2026 Bloomington Boogies Festival Artists & Guests
Rob Rio
"Boss of the Boogie" Rob Rio plays the boogie-woogie and jump blues of the 1940s and 50s with a virtuosity that has excited audiences around the world for 40 years. Born and raised in the Bronx, Rob resides in Los Angeles, where he writes, records, and performs at festivals, events, and clubs as a soloist or with his 5-piece band, The Revolvers.
Rob Rio's main influences include Otis Spann, Memphis Slim, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis, Jimmy Yancey, and Roosevelt Sykes. He has appeared with blues greats Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Charles Brown, James Cotton, Joe Cocker and more, and he has recorded with Mick Jagger, Canned Heat, Billy Boy Arnold, William Clarke, and Coco Montoya, among others.
Rob's latest recording is Rob Rio - Live in Anaheim (2017). Inducted into the Boogie Woogie Hall of Fame in 2008, Rob's first appearance in Bloomington was at the 2017 festival. We welcome Rob Rio back to Bloomington Boogies!
Watch Rob live at the 2017 Bloomington Boogies
Jason Marsalis
The youngest sibling of Wynton, Branford, and Delfeayo Marsalis, with their father Ellis Marsalis being a pivotal figure in their upbringing, Jason Marsalis was introduced to a toy drum set at age three. His early fascination evolved into a love for performing, and by age six he had acquired a real set and began studying with renowned drummer James Black. Jason's rapid progress led him to play with his father's group and, at age seven he joined forces with his trombonist brother, Delfeayo.
Jason's commitment to drums was unwavering throughout his formative years. In 1991, he began attending the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts High School while collaborating with his father and brothers and studying orchestral percussion. After graduating from NOCCA, Jason assumed the drum throne in a group led by virtuoso pianist Marcus Roberts. While maintaining a demanding touring schedule Jason pursued further education at Loyola University in New Orleans and delved into composition under the guidance of composer Roger Dickerson.
Jason has been a ubiquitous presence in the New Orleans music scene, collaborating with many bands and musicians. In 1998 he co-founded Latin-jazz ensemble Los Hombres Calientes, producing albums with the group and under his own name. In 2000 Jason began focusing on the Marcus Roberts trio and expanded his repertoire to include vibraphone, marking a pivotal juncture in his career. As his diversity increased, he began teaching at NOCCA while performing at iconic venues like Preservation Hall and Palm Court Jazz Cafe. His mastery of vibes garnered him opportunities with the legendary Lionel Hampton Orchestra.
Jason's career has continued to evolve with various projects, fusing folk songs with jazz, and collaborations with the Marcus Roberts Trio, including an album with banjoist Bela Fleck. His 2013 release In a World of Mallets achieved critical recognition, topping JazzWeek Radio Charts and earning an OffBeat Magazine award. In 2014, he further pushed the boundaries of modern jazz with The 21st Century Trad Band, solidifying his status among mallet greats.
Jason's music remains fresh and innovative, and he has demonstrated remarkable growth as a composer and performer. His maturity and command over his music shine brightly, captivating audiences and critics alike. Along with performing in concert on Sunday, Oct. 11 Jason will present a workshop focusing on how one can take music from the 20th century and bring it into the 21st, and the importance of fundamentals for both vibes and drums. Information about the workshop will be posted soon.
We welcome Jason Marsalis to his first Bloomington Boogies! Watch Jason Marsalis live with his quartet.
Deanna Bogart
Deanna Bogart is known for her electrifying blues, jazz, and boogie-woogie. With over 40 years of captivating audiences worldwide, sharing stages with B.B. King, James Brown, Ray Charles and others, Deanna's spellbinding performances showcase her signature style — dazzling on keyboards, soul-stirring on saxophone, and mesmerizing with her smoky vocals and powerful songwriting.
Deanna has earned her place as a five-time Blues Music Award winner, including recently winning Horn Instrumentalist of the Year in 2023. Along with performing in concert on Sunday, Oct. 11, Deanna will present a free workshop Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. at the Monroe County History Center: “Inside the Groove: Blues, Boogie-Woogie & Improvisation” for intermediate and advanced musicians focusing on blues, boogie-woogie, and improvisation. Pre-registration is required.
