Johnny d'Artenay and Anita Thomas with Sue in Sacramento

band leader/drummer Hal Smith

Sue (Palmer with Hal Smith's Hayriders,) called the "Queen of Boogie Woogie," is the only female in the lineup(Sacramento Jazz Festival/Pianorama). A high energy performer, she easily matches the men in skill, experience, and knowledge as well as in versatility and personality.  This multitalented pianist/accordianist/bandleader/producer can blaze away not just on boogie but also, on blues, jazz, swing, country, and just about any genre you can name.  She's performed in the US, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, and Australia.

Sue plays with such style, energy, and fun that she seems to put the room in motion.  You sure can't miss the beat when she plays Freddie Slack's Down the Road Apiece or her version of Fats Waller's Honeysuckle Rose.  Next up is her original Sashimi Mimi, a takeoff on Fujiyama Mama. She's wearing a couple pounds of big cocktail rings on each hand, and their reflections sparkle against the piano's fallboard.

Her most elegant number is Avery Parrish's After Hours, delivered with such ease that many onlookers don't realize how difficult it is to play.   She wraps up her 20 minutes with a medley of Little Rock Getaway by Joe Sullivan and her own Ferraday Breakdown.  Sue hasn't stopped smiling the whole time! .....by

--The American Rag, July 2010, by Dr. Rosemary Hallum

Gal Band

Sue Palmer Takes a Look at Musical and Family History

"St. Louis Woman.....with all her diamond rings......" Some of my earliest memories are of hearing strains of W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" being played by my mother's very musical family: my Aunt Arlene blowing alto sax, Auntie Sallie's smoky voice, and Aunt Toot playing the sexy blues on piano. I was lucky enough to have cool musical role models to grow up with. Unfortunately, they all died over 20 years ago and the memories ended. Or so I thought.

Last year, being a band leader myself now,

Jerrie now


Jerrie 1945

I added a very gifted sax player from L.A., Carol Chaiken, to one of my shows at Dizzy's. To make a long story short, she introduced me to a wonderful woman who had toured for years with my aunts. She's 90 years old and still playing drums and singing at the famed El Cid Restaurant in the Silverlake area of L.A., where she has been a fixture for years. She has a wonderful memory and filled in lots of the blanks about my aunts' lives. Her name is Jerrie Thill.

Born in Dubuque Iowa in 1917, Jerrie Thill began making her living as a performing artist, singing, dancing, and playing her drums in the Chicago area, at the age of 18. She was the leader of an all-girl swing band that toured on the Pantages and Gus Sun Times Circuits during the tail end of the vaudeville era throughout the mid to late 1930's. West coast tours with the Ada Leonard All-Girl Orchestra and the Biltmore Girls during the 50's places her among the ranks of women instrumentalists who have contributed to jazz and blues for more than half a century. Twenty years with Peggy Gilbert's Dixie Bells, women musicians in their 60's to 80's, included guest appearances on a number of television shows including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Golden Girls, Married with Children, and Trapper John.

My aunt, Arlene Turner, also played with Ada Leonard. Both my aunt and her girlfriend, Sallie Davis, were integral members of the Biltmore Girls. While my aunts retired from the music business in the '60's, Jerrie has continued until the present. Auntie

Sallie

Arlene offered Jerrie her first job in Hollywood at Mickey Cohen's Continental Club. She says if they wanted to work elsewhere, they had to ask his permission first!!! That was the beginning of the Biltmore Girls and several years of touring work. She has fun stories that fill in lots of gaps that my family never told me, and probably didn't know either. It is an interesting cultural phenomena of life on the road, as a musician, as a woman, and as gay women. Jerrie's experiences weren't so different from mine, 50 years later. They were hipsters of the '40's and '50's, playing music, partying, and having a creative and rewarding life.

Check out Jerrie's website: www.jerriethill.com and find out where she's playing next. Maybe you'll hear "St. Louis Woman, with all her store-bought hair.........."

~ Sue Palmer

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/14/event-celebrates-life-after-cancer/

DAVID BROOKS / UNION-TRIBUNE

LA JOLLA — In a way, the cancer survivors celebration Sunday at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla served as an unofficial graduation ceremony for Mary Ann MacMillan.

MacMillan, a former real estate agent from Cardiff, is wrapping up a year of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to treat tongue cancer.

Now she has started thinking more about life after her disease.

“I believe your life doesn’t end because of cancer,” said MacMillan, 67.

That sentiment was shared by many of the 200 people who attended the midday event that marked the 23rd annual national Cancer Survivors Day.

Among the cancer survivors was San Diego boogie-woogie and blues pianist Sue Palmer, who was treated for breast cancer eight years ago. Palmer talked about her journey during a 20-minute musical performance.

“I used to think that I just wanted to make money and play,” Palmer said. “Now, I really appreciate the musical moment.”

Battling cancer can be one of the most challenging experiences of any person’s life, but the difficulties don’t necessarily end when the disease disappears.

PHOTO BY DAVID BROOKS

Many former cancer patients deal with depression and other psychological issues that resemble post-traumatic stress disorder. The toxic treatments they undergo while being ill can lead to a wide range of physical problems later in life, such as damaged nerves, a diminished sex life, heart problems and a risk of developing other cancers.

The event put on by Scripps Green could get more crowded in the coming years.

More people are likely to get cancer in the future as the population ages and advances in the treatment of heart disease extends life spans, said Dr. Michael Kosty, medical director of the cancer center at Scripps Green.

Cancer surpassed heart disease in 2009 to become the No. 1 killer in San Diego County, and the same switch is likely on the national and international level.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 11,750 people will be diagnosed with cancer this year in the county and as many as two-thirds of them will survive their illnesses, based on the latest cancer mortality rates.

