Mike Denham was awarded 149 marks out of a possible 150 in his Grade 1 piano exam at the age of 8. It's all been downhill from there! An expert in ragtime piano, his solo piano playing ranges from the earliest days of ragtime and blues, through Fats Waller's "stride" style and the Great American Songbook of the 1930s, to Fats Domino and Rock'N'Roll. He performs at old-style jazz festivals and venues all over the UK and frequently includes boogie woogie in his programmes.

Mike's always been aware of boogie: as a young man he was asked to duet with the great Humphrey Lyttleton on Humph's hit "Bad Penny Blues", a number derived from pioneer Cripple Clarence Lofton. But it was attending the very first UK Boogie Woogie Festival a decade ago which inspired him to get better-acquainted with ragtime's boisterous musical cousin!

Mike says it's "a great delight" to be invited to perform at this year's festival.