Hi my name is Tom Hope
I'm 22, was born in Leeds UK and have been learning piano since I was about 14.
My parents both play in an 8 piece blues band (called Kinda Blue); mum playing piano and dad the lead guitar and vocals.
I got into swing when I was about 5; I was ill in bed listening to a local radio station, he put on a tape called 'Greatest Hits of the 40's', got totally hooked, listened to all sorts from then on but quickly realised it was just the piano parts I was interested in. After asking mum (who's classically trained at the Royal College of Music and has spent her life teaching) to play me the 'Honkey Tonk Train Blues', it blew my little mind.
At about 14, I was itching to play - I couldn't stop pestering mum for lessons; she was very busy though and so I tried to 'pick it up' by watching and listening to the greats (Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis etc). Eventually, I was invited to play in the band on a few numbers which really loosened my playing up; this turned into a regular thing over time and the usual thing is when we've got a gig, I'll introduce the second set by doing a boogie woogie impro which gets people in the mood.
Although I can busk without thinking about it now, the biggest set-back in my playing is I can't read a note. In time, I'll keep at it and hopefully things will follow. I can only pick up what I've seen or heard played and my right hand really needs a bit more toning and some new riffs. Other pianists on youtube are simply breath-taking but I must remind myself that Rome wasn't built in a day; I'm a trainee pianist (as I probably always will be) but I will take my hat off to anyone who's on the boogie woogie track so to speak, it's an art in itself.
Maybe you would like to chat on the Forum
My name on You Tube is Highhope1