In 2019, Bloomington Boogies presented a free MASTER CLASS ON STRIDE PIANO. Judy Carmichael, one of the world's foremost interpreters of stride and swing piano, gave a Master Class co-sponsored by the Monroe County History Center, with support from the Bloomington Arts Commission, for intermediate and advanced pianists and observers interested in America’s first popular music, ragtime, how it evolved into “stride” and how both influenced the jazz that followed.

​​​​​View exercises and an arrangement from Judy's book, You Can Play Stride Piano. The book comes with CD with practice and performance tempos; available at https://www.judycarmichael.com/new-products/you-can-play-stride-piano-book.

In 2019, Bloomington Boogies also offered three free PIANO WORKSHOPS on Aug. 12:

• A free WORKSHOP ON ELEMENTS OF BLUES AND BOOGIE WOOGIE.  Monday, Aug. 12, 4 p.m., Templeton Elementary, 1400 S. Brenda Ave., Bloomington, IN, Room L17.  Stephanie Trick, an expert on stride and classic jazz styles with a firm command of boogie woogie, ragtime, and blues, covered boogie woogie as played by Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, and Meade Lux Lewis. The workshop focused on boogie woogie left-hand patterns and gave participants a chance to improvise in the dynamically rhythmic and swinging style of boogie woogie. It also covered the basic blues form and presented ideas on how to use this versatile and timeless form as a vehicle for improvisation and telling one's story.
• Participants were advised to prepare for the workshop by listening to Albert Ammons' "Boogie Woogie Stomp": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNbc0YO5hKg and Pete Johnson's "Death Ray Boogie," to learn left-hand patterns or right-hand riffs by ear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEKsF2NWQUI, and to check out Meade Lux Lewis' "Honky Tonk Train Blues" and learn left-hand patterns or right-hand riffs by ear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne_U25ryLjc.

• A free WORKSHOP ON IMPROVISATION - How Does Improvisation Work?  Monday, Aug. 12, 3:15 p.m., Tri-North Middle School, 1000 W. 17th St., Bloomington, IN, Auditorium.  Paolo Alderighi, one of Italy’s foremost jazz pianists and husband of Stephanie Trick, taught the fundamentals of improvising. The workshop provided basic tools for approaching improvisation within the jazz and blues idioms. For participants with experience with improvisation, the workshop offered ideas to improve their ability to construct interesting solos; for musicians coming from a classical background and those who have not explored improvisation, the workshop provided the initial groundwork necessary to practice this skill. For all ages and skill levels.

• A free WORKSHOP ON BLUES BASICS - LEARNING FROM THE MASTERS - Songs in Parallel Thirds and Sixths.  Monday, Aug. 12, 4 p.m., Fairview Elementary, 500 W. 7th St., Bloomington. Dr. Keith McCutchen, associate professor of music in the School of Humanities and the Performing Arts at Kentucky State University, used Jimmy Yancey’s “Jimmy’s Stuff” and Thelonious Monk’s “Blue Monk” to explore the basics of blues structure, the sound and fundamentals of the triad bass, and the use of parallel 3rds and 6ths and melody/harmony in the right hand. The use of riffs and bass variations was also explored.
• Participants were advised to look at the following in preparation: Jimmy Yancey's "Jimmy's Stuff": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPU1Spmms0 and Thelonious Monk’s “Blue Monk”: https://youtu.be/rrKpffh8TY8.

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