Nationally, more than 11 million people have survived cancer, representing nearly 4 percent of the U.S. population.

Many cancer patients display an uncanny ability to deal with their difficulties and nurture the most important things in their lives, Scripps Clinic oncologist Dr. Darren Sigal told the crowd that gathered for the local event.

“Every day I am focused on valuing life, people and relationships,” Sigal said. “These are the things that people outside this sphere easily lose sight of.”

Cathy Garvey, a Scripps dietitian, said cancer survivors can increase their post-illness years by adopting a healthy diet that can help minimize inflammation, which has been tied to a higher risk of developing certain cancers and other diseases.

“As survivors, sometimes we overlook those day-to-day opportunities to keep healthy,” Garvey said.

When preparing a plate of food, make sure two-thirds consist of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans, she said.

Eat less red meat, avoid processed meats altogether, cut down on sugary drinks, toss out foods containing trans fats, snack on nuts and exercise at least 30 minutes a day, Garvey said.

“Is this food going to help my body or is it going to promote disease?” she told attendees to ask themselves.

Palmer told the gathering that playing piano offered solace during and after her cancer surgery and treatments.

The illness helped her focus on the things that meant the most to her.

Palmer worked with her doctors to relieve numbness in her fingers that was caused by some of the treatments, and several local music club owners such as Ingrid Croce scheduled her gigs around chemotherapy sessions.

“It’s nice to have a passion to go back to when you don’t know what is going to happen,” Palmer said.

MacMillan, the tongue cancer patient who attended the celebration with her daughter, called Palmer’s message inspiring.

“The more we can hear that, the more we can make our spirit uplifted,” she said.

--San Diego Union Tribune, June 2010, by Keith Darcé

"Killer Tiki Boogie," from in the Green Room

written by Sue in 2002 when she was undergoing chemo and President Bush was contemplating going to war with Iraq.

(2) SAN DIEGANS INVITED TO CELEBRATE CANCER SURVIVOR'S DAY

"Sue Palmer, a cancer survivor, says her job is to have fun."

--Sue Palmer-Queen of boogie woogie to perform, The Presidio Sentinel, June, 2010

SUE PALMER,  "After Hours"
 
Good boogie woogie piano is a force to be reckoned with, and San Diego's Sue Plamer has played it in her own Motel Swing Orchestra, with numerous other top blues artists including Lou Ann Barton, Kim Wilson, Dave Alvin, and Earl Thomas, and as a member of local singer Candye Kane's band for years.  She has released six previous albums with her own band of blues and boogie music, which feature her energetic playing in a group setting.  "After Hours," her new album offers a different approach:  it is solo piano, and Palmer plays much of it straight up, boogie woogie style.  She recorded this music on 2 evenings in late 2009 in the living room of local recording engineer Hiro Ikezi.  The home recording is okay throughout;  there is noise, but also a kind of "live one take" vibe that actually helps the project work.

Things start off with the title tune, a standard that Palmer slows down a bit as she relishes each verse's opportunities to make forays up and down the scales.  "Down the Road Apiece" bumps up the beat to full boogie level, as Palmer's left hand becomes a rapid heartbeat of bass lines and she displays an ease with one lyrical phrase after another with the right hand.  On "Boogie Noir" some of the deep bass notes on the grand piano swallow one another up.  "Speakin' My Mind" is more of a straight blues piece than much of the material here, as the minor chords and melodies strike a departure from songs like "Room Service Boogie."  "Frog Tongue Stomp" is a 1920's tune with a ragtime feel, played with flair.  A definite standout is "Honeysuckle Rose Boogie," witih Palmer propelling the familiar jazz classic with the full boogie treatment and sounding like two pianos instead of one.

Palmer has a very complete blues keyboard vocabulary, and one of the big pluses of a solo piano disc is the opportunity to hear plenty of the classic riffs; she has them all down pat and in some ways this is a great boogie piano primer for fans of the style.  One of the limitations of the approach is the lack of any other musical focus on a disc where much of the music is similar.  While this puts a lot of pressure on Palmer's creative ability, she does a good job of capturing the individual songs and keeps things interesting.

"Lil Rock Getaway/Ferraday Breakdown" is another great track, an example of Palmer filling the room with sound, briskly following a jazzy melody into a full-throttle bass-key thumper.  This is one of those tunes that will have the listener looking at every keyboard around for days, thinking about how cool it would be to be able to play like that.  On "After Hours," Sue Palmer gives listeners a chance to hear the piano all by itself, no holds barred, playing various styles of music that date back more than a century and that will always be with us. Blues keyboard fans will love it, and so will anyone who likes intrumental music with a beat.

--The San Diego Troubadour, May 2010, by Frank Kocher

SUE PALMER,  "After Hours"
 
A San Diego's queen of boogie-woogie, Sue Palmer sits down at the grand piano for this sessions and struts her veteran sense  of what it takes to make creative music.  Through vivid imagery, she paints 'em slow, fast, and in-between with a clear theme running around each selection. Her left hand rumbles the keyboard as her right hand dances an appropriate melody; together, they fashion rhythmic pieces taken in stride and running as smooth as a dancer on ice.

Among her many accomplishments, Palmer served as pianist for San Diego's production of Ain't Misbehavin', a show in which boogie-woogie reigned supreme. Currently, she's featured along with Northern California's Wnedy Dewitt, Tucson's Lisa Otey and Los Angeles Dona Oxford as the Four Queens of Boogie Woogie Piano, in which eight hands ramble over one keyboard for a unique ride.

With this, her solo piano album, Palmer takes "After Hours" nice and slow, "Honeysuckle Rose Boogie" uptempo, and "Down the Road piece" at a loping pace.  Then she takes "Lil Rock Getaway" and Ferraday Breakdown" at breakneck speed.  She gives "Boogie Noir" an eerie effect where the slow cabaret pace creates dark scenes as if from an old movie. Palmer's title track rates as the best of the album and each of the other dozen boogie thrills add plenty of variety to this excting solo piano session."

