate our 10th Anniversary we can look back and see that, not only have we documented and preserved performances and oral histories of such artists as Jay McShann, Johnnie Johnson, Alberta Adams, and Red Holloway (for a complete list visit the artist page), but we have also made some history. We are working on some special events surrounding this year's festival - watch this space for updates! 

The 10th Annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival

It's our 10th anniversary and we're proud to present a particularly rich array of artists with deep roots in boogie woogie, blues, gospel, and soul at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Detroit.

General admission tickets are $35 each night, $75 VIP tickets provide you with mezzanine seating, complimentary buffet, and a cash bar. Available at the Music Hall box office (313-887-8500) and through ticketmaster.

For more information click here. or call toll free 1-866-270-5141.

Thanks for Stopping By!

It was a pleasure to meet you at Elizabeth Park during the Jazz on the River Festival last weekend!

The American Music Research Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and documentation of American music, focusing on blues, gospel, ragtime, boogie woogie, jazz and rhythm and blues so we can provide a vehicle for generations to understand the historical significance of our American musical heritage. You can visit us at www.amrf.net

This year we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of our Annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival. The performances and interviews with the artists will be recorded for posterity, and the footage used to produce nationally distributed  programs for public television.

Your name has been entered into a drawing for tickets to this year's festival. The winner will be announced in early September. We look forward to seeing you at Music Hall October 3rd and 4th!

10TH ANNUAL MOTOR CITY BLUES & BOOGIE WOOGIE FESTIVAL

The 10^th Annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival will be hosted by the Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts on Friday October 3 and Saturday October 4.  The performances and interviews with the artists will be recorded and used to produce nationally distributed programs for public television. For our 10th anniversary we are presenting a particularly rich array of artists with deep roots in the blues, boogie woogie, gospel, soul, and rhythm and blues.

Tickets are $35 each night for general admission, $60 for a two night pass. $75 VIP tickets include mezzanine seating, complimetary buffet and cash bar. Available from the Music Hall Box Office at 313-887-8500 and from ticketmaster .

FRIDAY OCTOBER 3

INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE ON DVD

For a DVD containing the complete program
and an additional 45 minutes of bonus footage call toll free 866-270-5141.
$25 includes postage and handling.

A pianist with a ferocious left hand rolling through eight-beats-to-the-bar is what comes to mind when you think of boogie woogie. The four pianists in INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE provide plenty of that while approaching the music from different perspectives. Switzerland's Sylvan Zingg demonstrates that, "you can boogie anything." France's Philippe LeJeune is a jazz pianist originally inspired by boogie woogie legend Memphis Slim. Vancouver B. C.'s Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne learned boogie woogie from his church organist in Los Angeles, and Toronto's Michael Kaeshammer has been reinventing the genre ever since he heard boogie woogie as a child in Germany. The program ends with all four artists jamming in a classic eight-handed "train wreck." If you love the piano, the performances in INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE will amaze and inspire you.

WATCH  A 3 MINUTE TRAILER

ALSO AVAILABLE              

Gen2 Blues       
Boogie & the Blues Diva  

Contact:
boogie@amrf.net

Remebering Muddy Waters 1915-1983

The Classic Studio T label and Blues Legacy would also like to take the opportunity of commemorating the life and music of the legendary Blues artist Muddy Waters who passed on this day (April 30th) 25 years ago.

As many of you know, British trombonist Chris Barber introduced Muddy Waters to UK audiences in 1958.The outcome of the tour with The Chris Barber Band was nothing short of a magnificent milestone in history.The recordings recently discovered by The Blues Legacy are now available on The Blues Lost & Found – Volume 2 album and it is possible to find out more details and purchase online via: http://www.blueslegacy.net/

If you wanted to just hear a few Muddy Waters tracks for free, simply check out our My Space page: www.myspace.com/blueslegacylabel

Muddy Waters was a huge inspiration for musicians in the British scene and is known as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Not only did the tour with Chris Barber enhance Muddy’s reputation in Europe, but in turn, reawakened an interest in the blues from the other side of the Atlantic. Arguably, it was this visit to British shores, with Muddy on electric guitar, which led to the phenomenal rise of the blues explosion. We salute you Muddy!

