Boogie-woogie is a driving blues piano style that features a rolling, “eight-to-the-bar” rhythm. It’s based on ostinato bass figures in 8/8 time, and mostly uses the 12-bar blues harmonic scheme.

Piano man Ricky Nye admits there was no “grand design” when he started his Blues and Boogie Piano Summit 15 years ago. He was simply carrying out what he sees as the highest calling for those into the ...