--SOUTHLAND BLUES, March 2010, by Jim Santella

SUE PALMER,  "After Hours"
 
"We always enjoy hearing Sue, and this time it's a solo piano CD, with 13 tracks recorded in Hiro Ikezi's living room on the Bosendorfer grand....it's a beautiful sounding piano, and Sue's one of our favorite players. The tune list includes Sue's take on some familiar themes like "Down the Road APiece," "Honeysucklerose Boogie," "Rockhouse," "La Vie en Rose" and others. And though there are no notes to the effect, I suspect Sue's originality is shining through all of it, with some songs being hers alone."

--Blue Suede News, Spring, 2010, by Marc Bristol

"The Queen of Boogie Woogie lives! Recognized from Paris, France, to Paris, Texas, Sue Palmer, piano player extraordinaire has recently released a new live CD,"On Air: Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra." Recorded live in her hometown of San Diego by KSDS Jazz 88.3, Ms. Palmer, a frequent visitor to Long Beach and the surrounding blues clubs, snaps, crackles, and pops with Her Motel Swing Orchestra.

Sue Palmer and cohorts lead the listener through American pop music history.  Combining instrumental arrangements and vocalized renditions of "Take the A Train" and "Mustang Sally," the band jubilantly weaves iconic signatures that salute the Big Band Era of the 40s.

Many will recognize Palmer from her dedicated stint with another Diva of the boogie and blues community, Candye Kane and the Swingin' Armidillos.  Together these invigorating rockers have toured the world.  She has fronted several other coastal bands, including Tobacco Road, based in San Diego and has appeared with luminaries, Dave Alvin, KIm Wilson, and San Diego legends, The Paladins.

Perfect for uplifting holiday spirits, Palmer's extended catalog can be purchased through www.suepalmer.com  Get converted to the classic era of big band sounds and spread the gospel of boogie"

--The Beachcomber, News and Views of Greater Long Beach, November 20, 2009, Dirk Gorre

"On Air, a recording of a recent KSDS "Jazz Live" performance broadcast of Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra gives us everything that we've grown to expect throught the years-some snapping fingers, tapping toes, and maybe a smile or two.

Palmer's forte is barrelhouse boogiewoogie, and for such music you won't find a better piano player in town.  Throughout this disk, boogie or other strong rhythms make up the musical backbone, fromm the rocking "Mustang Sally" and "Big Boss Man" to the up tempo "Sue's Boogie." Even Duke Ellington's "C Jam Blues," usually given a jazz treatment, is put through the boogie-woogie processor.

While Palmer's background is the barrelhouse, the other musicians of the MSO have obviously been steeped in other genres, such as swing, blues, and jazz. There may even be a few reformed rock-n-rollers among the ensemble.  You might expect a cacophony from this musical amalgamation, but the effect is addictive in a good way. During the performance the soloists have a playful tug-o'-war with the rhythm section to see which direction the music will take.  A little blues, jazz, and maybe a little be bop from April West, Jonny Viau, and Carol Chaikin, who play the trombone and saxophones.  And guitarist Steve Wilcox channels some ancient Chicago bluesman on his solos.  It would be interesting to find about the time machine he has too. The one he uses go back to 1951 to buy those amplifiers that give him the best guitar sound possible.

While we're concentrating on the MSO personnel we should mention that bassist Pete Harrison and Sharon Shufelt hold the rhythm section together.  Shufelt plays with verve and spunk. There is not a livelier drummer in San Diego. Her sense of time is so good you can set your watch by her. Continuing her long association with Palmer, Deejha Marie sings on a few of the tunes, including a fairly up tempo rendering of "East of the Sun."  KSDS radio personality Cynthia Hammond joins in on a couple of the vocals as well. With about as much moxie as anyone should be allowed to have, Lady Dottie steals the show on "Mustang Sally" and "Big Boss Man," singing with the rough edge that those tunes call out for.

Palmer's playing and compositions are always clever and fun, and none more so than "Swango."  As the musicians make their way through a section of said tango, the anticipation that they have to take the tune into the swing section builds and builds.  You can hear how much fun they're having with it.  The ninth greatest composition in the history of Western Civilization is is Billy Strayhorn's "Take The A Train."  No other tune mixes pluck and elegance like this one, and the MSO performs it to a fare-thee-well."

--Troubador, November 2009, San Diego, by Paul Hormick

"Sue was (blues belter) Candye (Kane's) piano player for several of her earlier tours and cds. She's back now with a CD recorded live on KSDS 88.3 San Diego in May of this year.  While there are 2 or 3 songs that have appeared on Sue's earlier titles (including "Swango," which was the title tune from one of Candye's CDS,) this is mostly a different program, with several familiar tunes like "Take the A Train," "Gotchu On My Mind," "Big Bossman," "Mustang Sally," and "Just a Fool."  KSDS is a Jazz station, and this is a terrific band.  The subtitle of the CD is "Celebrating 20 Years of Instrumental Women with DJ Janine Harty."  Indeed the core of the band are all female players, though the guitarist, bass player, and sax man are male.  The special guests, Carol Chaikin (sax), Cynthia Hammond(lead vocals), and Lady Dottie (lead vocals) are all female. It might be too much to hope for to find all female players good enough for a band like this and on the other  I always think it makes fantastic chemistry to have both women and men playing hot music together this well!  It was a great show, and now you can be there even if you weren't there!"