We welcome Deanna to her first Bloomington Boogies Festival!
Watch Deanna Bogart on her YouTube Channel
Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes
Multi-instrumentalist Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes leads Sunpie & The Louisiana Sunspots. Playing Zydeco, blues, gospel, jazz, African and Afro-Caribbean music, Barnes plays accordion, harmonica, piano, trombone, rub board, and other instruments. Born in Arkansas, Bruce taught himself piano, taking the name “Sunpie” from an uncle. In junior high he learned trombone and later harmonica. A college football All-American who majored in biology, while working for the National Park Service (NPS) he played one season with the Kansas City Chiefs, then returned to the National Parks as park ranger in Louisiana while performing at night.
Barnes' band became regulars at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage and Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festivals, and Barnes began working at the Jazz National Park in 1999, playing music while educating visitors about Louisiana culture and traditions. Sunpie & The Louisiana Sunspots has released multiple albums and played in over 50 countries. Barnes was featured in Treme (2010), toured with Sting and Paul Simon from 2014-2016, and In 2016–2017 served as producer/narrator for "Skull and Bone".
In 2010, Barnes succeeded Chief Albert Morris as leader of the Northside Skull and Bones Gang, continuing a tradition dating from 1819. In 2011, the Times-Picayune reported that Perseverance Hall would begin hosting free music classes taught by professional musicians, calling the series the "brainchild of US Park Ranger Bruce 'Sunpie' Barnes." The program resulted in a book co-authored by Barnes: Talk That Music Talk: Passing on Brass Band Music in New Orleans the Traditional Way.
Sunpie will perform at three festival events, including the festival concert, and he will be joined by another member of Sunpie & The Louisians Sunspots, guitarist Matt Hampsey.
We welcome Sunpie back to Bloomington Boogies!
Watch Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots
Yoshitaka “Z2” Tsuji
Yoshitaka "Z2" Tsuji is a prominent New Orleans-based jazz pianist and composer originally from Osaka, Japan. Since his arrival in the US, Yoshi has continued to impress with his huge talent as a pianist and composer. Better known as Z2, Yoshi gained fame as the pianist with Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, and he has established a solid reputation as a leader of his own band.
Yoshi is proficient in many styles. On stage and in the recording studio he demonstrates mastery of modern jazz piano with New Orleans seasoning. His most recent release, the 2023 recording titled Happy Hour includes a sparkling collection of originals and classics like “Sweet Lorraine,” backed by drummer Willie Green III and bassist Sam Albright. Z2 also often collaborates with his wife, traditional jazz trombonist Haruka Kikuchi.
We welcome Yoshi Tsuji to his first Bloomington Boogies!
Watch Z2 at the New Orelans Jazz National Historical Park
Photo of Yoshi by Photo by Marc Pokempner
Dr. Keith McCutchen
Pianist and composer Keith McCutchen performs music that meets at the intersection of genre and style. With roots in folk elements of Gospel and blues, McCutchen continues to discover ways of getting inside the music.
Dr. Keith McCutchen's compositions have been recorded by the St. Olaf Choir, The American Spiritual Ensemble, The Camerata Antiqua de Curitiba, Brazil, and numerous colleges and high schools throughout the country. His piano style combines the traditions of the blues, gospel, and classical musics with a subtle virtuosity that utilizes an array of musical influences from around the world.
"I love to take the audience to familiar places and then take them on journeys to places we've never been to! Performance is always about creating community!" McCutchen is a proud alum of the IU Jacobs School of Music and a former director of the IU African American Choral Ensemble.
Keith has performed and lectured with NEA Jazz Masters, including David Baker, bassist Richard Davis, and publisher and educator Jamey Aebersold. He performs regularly with his jazz trio and quintet.
