Jammin’ On The High C’s On Board the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise A glimpse of the LRBC piano bar. Photo by Ÿ Joseph A. Rosen
By Mitch Woods In 2002, I was invited as a special guest on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise (LRBC). Cruise promoter Roger Naber asked me aboard and said, “Just do what you want, sit in, wherever.” I noticed there was a piano bar on the ship, so I went in late one night and started playing. Pretty soon, I had a crowd – everyone gathered around the piano, having a great time. After many drinks and a lively crowd with some musicians sitting in, the place was rockin’. At about 4 a.m., I decided it was time to go to bed and bid everyone a good night. About a half hour later, I got a call from Tracy, one of the LRBC staff, who said, “get your ass down here to the piano bar, you got a full house!” So I came ambling back from my room in my pajamas, and I noticed a handwritten sign on the door that said, “Mitch Woods’ Club 88!” I proceeded to pound the ivories ‘til dawn, and that was the beginning of Mitch Woods’ Club 88 and the piano bar on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. What you have to understand is that it is a blues piano bar... no Elton John or Billy Joel! When I first started the piano bar, I was the only piano player, but now we have six or seven players who all take shifts. Of course, they usually leave the late-night shift to me and I still come in my pajamas. Now there are two pianos as well, so some nights are dueling piano shows.
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Blues Festival Guide 2020
We pair up, and it’s always a ball with some of my fellow pounders who each has his or her own style of blues. Some of the pianists include Rob Rio, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne and Scotty Miller, who plays with Ruthie Foster and writes his own tunes. Reverend Billy C. Wirtz is always hilarious with his own crazy tunes, like “Mennonite Surf Party”... you have to hear and see him to understand. Eden Brent is another wonderful vocalist and pianist, and has had legendary sessions in the piano bar. As far as tunes go, I have a big repertoire of blues, New Orleans classics and my own tunes. I enjoy getting the crowd involved and singing along (Sing Along With Mitch!). “Rockin’ Pneumonia,” “How Blue Can You Get” and “Boom Boom” all go over well. As people loosen up and the alcohol takes effect, things can get crazy. I have had times when drunk cruisers have taken over. One night, I had a blitzed harmonica player reach over the ledge of the piano bar to adjust his mic and he fell in, under the piano! That’s when I left and went to bed! The piano bar has become one of the most fun venues on the cruise. You never know what will happen or who will show up. I invite everyone – cruisers and pro musicians alike – to come and sit in. I have had Tab Benoit playing buckets and spoons along with me, James Cotton on harp, Taj Mahal on guitar, Tommy Castro, Roomful of Blues' horns and the California Honeydrops,