--Blue Suede News, Fall 2009, Marc Bristol

"Opening with (3) instrumentals might be a chancy move, but pianist Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra maintain interest and momentum, using horns and Steve Wilcox's reverb-drenched guitar to full potential on the slow blues "Soundtrack to a B Movie" and a rousing "Springroll."  April West (trombone)  steps out on "Swango." Deejha Marie sings "Mustang Sally" in an arrangement sufficiently off the beaten path to merit inclusion on Palmer's self-released "On Air."  Interpretations of Ike&Tina Turner's "A Fool In Love"(here called "Just a Fool") and the exotic "Clipjoint" are excellent."

--Blues Revue, Dec/Jan 2010

"Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra, numbering seven dedicated souls, added guest saxophonist Carol Chaikin and vocalists Cynthi Hammond and Lady Dottie for this radio show.   Recorded in May for station KSDS in San Diegoj, the session was performed before a live audience, making things swing with plenty of enthusiasm.  Palmer spreads her program across the musical spectrum, including Duke Ellington favorites as well as traditional blues, boogie, and rock and roll.

Her piano delivers "Sue's Boogie" with a rumble built for swing.  Drummer Sharon Shufelt converses with the band on "Springroll" as if taking a stroll in the park, while guitarist Steve Wilcox lends his might axe to most selections with a comfortable ease.  Jonny Viau's tenor sax and April West's trombone make a solid horn section and interplay with alto saxophonist Carol Chaikin in a round that recalls the spirit of television's Saturday Night Live band.  To complete the formula that Palmer has designed, Pete Harrison walks the upright bass for a constant reminder that her purpose remains firmly rooted in swing."

--Southland Blues, August 2009, Jim Santella

SAN DIEGO CELEBRATES SUE PALMER DAY

SUE PALMER ROCKS BLUES WORLD WITH BEST CD AWARD!!!

Sue Palmer, whose piano has graced the San Diego music scene for more than 2 decades, is getting some long overdue recognition. Sue's "Sophisticated Ladies" CD was chosen by BLUSD as the best self-produced CD in San Diego last year and nominated into the Blues foundation's worldwide competition. In front of 2500 people at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, Sue won the best self-produced CD at the International Blues Challenge on Feb 2nd. Sue celebrated at the event with long-time band member Sharon Shufelt, friends, and BLUSD board members. To honor Sue, San Diego Councilmemeber Toni Atkins has proclaimed March 25th as "Sue Palmer Day in San Diego" and will present her proclamation to Sue at the City Council meeting that day. Sue is not a newcomer to the blues. She spent 12 years leading the swing group Tobacco Road, and another five years traveling the world as part of the band of North County diva Candye Kane. It seems that Sue's CDS or bands get nominated or win at the San Diego Music Awards nearly every year. This is a working musician with a vision and a commitment to stick to it. No one plays the piano like Sue Palmer, and she's earned wide-ranging respect in the local music community."

--Blue Ink, March 2008, San Diego

Watch a clip from the CD Release for "Sophisticated Ladies"

Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra “Sophisticated Ladies”

Blues Lovers United of San Diego (BLUSD) congratulates Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra after their new CD, “Sophisticated Ladies”, was selected by BLUSD to be considered for the Best Self-Produced CD award. The award is given each year by the Blues Foundation in Memphis TN. “Sophisticated Ladies” was chosen by BLUSD’s selection committee from among several CDs entered by San Diego area blues artists.

BLUSD is the San Diego affiliate of The Blues Foundation. Affiliates around the world are permitted to send one CD to the Foundation for consideration. CDs are evaluated on Musical Performance, Audio Quality of the Presentation, Cover Art and Design, and Credits and Liner Information. The award has been given each year since 2005 by the Blues Foundation. The winners will be announced during the festivities of The International Blues Challenge (IBC), which will take place January 30 – February 1, 2008 in Memphis.

--Ken Boozer, Vice President
From Blue Ink, BLUSD Newsletter, November 2007

"It's hard to imagine a blues scene without Sue Palmer. San Diego is most fortunate to have such a talented and committed blues player; someone who appreciates and respects tradition and finds a way of delivering the past to today's doorstep. On 'Sophisticated Ladies,' Sue reaches deep into her arsenal to make certain we understand that the swagger of Hadda Brooks wasn't for nothing and that blues doesn't have to rock to work, that it can swing away, and be just fine. In New York, Paris or Istanbul, Sue Palmer would be celebrated as a cultural icon. Sadly, even after she turns out an album as delightfully seductive as this, she won't get her proper due in her hometown. She won't be discouraged, though. Sue's piano playing and arranging skills are first class. She's got Deejha Marie to sing and April West and Jonny Viau to drive their horns through the heart of the music. San Diego's Queen of Boogie Woogie is way more than just another working musician. She's a bright light ready to take chances and retrofit the past into a vibrant, classy version of what blues should be. 'Sophisticated Ladies' is proof of that.

--Michael Kinsman, President of the San Diego Blues Society, "Blue Ink," June 2007

"Sue Palmer, the self-styled "Queen of Boogie Woogie" and her Motel Swing Orchestra is on the loose again with a new cd that's the best she's recorded since forming the jazz band seven years ago. The San Diego pianist's seven-piece group has been labeled a blues band, but when you listen, it becomes apparent that putting the band in a blues box is a disservice to the orchestra. It swings hard, bites into odd harmonics with a vengeance and is far more disciplined than the typical blues band. You need only to sample the first track, "I'll Cry Over You," featuring songstress Deejha Marie, to discover a swing gem, whereas "Queen of the Boogie" finds the leader keeping the Freddie Slack tradition alive. And the venerable ballad, "As Time Goes By" is given a dramatic reading by guest vocalist Dayna Carroll with Palmer as her sole accompanist. The fact that Palmer varies the combination of instruments to suit the mood is one of the elements that makes the disc appealing. Palmer has dedicated the album to women who have played important roles in her personal or professional life, or both. "I Feel So Good" is done in memeory of Hadda Brooks, the original "Queen of the Boogie," while the previously mentioned song "Queen of the Boogie," is a role reversal song that Janell Rock wrote with Palmer in mind. Amid the very good performances are several that stand out: One is "Sophisticated Ladies," which showcases the talents of oboist Scott Paulson and trombonist April West; another is the flute and tenor sax work of Jonny Viau on "Interlude," a Palmer original that's as modern as a 2010 Mercedes; and "Ladies Shoes," a blues tune that Viau and Marie turn into a musical sex symbol."
--Cam Miller, North County times, July, 2007

