Bob Seeley
Bob Seeley (born September 13, 1928, Detroit, Michigan) is an American boogie woogie pianist.
Biography
Seeley has played piano at Charlie's Crab in Troy, Michigan, just outside Detroit, for over three decades. He has played Carnegie Hall several times, and major venues throughout Europe. He has released five albums and is working on a sixth with Bob Baldori.
His greatest influence was Meade Lux Lewis. Seeley first met Lewis during a Detroit gig in the late 1940s, and a longstanding friendship through the 1950s and 1960s developed, which influenced Seeley's piano styling. Seeley also played piano with Art Tatum. Eubie Blake was also among Seeley's circle of friends.
Seeley worked for a while as accompanist to Sippie Wallace. Seeley is an all-around pianist whose interest and repertoire span ragtime, stride, blues and boogie woogie.
Seeley also has participated in the so-called "Cheek to Cheek Boogie" with Mark Braun AKA Mr. B.
Peter Silvester wrote: "His solos are notable for their coherence and logical progression, which propels them to a satisfying climax. Of all the contemporary pianists, Seeley reproduces the sound and spirit of Meade Lux Lewis with the most conviction and sometimes even surpasses the master" (p. 247-248).
References
- Peter Silvester, A Left Hand Like God (1988): history of boogie-woogie music