Album Notes

This is a collection of 19 Blues, Boogies and Stomps for solo piano that I recorded last fall. I'm primatily known as a producer:

Leahy (double Juno, Platinuum Virgin Music recording artists.) and for my own label, Make It Real Records

2B3 the Toronto Sessions, the Prima Donnas, the Denis Keldie Trio and

co-producer of the Oscar Peterson multi-media CD ROM, amongst many other credits.

I spend most of my time as a session keyboardists, and composer/arranger. My compositional credits include T.V. Film and orchestral works. With Shorthanded, I got to play some of my favourite tunes, and showcase the compositions I play when I am hired to play festivals as a Blues piano artist. The piano is recorded in a unique way which puts the listener on the piano bench next to the player. I didn’t want the listener to feel like they were out in the audience listening to a concert, which is how most piano CDs are recorded. I wanted to recreate what the piano sounds like to me, the player. It’s right in your face. I think we succeeded in capturing what it sounds like to be at the piano.

I play a number of original compositions and five standards all based in the Blues tradition. Some, like Tipitina, Louisiana Alibi, Mac’s Bounce and Rockin’ Pneumonia are in the N’Orleans R&B style made famous by James Booker, Professor Longhair, Huey Piano Smith and Dr. John. A few are outright boogies like O.P.s Boogie, the Mess Around and Spann’s Boogie and yet others are hard to classify, gospel-tinged stomps like Shorthanded Stomp, Count Me In Stride and the C Roll Blues. There is also Lady Pete a musical jazz tribute to Oscar Peterson. Shorthanded is two-fisted piano playing. I'm playing ‘shorthanded’ without my usual backing band but with this recording at 73 minutes of Rockin’ the 88’s and ‘tickling the ivories’ the listener is not short changed either!

"A lifetime of blues piano is distilled in these 19 songs" John Valenteyne - Maple Blues

"Every track brims with authenticity, dexterity and a keen historical insight..." Dave Murphy - pianist T.O.

"For me, 'Shorthanded' is an excellent anthology of solo blues piano styles and a must for any piano player wanting to understand the art." Will Davis - pianist. Orillia ON