"Sue Palmer's newest CD 'Sophisticated Ladies," shines the light on the talents of the women who make music with her. Indeed, the disk's selection ranges from swing standards and slow, sultry blues to barrel house and full-tilt boogie woogie. Throughout, Palmer's playing remains right on the mark, with the right touch for each style. Deejha Marie, who has worked with Palmer for years, sings with elan; Sharon Shufelt drums with snap and pizazz; Daniel Jackson, San Diego's Dean of Cool, (plays) with some hot supreme saxophone. Palmer and her Motel Swing Orchestra cover "Sophisticated Lady," with their efforts taking this Duke Ellington standard to a new level. Scott Paulson plays the lead on oboe, and the instrument brings out the bits of Ravel, Debussy, and other 20th century composers who influenced Ellington. The result is something wonderful, which I've never heard in any other version of this classic. April West pulls the composition back to its roots with her full round trombone. Palmer usually saves the best for the last, wrapping up her recordings with a real gem, and she does the same here. She and Dayna Carroll team up for "As Time Goes By." I feel confident when I tell you that this is the best recording of "As Time Goes By" that there has ever been."
--Paul Hormick, The Troubador, San Diego, June 2007

"Palmer's piano is excellent..... A collection of great players, including Jonny Viau on sax and Steve Wilcox on guitar, brings to life a lovely reading of the Ellington title song, Rodgers&Hart's "This Can't Be Love," Hadda Brooks' version of Big Bill Broonzy's "I Feel So Good," a terrific pair of songs from Camille Howard, and two memorable originals--Janell Rock's "Queen of the Boogie" and Palmer's smoky "Ladies Shoes."
--Blues Revue, Oct/Nov 2007

"As Queen of the Boogie Woogie Piano, Sue Palmer knows how to make things happen. With her latest album, she brings her Motel Swing orchestra in for a romp through the blues that could very well make the house rock all night long"
--Jim Santella, Southland Blues Magazine, Southern California, June 2007

"Once known for her mile-high beehive hairdo and wild accordian solos as a member of blues singer Candye Kane's band, pianist Sue Palmer struck out on her own in 2000, reinventing herself as San Diego's queen of boogie-woogie. A loyal following of swing dancers have taken to Palmer's trademark 'wall climbing jump boogie"--a combination of boogie-woogie and swing with a slightly punk rock ethos, as she describes it. "It makes you a slave to the dance floor," Palmer said with a laugh. The swing aficionados at her shows seem happy cutting it up, whether on a wooden floor or a field of grass."
--Pat Sherman, Today's Local News - Sounds of summer, June 2007

"While Sue's mother grew up in the Texas panhandle, Sue grew up in San Diego and started playing music with her relatives, who would all get together and jam at family functions. In the '80's, Sue performed with then-local-now-famous comedians Kathy Najimy, Mo Gaffney, and Whoopie Goldberg in the feminist groups "Hot Flashes" and "Ms.B.Haven." She's toured the world, written soundtracks, and created and performed her own multimedia one-woman show. But we know and love her as band leader and piano player for one of our most popular TGIF groups. Wigglin' boogie-woogie, Ellington sophistication, old-time Americana, vintage blues, a little Hawaiian spice-Sue Palmerand Her Motel Swing Orchestra deliver it all. While the musicianship is impeccable, it's the warm, expansive, join-in-don't-be-shy sense of fun that we always remember.
--Carlsbad Jazz in the Park Program, June 2007

"Pianist Sue Palmer might be best known for her former role as a member of Candye Kane's band. On "In The Green Room," she offers an hour's worth of boogie-woogie, vintage blues, jazz, old-timey Americana, Hawaiian music, and even a funky novelty song.

That might sound like a jarring mix, but it's enjoyable all the way through, even with a blend of studio recordings, live cuts (with her band, the Motel Swing Orchestra), and a low-fi family performance. Palmer leaves the vocals to others, so it's not surprising that she kicks off the set with a pair of instrumentals, her own "Jakob's Boogie Woogie Lullaby," and Cy Coben's "The Old Piano Roll Blues." She introduces her band for a bluesy reading of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" featuring singer Deejha Marie that should go over well with the cocktail crowd.

Things really get cooking when Palmer recruits Kane's brassy vocals for "Gertrude&Steins," a salute to bawdy women who love women, with a piano hook you won't be able to get out of your head. Kane also sings a cover of "I'm Confessin'" and contributes background vocals to Killer Tiki Boogie," Palmer's wacky album-closer. Tucked into the middle of the album is a recording of Palmer and her extended family performing the instrumental "Cottonwood." It's as amateurish as it sounds, with Palmer's piano cutting through the joyful noise. (A home movie of the performance is featured on an enhanced video track.)

A sense of joy permeates the entire disc. Palmer has surrounded herself with great musicians who love what they do, and it's infectious."
--BLUES REVUE, Aug/Sept 2005, by Michael Cote

"Palmer, San Diego's queen of boogie-woogie, has come into her own on this wonderful new release, with studio and live tracks redefining her rep as "just" a gifted pianist-bandleader. Palmer may now add producer and visionary to her resume. She, her Motel Swing Orchestra and many notable guests combine to create an expansive, eclectic album that touches on everything from Ellingtonia amd trad piano boogie to the sort of giddy-but-musical tomfoolery that Frank Zappa once defined.