Remembering Humphrey Lyttelton 1921 - 2008

The Classic Studio T label would like to extend their deepest sympathy to the friends and family of the late, great musician and broadcaster Humphrey Lyttelton.

It was announced on the 25th April that the legendary Jazz musician died aged 86.  ‘Humph’, as he became known, was a towering figure in the world of music and also a respected presenter on BBC Radio 2 and 4.

The Classic Studio T label, based at Shepperton Filmed Studios first worked with Humphrey Lyttelton when he was invited to our Classic T Stage recording studio by vocalist Elkie Brooks in 2005 for the recording of her Pearls Live DVD.  You can see footage of this on You Tube:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JApXXMAwGVw

Elkie and Humph had worked with each other extensively over the years and our label was also proud to release another collaboration from the two on the ‘Trouble In Mind’ album.

Classic have also been working with another of Humph’s good friends in recent years.Jazz legend Chris Barber surprisingly found some previously unreleased material now survived on the Blues Lost & Found – Volume 3 album, which features Chris Barber, Ronny Scott and Humphrey Lyttelton performing on stage together at the Richmond Jazz & Blues Festival in 1964. This was released on the Blues Legacy imprint: http://www.blueslegacy.net/

International Boogie Woogie: Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival

Coming to Public Television this Summer!
The American Music Research Foundation is proud to announce release of the fourth in our series of public television programs from the annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival.
INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE has been distributed to stations nationwide by the National Educational Telecommunications Association. Individual stations may air the program at any time at their discretion, so contact your local station and let them know you want to see INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE! For a listing of currently scheduled broadcasts click here and be sure to check back often - listings are updated daily.

A pianist with a ferocious left hand rolling through eight-beats-to-the-bar is what comes to mind when you think of boogie woogie. The four pianists in INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE provide plenty of that while approaching the music from different perspectives. Switzerland's Sylvan Zingg demonstrates that, "you can boogie anything." France's Philippe LeJeune is a jazz pianist originally inspired by boogie woogie legend Memphis Slim. Vancouver B. C.'s Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne learned boogie woogie from his church organist in Los Angeles, and Toronto's Michael Kaeshammer has been reinventing the genre ever since he heard boogie woogie as a child in Germany. The program ends with all four artists jamming in a classic eight-handed "train wreck." If you love the piano, the performances in INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE will amaze and inspire you.

WATCH  A 3 MINUTE TRAILER AMRF logo does not appear in actual program

ALSO AVAILABLE              

Gen2 Blues       
Boogie & the Blues Diva  

Contact:
boogie@amrf.net

Buddy Miles 1947-2008

OUR FRIENDS AT THE ILLINOIS BLUES SOCIETY  PASSED ON THIS SAD NEWS:

IllinoisBlues.com is saddened by the passing of drum legend Buddy Miles.  He will be missed!

Buddy Miles  9/5/1947 -  2/26/2008
Legendary Drummer Buddy Miles  passed away this Tuesday, peacefully at his home in Austin, TX. He was (60) sixty years old. He suffered from congestive heart failure but the official cause of death is not known.

Buddy performed with some of the greatest names in music including Stevie Wonder, Muddy Waters, Michael Bloomfield, Wilson Pickett, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, David Crosby, Jack Bruce, Eric Burden, Peter Torque, Billy Gibbons, Prince, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmy Vaughan, Rick James, Kool and the Gang, Jr. Brown, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, Jr. Wells, Koko Taylor, Johnny Taylor, Barry White, Aretha Franklin, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Carlos Santana, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Billy Cox, David Bowie and others.

Buddy Miles recorded over 70 albums and performed in numerous world tours, television commercials and videos. He is best known for his work with Jimi Hendrix and bass player Billy Cox in Band of Gypsys.

Band of Gypsys recorded one album appropriately titled “Band of GypsyS" in 1970 at Fillmore East in New York. Two of the songs on the album were written by Miles. ("We Gotta Live Together" and "Changes").
 
In lieu of flowers; the family has asked to please make donations to the Jazz Foundation of America specifically in Buddy Miles' name to assist with funeral, and other expenses at www.jazzfoundation.org ; The Jazz Foundation of America, at 322 West 48th Street, New York, NY, 10036, Attn.: Amy Cusma.

