Fowlerville News and Views Online

Acoustic Café to present Matthew Ball at Howell Opera House on Feb. 23
    Matthew Ball, “The Boogie-Woogie Kid”, will be the performer at the Acoustic Café on Friday, Feb. 13, from 7 to 9 p.m.  Acoustic Café is an annual music series held at the historic Howell Opera House that features outstanding Michigan performers, now celebrating its 10th year!
    This year’s series continues with the return of Matthew Ball, aka the Boogie-Woogie Kid. Called the 'fastest fingers in the Mid-west,' Matthew performs an upbeat program of Boogie-n-Blues, Jazz & Ragtime 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!  Matthew also writes and sings songs in the spirit of the Era as well. 
    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.       Today Matthew is known online and on-stage as THE BOOGIE WOOGIE KID with a performance history that spans everything from symphony appearances to Jazz and Blues festivals.
     The Acoustic Café series runs every Friday night from January 5th – March 9th. Doors will open at 7:00 pm and the show will begin at 7:30 pm. Open to the public, the cost is $8.00 at the door, $6.00 for Livingston Arts Council members. Please note that tickets are NOT sold in advance.