Highlights include the amusing, Sappho-centric cabaret "Gertrude&Steins"(penned by local singer-songwriter Janell Rock), Palmer's own sleazy instrumental stroll "Boogie Noir" and the droll, new-wavish "Killer Tiki Boogie" - not to mention an unlikely, uke-and-steel-steeped cover of "Aloha Oe" (really!)/ The roster of San Diego heavies on hand include April West, Candye Kane, David Mosby and Adrian Demain"
--"Blue Notes"/Buddy Blue/San Diego Union-Tribune, June 2, 2005

**Dot&Roy Palmer make National News!!!** "This one is Sue's tribute to the green room where her family got together to play and sing as she was growing up. SHe was blessed with talented relatives and a family that believed everyone should participate in the family music.....Her mom Dot plays banjo uke on "Cottonwood," and her dad is the announcer...The booklet is peppered wiith nice vintage photos which add to the ambiance intended. You'll love the one of Sue's Aunt Arlene (a professional alto sax player)'s girlfriend Sally Davis under the CD! "Cottonwood" was also videotaped (live in the green room at Sue's house of course!) and is presented in the enhanced portion of the cd...."
--Marc Bristol, Blue Suede News, Seattle, Summer 2005

"CD IS BOMB: DEAR SUE, YOUR NEW CD IS YOUR BEST YET. WE WERE AT BUDDY BLUEBALLS A FEW MO. AGO. HE'D JUST GOT A COPY IN THE MAIL. WE MADE HIM LISTEN TO IT AT GUNPOINT (HIS FAVORITE SEXUAL POSTION). THE OLD BASTID WAS IMPRESSED(SO FUKINWHAT). SO MUCH FOR THE LAZY LEFT HAND. APRIL IS MY FAVORITE S.D. MUSICIAN. HER BONE PLAYIN BRINGS A TEAR TO MY BLOODSHOT EYE"
--MR.FLEENER, May 26, 2005

"cowabunga dewd! GREAT job! Not only do I love that wild, eclectic, adventurous spirit of playing music you love and shitcanning musically confining concepts like "cohesion," or adhering to people's expectations, but it takes massive chutzpah to pull it off. Yer playing is fantastic, your songs are wonderful and your taste in co-conspirators impeccable."
--With admiration, Buddy, May 22, 2005

"If pressed, Sue Palmer could hold her own with some of music's greatest when dropping the names of green rooms in which she's bided her time. From posh Parisian dressing rooms stocked with caviar and champagene to lackluster lounges in Duluth, Minn., it is from these backstage areas she has emerged to whip crowds into submission with her sultry piano stylings. As a longtime musical colllaborator of blues diva Candye Kane, Palmer has traveled throughout Europe and the world with her beehive harido, outrageous outfits and trademark, left-hand boogie-woogie blues. On her fourth solo recording, the San Diego Music Awards-winner finds herself back "In The Green Room," albeit in a retro, personal sort of way. Paying homage to both family tradition and her musical roots, Palmer's new CD includes an impromptu jam session recorded in her Talmadge home. A video of the living room session is included as an enhanced track on "In The Green Room." The low-fi video includes inveterate Palmer collaborators such as trombonist April West, drummer Sharon Shufelt, guitarist Steve Wilcox and vocalist Deejha Marie. Alongside them are Palmer's mother, Dot Palmer, strumming a ukelele, and longtime friend Chris Kehoe, known more for her tenure as State senator from San Diego than as the next Chrissie Hynde..... (Highlights include) "Killer Tiki Boogie," a sort of Peter Gun meets psychedelic B-movie mind-trip, a complete departure from Palmer's trademark sound. Lending his deep, bass chops to the tune is vocalist David Mosby. Candye Kane goes wild on backing vocals,while Scott Paulson uses a Theramin to infuse the piece with science-fiction flair (Paulson is known to many as curator of toy pianos at UCSD's Gisel Library). "Gertrude&Steins" is an infectiously campy homage to bawdy women, beer, creativity and good friends. Kane croons the salacious tune, which garnered (songwriter Janell) Rock a 2004 "Just Plain Folks" award in the Best Cabaret category......
--Pat Sherman, Gay&Lesbian Times, April 21, 2005

"Along with various manifestations of her own Motel Swing Orchestra, Palmer does not try to recreate the passions, adrenaline, and excess that drove these American music forms while they were in their prime. "In The Green Room" is a disk of blues and standards for family fun times. ..The mood is best summed up by the DVD disk of Palmer playing the old country classic "Cottonwood" in her living room with friends and family. What could be sweeter or simpler? And the montage of old family photos just puts the icing on the cake. Besides such classics as "Saint Louis Blues" and "Mood Indigo" are a couple new tunes. "Gertrude and Steins" is the one song on the disk with a bit of a wink and a nod. And if my life couuld have a soundtrack, I'd want it to be the last number on this disk. "Killer Tiki Boogie," a tune Palmer penned while fighting breast cancer during the buildup for war on Iraq, is clever, unworried, and about as hip as it gets."
--Paul Hormick, The Troubadour, May 2005

"The idea is to finish a song before your legs fall asleep," said Sharon Shufelt, who played a toy drumset to accompany boogie-woogie pianist Sue Palmer...., on toy piano.
--San Diego Union, August 15, 2004

"......Game over, 6-5 Padres. We all sat there blinking in the sun, and gradually, sadly, it dawned on us that we had to leave. I stepped next door, paid a $10 cover charge and was admitted to an alcohol-free club called Dizzy's, where I sat up front for an evening of rollicking jazz from boogie-woogie pianist Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra. (The world needs more left-footed trombone solos like the one I heard here)"
--Christopher Reynolds, LATimes, Travel section , May 9, 2004

