Boogie Woogie

What is Boogie Woogie?

Boogie-woogie is a genre that became popular during the late 1920s that sprung from within the African American communities in the 1870s. It started from piano, solo piano to duo and trio, guitar, big band, country and western music. Even seen in gospel. Unlike the blues that traditionally expresses a bunch of emotions, boogie-woogie is dance music. For example the lyrics of one of the early Boogie Woogie hits, "Pinetop´s Boogie Woogie", consist entirely of lyrics that are instructions to dancers.

The origin of the term boogie-woogie isn´t known but the word boogie was associated with rent parties, parties that hired in a band for entertainment.

The general historian concensus is that boogie-woogie piano was first played in the Piney Woods of northeast Texas in the 1870s. The first African Americans who played what is called boogie-woogie, or house-rent music, and attracted attention in city slums where other African Americans held jam sessions. The old-time Texans, black or white, are agreed that boogie piano players were first heard in the lumber and turpentine camps.

Where can I hear Boogie Woogie?

Folk and Honey have many Boogie Woogie gigs, festivals and events listed here: