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Biography
Pianist Al Copley (b 1952, Buffalo, New York) co-founded the American jump blues band Roomful of Blues with guitarist Duke Robillard in Westerley, Rhode Island in 1967. In 1974 Count Basie called Roomful "the hottest blues band I've ever heard". In 1975 Roomful signed a recording contract with Island Records, thanks to support from Doc Pomus. After 16 years and 7 albums with Roomful, Copley relocated to Europe in 1984, where he still travels and performs extensively.
Strongly influenced by the music of Big Joe Turner, Copley's solo style spans several genres and defies categorisation, including (but certainly not limited to) swing, boogie-woogie and barrelhouse. Live performances are characterised by their energy and Copley's acrobatic approach to piano performance, in the style of Jerry Lee Lewis.
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