"Sue Palmer was leader and wonderful boogiewoogie pianist who seemed to put the room into motion. I didn't see anyone not moving to the music. April West's outstanding trombone playing left me speechless, especially when she removed her right shoe and played it with her foot for one tune! Drummer Sharon Shufelt drove the band and vocalist Deejha Marie captured the audience with her first note and didn't turn them loose until the set ended. This San Diego based band with vocalist was one of the highlights of this festival, and a must see feature."
--Harvey Barkan, LA Jazz Scene, August, 2003, re: Glendale Kiwanis Jazz Festival 2003

"If you want to enjoy a truly dynamic set of rhythm and blues, swing era jazz, and even the occasional torch ballad played with virtuoso skill and most importantly, real fervor, then nothing will beat this show. Even in a city with as many musical treasures as we have, Sue Palmer truly stands out."
--La Jolla Light, June 19, 2003, F.Chester

"While "Live at Dizzy's" is a document of a theatre piece called "Soundtrack to a B Movie," the disc also stands on its own as a fine collection of swing and boogie-woogie tunes. This San Diego collective has a bright future if they want it; the sophisticated music and musicianship on "Live at Dizzy's" outclasses many swing-revival pretenders. Palmer, especially, is an important find--a gifted piano player and top-flight band leader........
--Jeff Calvin, BLUES REVUE, Apr/May 2003

"Unless you live in San Diego County, Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra may just be the best band you've never heard of. This isn't Palmer's first disc, but the issue is her best. Like most musicians, Palmer and her 8-piece band feed off the presence of an appreciative audience and it shows."
--Review of "Live at Dizzy's," by Cam Miller, The American Rag, February 2003, Sacramento

"We had so much fun at Dizzy's, and really enjoyed the show. The stage looked great and your guitar player was on fire - that big Stevie Ray Vaughan sound. The Tiki song you wrote was too cool. It was great to hear the band play a more bluesy, harder sound. You guys were kickin' it up another notch at Dizzy's!"
--Mary Fleener, underground cartoonist, rock star, Tiki queen, Halloween night, Sue's CD release party, 2002

"As usual, things were hopping on Halloween in downtown San Diego. Parking was a bear but we found a lot with a single remaining spot, parked our car, and followed costumed merrymakers making their way towards the music, booming from the Gaslamp District. But we weren't going there. Turning down a side street next to the new ball park we found the dim lights of Dizzy's and walked inside. We entered a tropical scene: Tiki heads, palm thatch, hula girls and costumed dancers bouncing to the sound of Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra. The event marked the release of Sue's most recent CD, "Live at Dizzy's," and the crowd was clearly enjoying itself. The band was joined by musical friends and collaborators. Everyone was having a swinging good time moving through the repertoire of standards and Palmer originals including, of course,many of the tunes on the new CD. The grand finale ("Deejha's Boogie") was a driving fantastic trip that blew everyone away."
--Mike Almer, Bon Vivant, Patron of the Arts, Love Boy, Downtown Sleuth, Halloween night, 2002

As Swing bands go, Sue Palmer and Her Motel Swing Orchestra represent the kind of undercurrent we recall from the organizations of Count Basie and Woody Herman: big bands that swing the Blues. Based in San Diego, Palmer and her orchestra sizzle with incredible chops and express with a genuine feel for the Blues".........
--Southland Blues, August 2002

"I just want to say these are the most wonderful Boogie Woogie players I've heard in a long time."
--Hadda Brooks, on the night of the Boogie Woogie Extravaganza show at Dizzy's, July 7, 2002, with Hadda Brooks, Sue Palmer, Wendy Dewitt, and Philippe Lejeune.

"Today, Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra is much more than a band capable of playing some of the best boogie-woogie in the country. It's a band that swings gracefully and fearlessly and gets downright rollicking when Sue cuts loose on the piano or guitarist Steve Wilcox (another refugee from the Candy Kane days) jumps off with his own high-energy guitar runs that whip the crowd into a frenzy.......All of this is Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra. There is no sense trying to pigeonhole Sue or her music. She'll play what she feels and, most likely, she will find an audience that is just as inspired by her music as she is."
--from the program for the San DIego Blues Fest 2002, Michael Kinsman, producer.

"Top place of honor for the show's first half easily goes to Sue Palmer&Her Motel Swing Orchestra. The former pianist for Candye Kane's band, is known for her amazing boogie-woogie keyboard work, as well as a winning, bouyant personality. Her performances are never less than highly recommended!"
--F.Chester, La Jolla Light, June 2002

Review of "Soundtrack to a B Movie", a theatre presentation "PALMER NOIR"

That something so complex and so unique could take place in a tiny alcohol-free, smoke-free dive known as Dizzy's should, I suppose, come as no surprise. Palmer and Dizzy's proprietor Chuck Perrin, who wrote and performed some of the work's "noir" narrative, packed them in, folks diverse of race, age, and gender preference. The Diva herself, Sue Palmer, presided at the piano, her voice mute except for an occasional, subtle vocal backup and for one wild piercing scream. From a strictly theatrical standpoint, Palmer is like a one-woman mime-troupe, an engaging, slyly clownish presence. Others thrown into the film noir narrative soup provided vocals as well. Bass-baritone David Mosby oozed hot sex, blues singer Deejha Marie provided bluesy sauce, and outstanding song stylist Romy Kaye, a touch of sass and class. Whether scat or tight harmony, the two women together were a steamroller, a scream-evoking cacophony of pleasure. Add Mosby, as Palmer does in the climactic number, and hair levitates from heads. Palmer's Motel Swing Orchestra boasts the talents of Sharon Shufelt on drums, Oliver Shirley on bass, April West on trombone, Jonny Viau on sax and bongos, and Steve Wilcox on guitar. Each , individually, is an incomparable artist. West's trombone wah-wahing, body movements and mesh stockings were a treat in and of themselves. She is personality plus...
--Charlene Baldridge, Gay and Lesbian Times, February 28, 2002

