Focal Point Friends of Traditional Jazz, Blues & Ragtime Present: Ethan Leinwand – Barrelhouse Blues Piano

Ethan Leinwand is a St. Louis-based barrelhouse blues pianist and preservationist. A student of the music’s rich history and varied regional styles, Ethan presents personal interpretations of many of the great (and forgotten) old-time masters. He specializes in St. Louis pre-war piano blues, Texas barrelhouse, Deep South barrelhouse, early Chicago boogie-woogie, and good-time hokum stride. His influences include: Little Brother Montgomery, Black Bob, Jimmy Yancey, Henry Brown, Peetie Wheatstraw, Robert Shaw, Cooney Vaughn, and Carl Sonny Leyland.

During his concerts, Ethan educates as he entertains. He tells the story of this under-appreciated African-American folk art; from the artists who created it, the environments whence they came, and its importance in shaping the history of American music.