Monty Alexander, Bob Seeley & friends - ROCKIN' THE SPIRIT

Piano Blues, Boogie and Spirituals

LIVE IN NEW YORK

Bob Seely, piano - Eric Reed, piano

Johnny O'Neal, piano - Mark Braun, piano

Monty Alexander, piano

Five exceptional pianists join forces for an unforgettable evening of stomping boogie-woogie and soulful gospel music. An evening of gospel and blues piano, where the music is always joyous.

Like the film "Ray" - where Johnny O'Neal portrays Art Tatum - this project explores the similarities of church and secular music.

"This stuff is not some repertory music, this music is vibrant, and these guys are rockin' and burning," says Monty Alexander. "Boogie-woogie is no museum piece. It's alive and well in the hands of the current masters."

Recorded December 11, 2004 at A.C. Pianocraft Recital Hall, NYC

Pianos provided and restored by A.C. Pianocraft.

This album was recorded in the presence of a live audience. Positioned on the left is a restored 1927 Steinway model D 9-foot concert grand. On the right, you hear a restored 1936 Baldwin model D 9-foot concert grand. This album was recorded with a single point microphone, placed approximately ten feet away in a center position between the pianos and the audience.

1. St. Louis Blues

Bob Seeley

2. Happy Days Are Here Again / Jitter Bug Waltz

Johnny O'Neal

3. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie

Mark Braun

4. Amazing Grace

Bob Seeley

5. My Sunday Best

Mark Braun

6. You Took Advantage of Me

Eric Reed

7. Glory, Glory Hallelujah

Johnny O'Neal

8. Boogie Woogie Keys

Monty Alexander

9. Fourplay Boogie Woogie

Mark Braun / Bob Seeley

10. Three Hymns

Eric Reed

11. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen / No Woman, No Cry

Monty Alexander