This album celebrates the piano music of barrelhouses, saloons and joints: the venues that hosted the development of boogie woogie from ragtime. The barrelhouse was a crude wooden structure with a supply of liquor and a piano for entertaining railroad or timber workers. But barrelhouse is also an approach to playing: stripped-bare rhythm for dancing and simple harmonies that can be heard through a crowd. No frills, no pretence - just good-time music the way it used to be. The music comprises original compositions and traditional piano themes from Chicago, Texas and Deep South. I have even included a piano bluegrass piece!