Saturday Matinee – Mitch Woods, The Bruce Katz Band & Tas Cru

Born in Brooklyn in 1951, Mitch Woods began playing classical piano at eleven, but his real initiation into blues and boogie piano had already been assured at age eight. “My mom would hire this superintendent of the building, a black man, Mr. Brown, to take me to school, and we stopped off at his cousin’s house, where somebody was playing boogie-woogie piano. It really hit me.”

Mitch Woods (without his Rocket 88s) makes it look easy on the streets of New York.

The Bruce Katz Band features Bruce Katz on Hammond B3, Aaron Lieberman on guitar and drummer Liviu Pop (whose snare mic got disconnected in this song).

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Tas Cru is an eclectic, performing original songs that mix roots rock, blues and gospel. Good stuff.

Some interesting historical events transpired this week, and now we’re in the danger zone – a lot can happen between now and January 20.

Good news on the home front. I attended a laser show that lasted two minutes, cost me a few clams, and now my left eye can spot a red tail hawk before it spots me. The porch will be open for business tomorrow as usual, see you there.

Saturday Matinee – UFO Intro, Cab Calloway with Al Morgan, & Mitch Woods with Pinetop Perkins

UFO was a 1970 British sci-fi TV series with the premise that the earth is invaded by aliens in the distant future: 1980.

From the 1933 W.C. Fields film International House, Cab Calloway‘s “Reefer Man” is some hot jumpin’ jazz featuring Al Morgan slappin’ bass.

Mitch Woods‘ Boogie Woogie Blowout” at Yoshi’s, Oakland, CA. Nov 19, 2009. Pinetop Perkins (1913-2011) is featured. Jump to 01:30 for the music. Mr. Perkins (96 years old at the time of this recording) wanders on stage to kick ass just past 03:00. [h/t trebob]

“Too hot to handle and too cold to hold” is a recurring theme of The Saturday Matinee. Have a great weekend, folks.