(blues, jazz, soul, rhythm.and.blues, rock.and.roll) Ben Waters - Boogie 4 Stu: A Tribute to Ian Stewart - 2011 [WEB], MP3, V0

Eagle Records is delighted to release Boogie 4 Stu on 11 April 2011. The album is in tribute to pianist Ian Stewart, a founding member of the Rolling Stones, who went on to serve as their long-term road manager. Boogie 4 Stu was dreamt up and produced by fellow pianist Ben Waters, a member of The A, B, C and D of Boogie Woogie, which also features Charlie Watts. The album is released to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation, and is released near the 25th anniversary of Stewart’s death. The album is mixed by Glyn Johns and the front cover is a newly commissioned portrait of Ian Stewart by Sir Peter Blake.
Initially planned by Waters as a solo album, Boogie 4 Stu soon took on a life of its own. When I told Charlie Watts that I was going to record the album, he asked to be on it. I asked Jools Holland if I could hire his studio. He said ‘No’, but that I could have it for free and that he would like to play on the album too, as Ian was a mate. Letters to other friends and former colleagues of Stu outlining the project elicited the simple response, Where do we need to be and when? Ben Waters, of course, plays on every track and is joined on one by his cousin PJ Harvey. Waters says, Everyone who is on the ’Boogie 4 Stu' album knew Ian Stewart really well, in fact most told me that he was their best mate! Despite this I felt many music fans need an introduction to the man and his music. To some he was a roadie that played a bit of piano, to his friends and fans the opposite was true. Most of the music on the album was laid down live, after no more than a couple of takes, and the atmosphere in the studio was fantastic.
The album highlight for many will be the version of Bob Dylan’s song Watchin’ The River Flow. This features Mick Jagger on vocals & harmonica, Keith Richards on guitar, Charlie Watts on drums, Ronnie Wood on guitar and Bill Wyman on bass.It’s the first time Wyman has recorded with his former colleagues since 1992. As well as his work with the Rolling Stones, Ian Stewart played with a host of other talents including Led Zeppelin [this album is named after their track ‘Boogie With Stu’], Howlin’ Wolf, The Yardbirds, his own band Rocket88 and more. Keith Richards said, Ian Stewart. I’m still working for him. To me the Rolling Stones is his band. Without his knowledge and organization … we’d be nowhere.

01. BOOGIE WOOGIE STOMP (Albert Ammons)
Ben Waters - piano
02. ROOMING HOUSE BOOGIE (Amos Milburn)
Ben Waters - vocals, piano
Keith Richards - guitar
Bill Wyman - bass
Ady Milward - drums
Derek Nash - saxophone
Clive Ashley - saxophone
03. WORRIED LIFE BLUES (Big Maceo)
Ronnie Wood - vocals, guitars
Keith Richards - vocals
Ben Waters - piano
Jools Holland - Hammond organ
Dave Green - double bass
Charlie Watts - drums
Willy Garnet - saxophone
Don Wellor - saxophone
04. BOOGIE FOR STU (Ben Waters, Jools Holland)
Ben Waters - piano
Jools Holland - piano
Dave Green - double bass
Charlie Watts - drums
Willy Garnet - saxophone
Don Wellor - saxophone
05. MAKE ME A PALLET ON YOUR FLOOR (Jimmy Yancey)
Jools Holland - vocals, piano
Ben Waters - Hammond organ
Dave Green - double bass
Charlie Watts - drums
Willy Garnet - saxophone
Don Wellor - saxophone
Alex Garnet - baritone saxophone
06. MIDNIGHT BLUES (traditional)
Ben Waters - piano
Jools Holland - piano
Charlie Watts - drums
07. LONELY AVENUE (Ray Charles)
Recorded on Stu's piano
PJ Harvey - vocals, saxophone, backing vocals
Ben Waters - piano, organ, backing vocals
08. WATCHING THE RIVER FLOW (Bob Dylan)
Mick Jagger - vocals, harmonica
Ben Waters - piano
Keith Richards - guitar
Ronnie Wood - guitar
Bill Wyman – bass
Charlie Watts - drums
Tom Waters - alto saxophone
Willy Garnet - saxophone
Don Wellor - saxophone
Alex Garnet - baritone sax
Dave Swift - tambourine
09. ROLL 'EM PETE (Big Joe Turner)
Hamish Maxwell - vocals
Ben Waters - piano
Charlie Watts - drums
Dave Green - double bass
Jools Holland - piano
Willy Garnet - saxophone
Don Wellor - saxophone
Terry Taylor - guitar
10. SUITCASE BLUES (Albert Ammons)
Ben Waters - piano
11. BRING IT ON HOME TO ME (Sam Cooke)
Ian Stewart live from Montreux Jazz Festival 1984 with Rocket 88
Ian Stewart, Willy Garnet, Roger Sutton, Jimmy Roche,
Clive Thacker, Olaf Vas, Mike Hogh, John Picard