Boogie-woogie times two: Pair of top pianists play

There’s not much better than one of the country ’s premier boogie-woogie piano players putting on a show in Saskatoon. Except, of course, two of them performing at the same time.

Piano-playing powerhouses David Vest and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne are putting their fingers to the keys for a joint concert at The Bassment on Nov. 17. It’s not the first time the pair of pianists has performed together, and it’s not the first time they’ve played together at The Bassment. But both musicians are excited to be onstage together again.

“Kenny will pick one song ... then I’ll pick one. I’ll throw him a knuckleball and he’ll throw me a high heater,” Vest said with a laugh. “We stumble into a lot of surprises that way.”

Between the two men there are Juno Award nominations (and a win for Wayne in 2006), well over a dozen Maple Blues Awards given out for blues and jazz excellence each year, and many more honours. Both pianists are nominated again for this year’s Maple Blues Award for most outstanding piano/key- board player.

Wayne said the men both have something of their own to bring to the table — he said Vest is a little more rooted in rock ‘n’ roll, while he’s more rooted in gospel — but had nothing but positive things to say for his keyboarding counterpart.

“I know he’s going to be rocking, and I’ll be rocking as well,” Wayne said. “I may not know what particular song he’s doing, but he gives me the key ... and I can kind of just ride with him.”

The concert is set to be a display of top-tier piano prowess, but there are always challenges to go along with a pair of strong pianists playing at the same time. A representative from The Bassment said they have two Yamaha grand pianos ready for the show — which is always bigger and better than using digital keyboards.

Vest said Wayne has the most impeccable sense of time and tempo of anyone he’s every played with, and also joked that he’s given up on trying to compete with the bright fashion of the “most flamboyantly dressed performer in the blues.”

And Wayne referred to Vest as one of his favourite people to duet with as a pianist, complimenting his ear, which is one of the keys to playing a successful two-piano show, he said.

“We’ve got good ears. We kind of listen ... there’s some songs we might do that are similar, but have different arrangements. It just takes being aware,” he said. “If it’s got 88 keys, we’ll have funwithit.“

According to The Bassment’s website, the men share “over a century of experience in the music business between them.” That experience has given them an understanding of their audience. Wayne said it’s great to find a “global acceptance” of the blues style of music wherever he goes.

Vest said there’s a bit of a friendly rivalry (emphasis on the “friendly”) between him and Wayne, but also described Wayne as a great friend and performer to play this exciting brand of music with.

“This is not something I have to do, this is something I get to do,” Vest said. “This community exists wherever we go ... you can tell when somebody’s feeling what you’re doing.”