Replete with appropriately noir-ish notes by Chuck Perrin, one longs for a whole B Movie or stage play to go with this fine music."
--Blue Suede News, Seattle, Winter 2001-02

"Palmer is one of the best piano players in San Diego - period.....(Her) brand spanking new album, "Soundtrack to a B Movie," is a recording that not only highlights her rich and versatile pounding of the 88 keys, but also taps her flair for vintage cinema and pulp novels with its gritty and grainy overall scheme...Palmer's piano is an appropriate counterpart to vocals and musicianship that is like a who's who of the San Diego boogiewoogie blues scene. Grand Dame Candye Kane makes an appearance as does the smooth-as-silk vocalist David Mosby, but the most prominent voice on "Soundtrack" is the bluesy and beautiful Deejha Marie. Marie has a vocal style that takes listeners right up on stage with her. Combined, Marie and Palmer are a pair of divas whose work together should continue for many years (if San Diego is lucky).
--Lance Vargas La Jolla Light, November 8, 2001

Sue Palmer's CD release party was one of the top ten musical experiences of my life. Some of the others: Front rows at Chuck Berry & Tina Turner concerts, and the symphony at Carnegie Hall. Sue and her friends know how to swing. Buy her album and check them out.
--E. Paul Henderson, Music Critic and Funk Dancer

"Just when you thought every original idea in the world had been snatched up, along comes Sue Palmer and her new disc...The result is a "concept album," that's so cutting-edge you get paper cuts just thinking about it."
--Maureen DelGrosso Blues Revue, September, 2001

"Sue Palmer paints images with her piano, gracefully filling her canvas with notes that soothe and seduce...She is a polished and professional musical artist worthy of attention.
--Michael Kinsman San Diego Union, September 27, 2001

"On 'Soundtrack to a B Movie,'......Sue Palmer continues to ignite the ivories with the dynamic sound and style she promisingly exhibited on her debut, "Boogie Woogie and Motel Swing."
--Joann D. Ball SLAMM, September 6, 2001

"One of the great swing orchestra leaders of yesteryear must have possessed Sue Palmer's body because she delivers some wicked boogie woogie that transports any listener to that little Harlem jazz cafe in 1932. No wonder San Diego has warmly coined Sue Palmer the "Boogie Woogie Queen." Palmer can tickle the ivories like no one's business on tracks such as "The Boogie and the Blues," "Walkin',"and "Left Bank Boogie" so what are you waiting for? Get your boogie shoes on and dance the night away with one of San Diego's best kept secrets."
--Heidi Hudson Lesbian News, September 2001

"A sidewoman no more, keyboard queen Sue Palmer has taken her rightful place as headliner and leader of her own band. The beehive-coifed Candye Kane Band pianist simply has a musical fire that burns too brightly. She's shed her beehive, let her hair down and allowed her fire to erupt. And she loves following her own path.

Her wicked left hand, especially potent on "Room Service Boogie" and "Sue's Boogie," induces listeners to dance their troubles away. Her explosive right hand shimmers with brilliant, perfectly executed melodic riffs, performed with no hint of difficulty.

The San Diego-based Palmer has chosen some of the West Coast's finest to accompany her on this collection of blistering boogies, big-band tunes and blues. Ten of the 13 cuts are instrumentals; vocal tracks on the others are provided by singers hand-picked by Palmer. A gospel boogie version of "Do Lord"--the song a 10-year-old Palmer first heard at her Baptist vacation Bible school that awakened her musical interest--is also included.

Boogie Woogie and Motel Swing is an album of sheer piano artistry; there's not a single misstep. It's one to savor. Five stars."
--Maureen Delgrosso Blues Revue Magazine, November 2000

"If you've been around San Diego a while, you've seen Sue Palmer. Banging on her piano with the vigor and liveliness of a little boy on a toy xylophone, she plays jump boogie like no one's business. Unlike some of the newer aficionados of the style who treat the music like some sort of lodestone, Palmer knows her music for what it is: a friend to be embraced, enjoyed, and occasionally knock about a little bit."
--Clark Novak SLAMM, February 16, 2000

"Her beehive is gone from her Candye Kane days, but pianist Sue Palmer hasn't lost any of that boogie-woogie in her soul."
--Michael Kinsman San Diego Union, January 2000.

"From the opening track, "Room Service Boogie," to the cocktail-nation groove of "Blue and Tan" to Palmer's swinging take of the gospel standard "Do Lord, Do Remember Me," Motel Swing ranks among her finest work."
--Pat Sherman Gay & Lesbian Times, January 20, 2000

"Versatile enough to move comfortably from blues to jazz to swing„ and tasteful enough to consider the ensemble sound, Palmer knows the boogie groove inside and out and has such fun in the process that she actually makes it look easy. When she cuts loose, her fiery, attention-getting, right-hand licks bristle with energy, imagination and technical skill. And her dazzling rolling-boil rhythms are courtesy of a muscular left hand that moves with the startling accuracy of an Oscar De La Hoya uppercut."
--Maureen Del Grosso Blues Revue, December 1998

"There are clearly not enough rockabilly, blues-swinging, beehive-wearing accordionist/pianists to go around. We caught a rare sighting of Sue "Beehive" Palmer working the keys with solo artist and ex-porn star Candye Kane."
--Keyboard Magazine October 1997

"This woman is a wailer of the first degree with or without her beehive."
--Marc Gallo, Beach News, Encinitas, CA 1993