Here we spotlight the incredible boogie woogie pianists past and present.
For current artists, the links are to official artist websites. For artists who are no longer with us, the links are to short profiles which introduce the pianist, their career and a video of one of their key boogie-woogie songs. There’s a separate New Orleans section too.
No one has been deliberately missed from this page so please contact me with any suggestions.
Boogie-woogie women
Here are both out and out queens of boogie-woogie plus more jazz or straight up blues focused pianists who have performed or recorded some truly blistering boogies.
Past
- Ann Jenkins (US)
- Ann Rabson (US)
- Camille Howard (US)
- Cleo Brown (US)
- Christine Chatman (US)
- Claire Hamlin (UK)
- Dorothy Donegan (US)
- Frantic Faye Thomas (US)
- Georgia White (US)
- Gladys Bentley (US)
- Hadda Brooks (US)
- Hazel Scott (Trinidad)
- Katie Webster (US)
- Lil Hardin Armstrong (US)
- Lynn Albritton (US)
- Martha Davis (US)
- Mary Lou Williams (US)
- Nellie Lutcher (US)
- Pia Beck (Netherlands)
- Winifred Atwell (Trinidad)
Present
- Anke Angel (Netherlands)
- Caroline Dahl (US)
- Cili Marsall (Hungary)
- Deanna Bogart (US)
- Dona Oxford (US)
- Eden Brent (US)
- Elena Tourbina (Russia)
- Jan Preston (Australia)
- Jojo and Jack Carpenter (Switzerland)
- Katharina Alber (Austria)
- Ladyva (Switzerland)
- Liz Pennock & Dr Blues (US)
- Marcia Ball (US)
- Ulrike Gaate (Germany)
- Stephanie Trick (US)
- Sue Palmer (US)
- Wendy Dewitt (US)
Boogie-woogie men
Past
- Albert Ammons (US)
- Big Joe Duskin (US)
- Blind John Davis (US)
- Champion Jack Dupree (US)
- Cow Cow Davenport (US)
- Cripple Clarence Lofton (US)
- Freddie Slack (US)
- James Crutchfield (US)
- Johnny Parker (UK)
- Hersal Thomas (US)
- Jimmy Yancey (US)
- Little Brother Montgomery (US)
- Little Willie Littlefield (US)
- Meade Lux Lewis (US)
- Memphis Slim (US)
- Montana Taylor (US)
- Pete Johnson (US)
- Pinetop Perkins (US)
- Pinetop Smith (US)
- Roosevelt Sykes (US)
- Rufus ‘Speckled Red’ Perryman (US)
- Sammy Price (US)
- Sunnyland Slim (US)
- Vince Weber (Germany)
- Willie Hall (US)
- William Ezell (US)
Present
- Arthur Migliazza (US)
- Axel Zwingenberger (Germany)
- Balazs Daniel aka Mr Firehand (Hungary)
- Ben Levin (US)
- Ben Toury (France)
- Ben Waters (UK)
- Big John Carter (UK)
- Bob Baldori (US)
- Bob Hall (UK)
- Bob Seeley (US)
- Bruno Duye (France) – The French Boogie Boys
- Carl Sonny Leyland (US)
- Chase Garrett (US)
- Craig Brenner (US)
- Christian Bleiming (Germany)
- Chris Conz (Switzerland)
- Christian Cristl (Germany)
- Christophe Benz (France) – The French Boogie Boys
- Daryl Davis (US)
- Daniel Smith (UK)
- Daniel Paterok (Germany)
- Eeco Rijken Rapp (Indonesia/Netherlands)
- Eric-Jan Overbeek – Mr Boogie Woogie (Netherlands/US)
- Ethan Leinwand (US)
- Frank Muschalle (Germany)
- Geert van Bon (Netherlands)
- Hannes Otahal (Austria)
- Henning Pertiet (Germany)
- Henri Herbert (France/US)
- Jean-Pierre Bertrand (France)
- James Goodwin (UK)
- Jean-Paul Amouroux (France)
- John ‘Nonjohn’ Tennison (US)
- Jools Holland (UK)
- Jorg Hegeman (Germany)
- Julian Philips (UK)
- Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne (US)
- Lasse Jensen (Denmark)
- Luca Sestak (Germany)
- Luis Coloma (Spain)
- Martin Pyrker (Austria)
- Martijn Schok (Netherlands)
- Matt Grant Little (UK)
- Michael Drexler (Germany/US)
- Michael Hortig (Austria)
- Michael Kaeshammer (Canada)
- Michiel Janssens (Belgium)
- Mitch Woods (US)
- Neil Wilde (UK)
- Neville Dickie (UK)
- Nico Brina (Switzerland)
- Nirek Mokar (France)
- Paddy Milner (UK)
- Patrick Smet (Belgium)
- Ricky Nye (US)
- Rob Agerbeek (Indonesia/Netherlands)
- Rob Rio (US)
- Silvan Zingg (Switzerland)
- Stefan Ulbricht (Germany)
- Steve ‘Big Man’ Clayton (UK/Germany)
- Tom Seals (UK)
New Orleans style piano
Past
Present
- Allen Toussaint (US)
- Champion Jack Dupree (US)
- Dr John (US)
- Fats Domino (US)
- Henry Butler (US)
- James Booker (US)
- Jelly Roll Morton (US)
- Professor Longhair (US)
- Smiley Lewis (US)
- Tuts Washington (US)
- Big Joe Kennedy (US)
- Chris Copen (Denmark)
- Dale Storr (UK)
- Davell Crawford (US)
- Diz Watson (UK)
- Dom Pipkin (UK)
- Harry Connick Jnr (US)
- Huey “Piano” Smith (US)
- Jan Luley (Germany)
- Jon Cleary (US)
- Tim Penn (UK)
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