18 August,2017 06:33 PM IST | Mumbai | Krutika Behrawala
Jaw-dropping blues-boogie-woogie-rock 'n' roll artiste in city to show you the shocking stuff that's possible on a piano
Swiss pianist Nico Brina broke the Guinness World Record in 1996
He has broken the world record for his speed and made heads turn with his unique style of piano playing. Swissman Nico Brina is an entertainer who doesn't believe in doing things the usual way. Since age nine - when he took to the instrument - to win the Guinness World Record in 1996, when he became the fastest boogie woogie player at 608 strokes per minute with his left hand, Brina's rise to fame is fascinating.
Growing up with rock 'n' roll, Brina discovered blues later. Other than a year of training at the Swiss Jazz School in Bern, he is a self-taught genius who has organically fused boogie woogie, the blues and faster paced genres to create a unique sound.
IN fact, at most of his concerts, he creates a mix of popular rock 'n' roll tracks and his own compositions and arrangements. With the motto 'No boogie without blues', he has wowed audiences across the world.
With over 30 years of experience, Brina has performed at live shows across 16 countries, including parts of Europe, Kazakhstan and Singapore. He has produced 13 albums, including The Blues Will Help You Survive and Flight 6024 (2013), and the more recent The B'Day Session (2016). Tonight, he will debut in Mumbai at an Andheri nightclub, where he will take the stage for two consecutive nights. Edited excerpts from an interview:
When did you discover the blues genre?
I grew up with rock 'n' roll and boogie woogie. But I soon felt that without blues, there is no rock 'n' roll at all. The blues isn't just a kind of music. It's a feeling... It is important for me to put that feeling into the genres and mix all of them together.
What can we expect from tonight's show?
I will play with my feet and my nose and will celebrate my boogie woogie power with blues, all packaged into a rock 'n' roll show!
It is happy, rhythmic music. You can forget all your problems when you listen to it. And you can dance and totally flip out.
How has boogie woogie evolved over time?
It makes me happy to see that young people are slowly taking to boogie woogie as a music genre. Each artiste has his/her style -- some put classical music into their tunes while others mix it with pop and other genres.
On Tonight and August 19, 9.30 pm (both days)
At Finch, John Baker, Saki Vihar Road, opposite Huntsman building, Andheri East.
Log on to bookmyshow.com Cost Rs 500
