HE is the king of boogie woogie who has played in front of royalty.

And Ben Waters gave a royal command performance for a Concorde audience who were mesmerized as he delivered a boogie woogie piano master class.

He kicked off his shoes and like a prize fighter stepping into the ring attacked the ivories with hurricane force.

There is an element of danger in his act as he tilts his piano stool forty five degrees and launches into a keyboard marathon with the ivories threatening to fly into the air.

His music is so infectious that a couple sat near me were playing imaginary boogie woogie piano on their table throughout the two sets.

And his easy going rapport with the audience makes it a fun evening for everyone.

Jools Holland, that other master of the ivories, described Ben as one of his favourite 10 pianists in history and asked him to play at his wedding.

Ben has travelled the world for more than 20 years building a reputation as an internationally acclaimed musician.

Along the way he has played alongside a galaxy of rock and blues stars including Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, Shakin’ Stevens, Procul Harum, Mick Hucknall and Ray Davies.

Ben opened his first set at the Concorde’s international jazz night with numbers from the song books of two American blues and boogie woogie legends, Professor Longhair and Meade Lux Lewis.

It was through watching videos and mimicking Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis that Ben learned to play piano in such a spectacular style.

He made his mind up that he was going to be a boogie woogie player when he saw Fats Domino’s 60 th birthday party on TV.

The Concorde blues bonanza included three rip roaring Fats Domino numbers, the iconic Blueberry Hill, Walking to New Orleans and The Fat Man.

Ben, who is sharing a Royal Albert Hall stage with rock ‘n rollers Ronnie Wood and Mick Taylor, rounded off the evening with a Rolling Stones classic Route 66.

His Concorde fans will be hoping that Ben Waters makes a speedy return route to Eastleigh.