Over the 20+ years I have been a personal friend of Piano Bob's, I've literally seen him perform hundreds of times.  Solo, duet, full band....none of that matters - just put him behind a piano and off he goes.  And when he's not performing, he's hanging out in the clubs supporting the musicians who are.  Be it on the stage looking out at an audience or in the audience looking up at the stage, there's no doubt about it, Piano Bob loves the music.

 

    On this particular project, Piano Bob Wilder - on the piano, of course - is joined by Lou Abbott on vocals and drums, 'Big" Al Ferreira on tenor and baritone sax, Leo Casino on tenor sax, Bob Loiacano on guitar, and Dave Wilkinson & Matt Bonelli on upright bass. 

 

    "Big Beat Blues" features twelve covers of some of the best boogie style piano, sing along type dance songs that all have one thing in common...a big beat.

 

    Unquestionably, the opening track is going to make you "Shake, Rattle & Roll".  Midway through the song, there's about a minute of an instrumental interlude that absolutely kicks ass.  The keys are pounding, the horns are blowin', the rhythm's ripping, the hands are clappin' and it's all sounding oh so good.

 

    Of course, when the band leader's a piano player and the album features music with a big beat, ya know the fat man needs to be represented.  No, not me......Fats Domino.  On "Blue Monday", a song the fat man made famous,  Bob and Lou are excellent on the keys and vocals, and Big Al gets in plenty of deep shots on the baritone.

 

    "Chicken Shack" is a great piano song made famous by two very well know blues pianists - Amos Milburn, the writer, and the late Pinetop Perkins, who just loved to perform it.  From the sounds of this smokin' version, Piano Bob's 88s seem to have it down pat as well.  The rhythm's intense, the horns are wailing, and Piano Bob's just running away with it on this all out jam.  Real good stuff right here.

 

    "Old man rhythm is in my shoes, no use sitting and singing the blues, so be my guest you got nothing to lose, won't you let me take you on a "Sea Cruise".  Ooh wee baby....remember that one?  Back then it was Frankie Ford who had me singing along to this one, now here I am doing it all over again with the 88s.  What a great song.....what a great era.....what a great rendition.  The guys nailed this one.

 

    Up until now most of the tracks I've mentioned have featured the keyboard, the horns, the drums and the bass.  On this one, the band must have told the guitar player "You Don't Have To Go".  He didn't, and Bob certainly gets in his share of hot licks here. 

 

    Other tracks on "Big Beat Blues" - a party, dance and sing along inducing disc - include: "Rock This House", "You Never Can Tell", "Things 'Bout Comin' My Way", "Hey Lawdy Mama", "In The Night", "Sloppy Drunk Blues" and "Let's Rock Awhile".

 

    For a copy of "Big Beat Blues", contact Piano Bob at www.pianobob.net.  You'll also be able to pick up his latest CD as well.  That one, which I'll be working on soon, is with John Carey and it's called "Back In New Orleans".  While there, tell him his buddy the Blewzzman sent you.  

 

    By the way, back in 1992, Bob Wilder was part of the band that won what was then called the B.B. King Lucille Award - the predecessor to the IBC.  A listen to these discs will clearly tell you why.