Boogie Woogie Kid on Stage at the TCA

Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) will close out their Black Box Summer Series on Thursday, August 24 at 7 pm with pianist and songwriter Matthew Ball. A world class talent, Matthew Ball is already described as “Michigan’s leading boogie-woogie pianist!” by The Farmington Patch, "A boogie-woogie master!" by The Romeo Observer, and “A rising giant in the field!” by Metroland. A graduate of Oakland University and The University of Detroit, Matthew holds degrees in Music, History and Law. He trained classically at Oakland University with the internationally renowned classical pianist Flavio Varani, a graduate of The Paris Conservatory and Manhattan School of Music, who traced his own pedigree of study back to Chopin himself!
 
Recently welcomed twice on Fox 2 News Detroit's 'The Nine Show' and also on Channel 20 News Detroit's 'Concert on the Qube,' Matthew Ball has established himself as one of the leading entertainers around Detroit. Just this year, he performed his children's program with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra! Featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition as well as Michigan Public Radio’s Ann Delisi's and Rob Reinhart's Essential Music Programs, The Craig Fahle Show and WMUK’s The Art & More Show, Matthew performs a fast-paced program of Boogie-n-Blues, Jazz & Ragtime piano favorites from the Swing-dancin' era of the 20’s 30’s & 40’s, with arrangements of American classics like Ain't Misbehavin, When the Saints Go Marchin In, Over the Rainbow, Basin Street Blues, Bumble Boogie, The Entertainer, Glory of Love, and more!  
 
Remarkably Ball's start in Jazz only began in 2001. A former attorney, Matthew left the practice after he attended a hometown boogie-woogie festival. He was so awestruck by the performances he saw that night, he left his career as an attorney to become a blues & boogie-woogie performing artist. With a lot of time, work, and effort over the next few years Ball would reach a breakthrough in 2005 with a career launching performance at the exclusive Arches Piano Stage in Cincinnati where he shared the stage with some of the same musicians that first inspired him to play back in 2001. Now with over 3.7 million YOUTUBE views of past performance footage he has distinguished himself as an internationally recognized practitioner and authority on these treasured American art-forms.     
 
Boogie Woogie Kid is the final show for TCA’s Black Box Summer Series. The lobby opens at 6:00 pm with a variety of refreshments including beer and wine. Tickets are $10 each. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 517-423-6617, at the box office located at 400 N. Maumee Street, Tecumseh, Michigan, or on-line at www.thetca.org. Like the TCA on Facebook and keep up to date on the cultural entertainment and live performances scheduled this summer and beyond!
 
This year’s Black Box Summer Series part of the TCA Michigan Homegrown Project and is sponsored in part by Flatlanders Sculpture Supply and Art Gallery, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

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