MR. BOOGIE WOOGIE & THE FIRESWEEP BLUESBAND

“Three Pound Fist”

Firesweep Records

For those of us who are diehard R&B fans, and have such great bands as Roomful of Blues right in our backyard, it’s easy to forget that this hard driving music is played, and played very well, throughout the world. Thankfully, with this Netherlands-based release, we are happily reminded that there are a number of bands playing it to the max.

Mr. Boogie Woogie, nee Eric-Jan Overbeck, is a gritty, hard driving piano player and singer. It’s difficult to assess his age from the record jacket, but suffice it to say that he plays and sings much older, which, in this musical genre, is a compliment of the highest order.

This wonderful record mixes several horn-driven originals, many penned by bassist Harm Van Sleen, with strong covers of chestnuts like Ray Charles’ That’s Lie” and “Mary Ann,” Percy Mayfield’s “Please Send Me Someone to Love,” and a stunning piano based, instrumental run through of Freddy King’s “Remington Ride.” In this band’s hands, the covers are not simply “by the numbers” recitations, but are interesting interpretations that actually add something to the original standards, which is a daunting task that only the best bands and musicians can accomplish.

This band will be playing a short tour of the Southwest in September, and the record can be ordered from its web site at www.mrboogiewoogie.nl. If they sound half a good live as they do on this release, R&B fans will have even more to cheer about.

- Mark T. Gould