Eliel Redstone
(415) 640-0514
Wendy DeWitt
(510)847-5847
TQOBW@yahoo.com

What: First Annual San Francisco International Boogie Woogie Festival
Who: Bob Seeley, Carl Sonny Leyland, Silvan Zingg, Lluis Coloma and Wendy DeWitt
When: November 17, Sunday, 2013 4:00pm. Master Class at 12:30 included in ticket.
Where: SF Jazz Center’s Miner Auditorium – 201 Franklin Street, San Francisco
Produced by: Eliel Redstone, Wendy DeWitt and The Golden Gate Blues Society

San Francisco’s first International Boogie Woogie Festival brings in top artists in the world of boogie woogie piano to the Bay Area for a first of its kind event. Featuring Bob Seeley, Carl Sonny Leyland, Silvan Zingg, Lluis Coloma and Wendy DeWitt the show will highlight boogie woogie, a piano style that’s been popular through the big band era, helped to create rock and roll and continues to remain vital and inspiring, as illustrated by a thriving network of international festivals and borrowing by today’s pop artists. Held on Sunday, November 17 at 4:00 pm at the recently opened award winning SFJazz Center located in the Opera District, San Francisco’s cultural hub.
Bob Seeley, known internationally as one of the world’s premier boogie piano artists, played with Art Tatum, and was a friend to Eubie Blake. Fans include the Rolling Stones, and Kid Rock. Carl Sonny Leyland was born and raised on the South Coast of England, and moved to New Orleans to tour with Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets. The Carl Sonny Leyland Trio has recorded six cds and are international favorites. Lluís Coloma was born in Barcelona and performs at European Blues & Boogie Woogie piano festivals where he stands out for his powerful originality. Silvan Zingg, Boogie Woogie Ambassador from Switzerland “plays as if he were from St. Louis – he could be my blues brother!” said rock ‘n’ roll legend Chuck Berry. Silvan has played in over 30 countries, performing with Ray Charles, Katie Webster, and B.B. King. Wendy DeWitt, a San Francisco native received her title The Queen of Boogie Woogie from the original Queen of the Boogie, Hadda Brooks. She’s toured with Hank Ballard, teaches at Berkeley’s Jazz School, and organizes the annual Queens of Boogie Woogie concerts at Yoshi’s Oakland.

Since the coming out party at Carnegie Hall as part of John Hammond’s Spirituals to Swing concerts in 1938, Boogie Woogie continues to inspire and fascinate. With a driving left hand rhythm and syncopated right hand, a solo piano player brings forth high energy and a broad palette of colors. Said to have originated in Texas and been inspired by the sound of a train boogie woogie’s first big hits from Pine Top Smith and Meade Lux Lewis remain popular staples of the genre.

As modern artists continue to breath the spirit of boogie woogie, experience for yourself contemporary interpretations, classic stylings, and new compositions in a rare evening at SF Jazz Center’s Miner Auditorium, Sunday, November 17 at 4:00pm. More info at SFBoogieWoogieFestival.com.