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ARTIST BIO:
(Pictures Below)
Mitch Woods and His Rocket 88’s are the torch bearers of a great American musical heritage. Taking their inspiration from the great jump n’ boogie outfits and swingin’ little big bands of the 40’s, they breathe fresh life into the music that gave birth to rock n’ roll. Mitch takes his cue from his jumpin’, n, jivin’, shoutin’ n’ honkin’, pumpin’ n’ poundin’ predecessors, Louis Jordan, Cab Calloway, Joe and Jimmie Liggins, Louis Prima, just to name a few. Mitch’s pile drivin’ piano licks and energetic stage persona combine with the Rocket 88’s swingin’ horns, thumpin’ bass, rockin’ guitar, and jungle drums to send a crowd into dancing delight. They are one of the first bands on the West Coast to reach back to an earlier time in American music using humor, style, musicianship, and showmanship to forge their own swinging brand of music, which they coined rock-a-boogie. Mitch & the 88’s have distilled the essence of jump, swing , boogie woogie, made it their own, and deliver it to the present.
Mitch Woods was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1971and began performing as Mitch Woods & His Red Hot Mama, featuring his boogie woogie piano and the sultry voice of the Red Hot Mama (Susan Savoy) on tunes by Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, and Fats Waller. The band broke up as Mitch moved to Hawaii to embark on a solo career in the late 70’s. He returned in 1981 to form the first incarnation of the Rocket 88’s with former members of the David Bromberg Band.
Mitch and the 88’s recorded their first of five albums for the Blind Pig label entitled “Steady Date” in 1984. Hailed by Billboard as “a Whitman sampler of American jump, bump, and boogie” it features Lance Dickerson on drums (of Commander Cody fame).
· Their second release, ”Mr. Boogie’s Back In Town” (1988) features Danny Caron on guitar who has since gone on to become blues legend Charles Brown’s musical director.
· Mitch’s third release “Solid Gold Cadillac” (1991) features a stellar lineup of special guests, including Charlie Musselwhite, The Roomful of Blues Horns, and Ronnie Earl. The Washington Post goes on to say about this swingin’ album: “Woods is a rising figure in the boogie-woogie and jump blues revival”.
· On their fourth release, ”Shakin the Shack”(1993) Woods and the 88’s combine the elements of jump/swing with New Orleans inspiration on 11 original tunes of which Relix Magazine says: “If Shakin’ The Shack doesn’t get your toes tapping, shoulders swaying, fingers snapping and hips gyrating, it’s time for resuscitation!”
· “Jump For Joy”, Mitch’s fifth release on Blind Pig Records, the San Francisco bluesman, long known for his showmanship and flair onstage, has finally realized a long-running dream; to get back to the jump blues sound of the great big-band Forties. There’s a lot to be excited about on Jump For Joy, Woods says. “ This is really my full-on jump blues album. We did it with a big band, it’s all original tunes written as they were back in the Forties.” This jumpin’ and swingin’ album will appeal to blues lovers and rock and rollers as well as dance fans.
· Mitch’s solo project “Keeper Of The Flame” (1996) on Viceroy/Lightyear distributed worldwide through WEA is Mitch’s tribute to the blues masters that inspired his career. On it he plays and sings duets with John Lee Hooker, James Cotton, Johnnie Johnson (Chuck Berry), Earl King, and Lee Allen (Fats Domino). Hooker enjoyed these sessions so much that he asked Woods to join him in his own recording “Boom Boom” (Pointblank/Charisma).
Mitch Woods And His Rocket 88’s have built a large national and international following as they perform at clubs and festivals and events worldwide.
FOR BOOKING AND INFO: http://www.mitchwoods.com
Phone: (415) 332-1882 Email: rocket88@gte.net
To download pictures...right click on photo, save as...to your desktop.
Photo by Nita Winter
__________________________
Bookings
& Questions To Mitch Woods:
(email)
rocket88@gte.net
Mitch Woods & his
Rocket 88's
P.O.B. 545 Mill Valley Ca. 94942
Telephone (415) 332-1882
FAX (415) 332-5065
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