Blues pianist Champion Jack Dupree was raised in New Orleans, and honed his blues and boogie woogie chops in New Orleans’ barrelhouses before beginning to travel extensively, performing with musicians such as Scrapper Blackwell and Big Bill Broonzy. Dupree also became a serious boxer, and won several championships , which is how he earned his moniker. He began recording regularly in the 1940s, though a stint in the Navy put his career on hiatus. Dupree released a steady stream of albums for a number of labels through the late ‘40s and ‘50s, including the excellent BLUES FROM THE GUTTER (’59). He moved to Europe in 1959, returning in 1990 to play the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.