Boogie Woogie Valentine
1998 Boss Productions
SQ Issue: Fall
2002, Volume 12, Issue 4
The Band:
Rob
Rio – piano, vocals; Freddie Johnson – bass; Peter Berke – drums; Eddie
Synigal – sax; Job Striles - guitar
“Known by some as the “boss of the
boogie”, pianoman/vocalist Rob Rio plays the boogie-woogie and jump blues of the
‘40s and ‘50s with a virtuosity and élan that has excited audiences around the
world for more than 20 years.” – Rob Rio website
I discovered this CD while cruising
around the CD Now website. After listening to several of the online samples,
I decided to buy it. A wise move on my part.
This CD should come with a warning
that it is combustible. It is so hot and full
of energy that your feet will not be able to stop swingin’, tappin’ and
movin’ to the fast-paced boogie woogie and jump blues offerings of this energetic
band.
Dance fans of jump blues and boogie
woogie take note. You need to get this in
your library. With smokin’ originals
like the title track and Home to My Honey to fantastic covers of the greats like Kansas
City, Choo Choo Ch’Boogie and the Ray Charles favorite It Should Have
Been Me, you’ll have to be dragged off the dance floor. You’ll also enjoy the swingin’ ‘50s
cover of Sea Cruise.
The only track I would diss is Ode
to ‘Fess’ and that’s only because of the Latin rhythms. Not my dance.
Fun tune none-the-less. Rio
also has excellent piano instrumentals in Fun with Yancy, Honky Tonk Piano
and Albert Meets Pete (all originals!).
What else can I say? It has energy, great cover tunes, great originals, great solos, great danceability….Great gobs of gravy, whadaya waitin’ for? Go buy it!
Bottom Line: To buy or not to buy….. NO BRAINER, BUY THIS ONE! If you do, here’s how: