If Marcia Ball is the undisputed keyboard queen of Gulf Coast boogie, her counterpart on the Atlantic shore is Deanna Bogart. A known quantity on this coast as the featured key-banger in the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue, the Washington D.C.-bred singer-pianist-saxophonist can take both vox and axes in multiple directions. Her two-fisted roots-rockin’ piano style, however, is never out of reach. And it’s possible that, just as Ball’s regional insularity indelibly marked her music, the convergence of East Coast and South that is the Mid-Atlantic makes for the eclectic streak in Bogart’s craft. Her solo discography showcases a flair for blues, R&B and jazz. That’s not even considering Bogart’s cut-above songwriting skills. Prior to the launch of her solo career in the late ’80s, she did time in a western swing band and the notorious D.C. R&B outfit Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band. Bogart’s excellent new album, 11th Hour, is one of 2009’s freshest sounding sets, regardless of genre. Covers of Stevie Wonder and John Hiatt songs blend well with Bogart and band’s own solid and frequently inventive fare — and yes, plenty of Ms. Bogart’s hard driving piano. Bogart plays the Beachland Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd., 216.383.1124) with the Brickhouse Band opening at 8 p.m. Tickets: $15. — Duane Verh
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