My First Boogie Duet by Charlie Booty

Our friend Charlie Booty passed away in February of 2008. In 2006 he wrote this article for us about performing his first boogie duet:

My First Boogie Duet
by
Charlie Booty

 Thrills and great moments sometimes come totally unexpected and provide “Cloud 9” experiences that are just as real decades later.  Don Ewell, a great jazz, stride and blues piano player, provided such an experience for me in a Memphis, Tennessee, club during a 1965 late-night after hours session.  Let me digress briefly to say that Don Ewell is famous for his jazz band, his stride and blues piano but is NEVER thought of as a boogie woogie player.  That is because he had to protect his source of income.  A player with a reputation as a boogie woogie player (in the 40’s through the 70’s) was not welcome in many venues.  Consequently, he didn’t play boogie woogie in public and became a “closet” player, visiting with Jimmie and Estelle Yancey many times during the 40’s when he was in Chicago, as well as listening to other South Side Chicago players.  In later years, after Jimmie died, Don recorded an album of blues with Estelle “Mama” Yancey.

 Back to the 1965 Memphis club event, Don was in town for a week, playing piano with a local pick-up band.  I was already a solid fan because of his recordings and was in attendance every night but had no idea that he ever played boogie woogie.  One night, after the show was over, the customers had gone and Don was at the bar talking with band members, I sat down at the piano and began playing some up-tempo boogie woogie.  Suddenly, Don came over, watched me a few seconds, then sat down on the piano bench and said, “Scoot over”.  I was taken aback but complied as he put his hands on the keyboard.  After a few choruses, he suggested that we do a slower boogie blues tempo and, next, a moderate tempo boogie.  Since this was a one-piano session, he indicated by hand motions and brief verbal directions, how to do the choreography and keep from tripping over each other’s fingers.  As we played, he would tell me when we were to take breaks.  At one break, he quickly said, “Move to the treble”, so I sprinted  to his right side and began playing the treble keys.  The band drummer, who had joined us on the first duet, kept saying, “Man, I never saw anything like that before.”

As Don and I walked back to the bar, I was bubbling over with praise and enthusiasm.  At one point I said, “Don, I never knew you could play boogie woogie!”   He gave me a big grin and replied, “Charlie, I don’t play boogie woogie.  You know that.”

In many later recordings Don proved that , not only could he play great boogie woogie styles, he also had a strong feel for the music.  He didn’t copy anybody but could play very authentic versions of the pioneer masters.  Despite the evidence, Don was never acknowledged as the great boogie woogie player that he was.

I am still honored, and humbled, by that experience.

Charlie Booty 1928-2008

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Charlie Booty.  Charlie died last week at his home in Milan, Tennessee.  Charlie performed at three of our festivals:  2000, 2001 and 2002.  In the years that he didn’t perform, he would make the long drive from Tennessee just to be with us for the festival weekend.

A truly remarkable man, Charlie was not only an amazing piano player, he was a pilot, an Air Force Veteran a recording artist and a gifted prankster.  Charlie barely survived a plane crash during the oil crisis of the 1970’s.  The crash was caused by mechanical failure; it was discovered that fuel had been siphoned from his plane and replaced with water.  As a result of the crash, Charlie suffered from a brain injury that left him without a memory of ever having played the piano.  After his recovery, he re-learned the piano from scratch and would shy away from air travel if possible.  He would come to prefer a long drive to a short flight.  He would always say that he liked his travel “low and slow.”

A bout with throat cancer left Charlie without vocal chords and Charlie would struggle to speak.  Nevertheless, Charlie was a gifted story-teller and loved to talk about music and life.  It was through his music that Charlie really communicated best.  He was expert at a now-rare form of blues piano called the “Santa-Fe style.”  His playing style was best described as sweet and swinging.  Charlie was also a one-man recording company.  He formed his own label and recorded, mixed and distributed his own CD’s through his own website and mailing list.