Keith will perform at the festival ticket concert on Oct. 11th, and present a free workshop at the Waldron Arts Center on Saturday, Oct. 10: “A Tribute to Three Entities: Blues, Gospel, and Jazz Piano,” with pre-registration required, limited to 60 people. He will also perform Monday, Oct. 12 at a school.
We welcome Keith McCutchen back to Bloomington Boogies!
Watch Keith's “Tribute to Three Entities”
Matt Hampsey
Matt Hampsey is a New Orleans guitarist and producer known for his mix of blues, gospel, jazz, and New Orleans R&B. He has been performing and soaking up the sounds of the Crescent City since 1991. Following a four-year stint in the Marine Band, Matt studied with luminaries Ellis Marsalis, Alvin “Red” Tyler, Steve Masakowski, and Harold Batiste at the University of New Orleans Jazz Studies program.
Matt credits New Orleans for his musical upbringing, which provided him with opportunities to learn from and perform with his musical heroes, including Cyril Neville, Al Bemiss, Tricia Boutte, Allen Toussaint, Ernie K-Doe, Oliver Morgan, and Brian Seeger. Over the last 20 years Matt has produced numerous albums and film projects for the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and local artists. Matt can be heard performing Creole banjo, slide guitar, and lead guitar with Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes in his unique blend of Afro-Louisiana blues and zydeco, a collaboration he has enjoyed since 2004. While in Bloomington Matt will perform with Sunpie Oct. 10th, 11th, and 12th.
We welcome Matt Hampsey to his first Bloomington Boogies!
Craig Brenner
Craig Brenner explores the jazzy side of blues and boogie-woogie as a performer, composer, and teacher. Leader of Craig & The Crawdads and member of The Ragin' Texans, he has released seven albums, including Passages (2020). Craig began Bloomington Boogies after playing at the boogie-woogie festival in Laroquebrou, FR, in 2014. He has studied with Big Joe Duskin and Bob Seeley, and helps keep boogie-woogie and similar styles alive through concerts, compositions, recordings, and hands-on music ed activities, including workshops and in-school performances.
In the late 1970s, while at the IU School of Music, Craig attended the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and saw Professor Longhair, James Booker, Tuts Washington, Dr. John, Fats Domino, and others who were exploring the rhythmic and barrelhouse aspects of piano. Exposure to these "Piano Professors" and subsequent visits to New Orleans during which he studied and performed with Alfred “Uganda” Roberts caused Craig to reevaluate his musical direction and style.
“We're grateful for the people and organizations who support Bloomington Boogies. With their support we've been able to bring and present wonderful artists, some of whom have passed on. We miss Bob Seeley, Henry Butler, Bill Sims, Jr., Uganda Roberts - and we're glad we're able to continue their music and introduce it to more people every year."
Watch Craig & Uganda Roberts perform Craig's tune, “To Boogie Or Not to Boogie”
Zoe Imani Shepard
Jazz violinist Zoe Imani Shepard is a performer, educator, and dancer based in Bloomington. Her life is marked by love for pedagogy, creativity, curiosity, and the intersection between music and dance. Shepard regularly teaches, performs, and competes at swing dance events across the country and is a strong advocate of supporting the relationship between music and dance. A graduate of the IU Jacobs School of Music, Shepard earned a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance in 2024 and a Masters of Music in Jazz Studies in 2026 after falling in love with Lindy Hop in 2022.
As an educator, Shepard has instructed students of all ages, teaching both classical and jazz in her own private studio (Zoe Imani Music), non-profit organizations, and public schools. Her teaching extends to all musicians through her workbook: “Practice Journal: A Mindful Guide for Musicians" and her practice guide “Thinking Like an Athlete: A String Musician’s Guide to Warm Up and Cool Down.”
Zoe will be presenting a free workshop Monday, Oct. 12th: “Jazz Improvisation 101 for String Players.” Participants and observers will be taught basics of improvisation, including some tools to move away from reading notes on a page to creating music in real time. Pre-registration required; limited to 20 participants and 20 observers.
Watch Zoe perform and improvise jazz on the violin!