The third installment of the "Booginator" series, an Ali-Frazier-style piano duel in the desert will take place Monday at Old Town Artisans.
Local favorite Arthur Migliazza and Tucson's favorite import, Eric-Jan "Mr. Boogie Woogie" Overbeek from the Netherlands, will throw down in a battle royale for piano-playing supremacy.
The evening will include mostly duets, with bass and drum accompaniment, of classics such as "Swanee River Boogie," "Honky Tonk Train Blues" and Professor Longhair's "Tipitina."
The duo's last Booginator event sold out in March with more than 200 people in attendance.
"You really don't see this kind of thing too much," Migliazza said. "When you get two people like us who have the same roots, it is not that hard to make the music blend."
Arthur Migliazza
People are also reading…
Age: 28.
Hailing from: Tucson.
Background: Born in Hyattsville, Md., Migliazza moved with his family to the Old Pueblo in 1991. He's been impressing local audiences with his piano talents ever since.
Migliazza was classically trained as a child, but couldn't resist the sounds coming from recordings by Otis Spann, Katie Webster and Champion Jack Dupree. He began taking blues and boogie woogie lessons in Maryland and carried on after moving to Arizona, learning from established players such as New Orleans' Henry Butler and Ann Rabson of Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women. He has released two albums, his self-titled debut in 2004 and "Pumping Ivories" in 2006, and can be seen Mondays at Kingfisher Bar and Grill, Fridays at the Bluefin Seafood Bistro and every third Tuesday of the month at the Barrio Brewing Company as part of the 17th Street Band.
What Eric-Jan thinks of Arthur: "We are on the same level, musicwise. He has got a better technique than I have. You can hear the differences in how we play and who we are, but that is what makes it so great."
Eric-Jan Overbeek
Age: 41.
Hailing from: Nieuw-Vennep in North Holland.
Background: Overbeek also worked classical as a child but fell in love with blues piano after hearing a recording of Fats Domino.
Influenced by artists ranging from Dr. John and Ray Charles to Dutch players André Valkering and Rob Hoeke, Overbeek took on a boogie woogie career path that would eventually take him to Tucson in 2001.
Overbeek has come to town at least twice a year since. He has a loyal following and loves the city.
"The people are friendly, the musicians are great, I love the food, and the weather is awesome," he said. "It always feels like I'm on vacation, even though I am playing almost every night."
What Arthur thinks of Eric-Jan: "We have different styles. He does things that I don't do and I do things that he doesn't do. He is a great performer with good energy. I love working with him."
If you go
• What: "Booginator 4," a dueling boogie woogie piano showdown between Mr. Boogie Woogie and Arthur Migliazza.
• Where: Old Town Artisans, 201 N. Court Ave.
• When: 6 p.m. Monday.
• Tickets: Sold out.