Despite the many setbacks in his life, Charlie was one of the most positive souls you could ever hope to meet.  Charlie seemed to love every minute of every day that he had on this planet.  He leaves us with an impressive legacy of recorded music and many wonderful memories.  To say that Charlie will be missed is a gross understatement.
Keith Irtenkauf

We last heard from Charlie in December 2007 and can think of no better tribute to his spirit than the words he wrote: 

This year has been a year of reflection of times past and I find so much I can be very happy about, and give thanks for, especially all the people whom I love, and who have brought so much happiness into my life. Of course, I miss all those times on the Goldenrod Showboat, the Toronto Ragtime Bash and other events which have now become history. I miss all the people who have passed through my life, even if briefly, because they helped make me what I am and who I am. I am especially thankful for those who are still a part of my life.

Despite appearances to the contrary, nothing bad has happened in my life, and all things have worked for my good. I wouldn't change a thing, even if I could, because that would change the sum total of my life; who I am, what I am and where I am. It has all been a blessing, even if sometimes in disguise.

I am thankful for everyone in my life. Peace, Love, Health and Happiness to you all.

Charlie

Sugar Chile Robinson plays Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival

In 1945 Detroit’s Frank “Sugar Chile” Robinson lost a boogie woogie piano contest because he was too young to officially compete; he was six years old. By the age of eight he had performed with Lionel Hampton, played for President Truman at the White House, and appeared in the Hollywood movie “No Leave, No Love” with Van Johnson and Keenan Wynn. By the age of 12 he was one of the most famous entertainers in the country, regularly breaking box office records at theatres across the country and in Europe.

By the age of 15 Sugar Chile had all but disappeared and for the past 50 years music historians and boogie woogie affecionados have been asking, "Whatever happened to Sugar Chile?"

In 2003 Sugar Chile surfaced briefly for a performance at Southfield’s Millenium Theater. In 2006 his 1950 recording of “Go Boy Go!” was used in a television commercial for Dockers and the drumbeat in the boogie woogie community intensified, noting that he had been “spotted” in Detroit a couple of years earlier.

In early 2007 the Magic Bag’s Willie Wilson contacted Harwood to say that Sugar Chile had been booked for a festival in England and therefore might be willing to perform at the AMRF’s Annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival. Harwood and Penney met with Frank Robinson a couple of weeks later and after a long exploratory conversation he agreed to perform and be interviewed on camera. His single condition was that he be allowed to bring his church choir. “That was then, this is now” is the way he described his set, which would begin with the boogie woogie piano he played in his youth and end with the gospel music he now plays in church.

On October 6, 2007 Frank “Sugar Chile” Robinson returned to the stage of Detroit’s Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, one of the first he had ever played on as a child. As he moved from the “then” portion of his set to “now” he answered the 50 year old question:

“I started out so young I really had no childhood...and I wanted to stop entertaining because I wanted a thorough education. I was raised in show business with a tutor. And the tutor taught school. So when he was in school teaching, all my friends were in school too...and when he came to the house they were out playing, and I was in school. I had to make a decision about whether to keep entertaining or to get an education. And that’s what I did. That’s the reason why you didn’t hear from Sugar Chile in a long time.”

Frank Robinson earned a PhD in Psychology from the University of Michigan and has lived quietly in Detroit  ever since. He will perform at the Rhythm Riot Festival in Cambor, England Thanksgiving weekend. The television program containing his performance and interview during the 9th Annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival will be released in 2008.

CONTACT: MATT LEE: MLeibow412@aol.com  248-584-3715

      TOP PHOTO: FRANK "SUGAR CHILE" ROBINSON AT THE 2007 MOTOR CITY BLUES & BOOGIE WOOGIE FESTIVAL.

PHOTO BY JOHN COLLIER (c)2007 AMERICAN MUSIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION 

BOTTOM PHOTO UNATTRIBUTED: SUGAR CHILE 1947

Gen2 Blues now on DVD

         NEW FROM THE AMERICAN MUSIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Childhood is different when your father is a famous blues musician. And when you follow in his footsteps you bring a different perspective on music and history to your own artistry. This is what unites the performers in Gen2 Blues. Recorded during the 2005 Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival at the Royal Oak Music Theatre.

   The complete 60 minute television program + 75 minutes of bonus footage!

           $25 includes postage and handling

          Call 1-866-270-5141 9am-6pm Eastern or send a check to:

American Music Research Foundation
30733 West Ten Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48336

Click here to watch a sampler!

THE AMRF IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT AND PRESERVATION OF AMERICAN MUSICAL FORMS.