Turbo charged on hi-octane boogie, Mitch Woods and His Rocket 88s are the Bay Area’s gleeful torchbearers of jump blues, the hard-driving sound that gave birth to rock ‘n’ roll. Inspired by the seminal rhythm and blues outfits of the late 40s and early 50s, they breathe fresh life into the dance music that emerged when swing band veterans brought smaller combos into juke joints and night spots. It’s a jumpin’ ‘n’ jivin’, pumpin’ ‘n’ poundin’ sound pioneered by Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, Wynonie Harris, Amos Milburn and Roy Milton. Adding a healthy dose of New Orleans R&B into the mix, Woods leads the band with his pile-driving piano work, while also contributing some of his own contemporary, playful lyrics.