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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — If you like to dance, Boomers is the place to be tonight.
“I like to refer to it as ‘touch dancing,’” said Walt Smith, a longtime pianist in western Colorado. “I don’t play rock. A lot of people call it jazz. I call it music. There’s no way you can play the same song twice — that’s jazz.”
Smith performed regularly in Grand Junction from 1978-1988. In recent years, he’s played more often throughout the Roaring Fork Valley, where he’s lived for the past 20 years until moving to Palisade three months ago.
A trio, including Smith, bass player Dennis Woodrich and drummer Rob LaBig, will perform Wednesdays at Boomers for the next month, every Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. — or later if the dancers are there, Smith said. There’s no cover charge.
“Walt is wonderful,” Woodrich said. “Many times Michelle (Woodrich’s musician wife) and I will be working on a song and the harmony doesn’t sound quite right, we’ll call Walt and ask him what chords to play” and he always knows.
“We’re not the only ones. I can name about 20 guys who call Walt for chords.”
Woodrich also praises drummer LaBig.
“He’s impeccable. He plays with every band in town,” Woodrich said.
Smith is a classically trained pianist from the time he was 8. He’s performed regularly at places like the Copper Kettle and Hotel Jerome in Aspen, and the Sopris Restaurant and Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs.
Smith wrote the music for the musical “Exodus” by Leon Uris.
“In those days it was called ‘Ari’ — you didn’t call a musical by the same name as the novel,” Smith said.
Smith hopes to see tonight some of his old friends from when he lived here before.
“We’re glad to be back. I wanted to play here. If I can play music two or three nights a weekend, I’m happy,” Smith said.
It will be an excellent opportunity for people who like to dance, Woodrich said.
“It’s a real band, playing real music for the dancers,” he said. “Walt is the perfect guy.”
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
“I like to refer to it as ‘touch dancing,’” said Walt Smith, a longtime pianist in western Colorado. “I don’t play rock. A lot of people call it jazz. I call it music. There’s no way you can play the same song twice — that’s jazz.”
Smith performed regularly in Grand Junction from 1978-1988. In recent years, he’s played more often throughout the Roaring Fork Valley, where he’s lived for the past 20 years until moving to Palisade three months ago.
A trio, including Smith, bass player Dennis Woodrich and drummer Rob LaBig, will perform Wednesdays at Boomers for the next month, every Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. — or later if the dancers are there, Smith said. There’s no cover charge.
“Walt is wonderful,” Woodrich said. “Many times Michelle (Woodrich’s musician wife) and I will be working on a song and the harmony doesn’t sound quite right, we’ll call Walt and ask him what chords to play” and he always knows.
“We’re not the only ones. I can name about 20 guys who call Walt for chords.”
Woodrich also praises drummer LaBig.
“He’s impeccable. He plays with every band in town,” Woodrich said.
Smith is a classically trained pianist from the time he was 8. He’s performed regularly at places like the Copper Kettle and Hotel Jerome in Aspen, and the Sopris Restaurant and Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs.
Smith wrote the music for the musical “Exodus” by Leon Uris.
“In those days it was called ‘Ari’ — you didn’t call a musical by the same name as the novel,” Smith said.
Smith hopes to see tonight some of his old friends from when he lived here before.
“We’re glad to be back. I wanted to play here. If I can play music two or three nights a weekend, I’m happy,” Smith said.
It will be an excellent opportunity for people who like to dance, Woodrich said.
“It’s a real band, playing real music for the dancers,” he said. “Walt is the perfect guy.”
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
Go & Do
What: Jazz trio of Walt Smith, Dennis Woodrich and Rob LaBig
When: Tonight, 7-9 p.m., or later every Wednesday in January Where: Boomers Nightclub, 436 Main St. Cost: Free Information: 248-9022 |
