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ROD
PIAZZA "FOR THE CHOSEN WHO" (CD/DVD)
Source: Blues Critic
Date: 10/2005
Writer: |
One
of my best friends routinely calls Rod Piazza the "coolest
white man on the planet". This same friend introduced
me to Piazza & The Mighty Flyers by taking me to
a show and I was blown away! It was easy to see why
they're frequently voted best live act at the annual
W.C. Handy Awards. Piazza is a showman and blues harmonica
virtuoso; in the same league as his mentor George "Harmonica"
Smith (Piazza played with Smith in an outfit called
Bacon Fat back in the 70s). Piazza's bag is West Coast
swing and Chicago blues on this new 12-cut disc, albeit
with a concept. The impetus was to bring Piazza back
to his 60s roots and the set opens with Jimmy Reed's
bouncy "I'm A Love You". Piazza does not necessarily
have a great voice but he is a great singer as his phrasing
is hip yet modest. Johnny Dyer shares vocal duties on
"Got To Find My Baby", a Doctor Clayton song
made famous by the legendary Little Walter. Speaking
of guests, guitarist Kid Ramos is on board to shred
some strings on "Broken Hearted Blues" but
new Flyers guitarist Henry Carvahal is no slouch himself
as his flashy axework testifies on "She Makes My
Blood Run Cold". Being that Rick "L.A. Holmes"
Holmstrom once wore these shoes, it's to Carvahal's
credit that you hardly notice the band has sauntered
on without him. Phil Guy and Finis Tasby also appear
but it's Piazza and his mighty mouth harp that owns
these blues and there's plenty of room for the man to
blow ("Shoestring" is worth the price of the
package alone). But let's not forget the fast fingered
Honey Piazza, whose piano accompaniment is as essential
to Rod's music as smoke flavoring to a barbeque. She
gets her requisite spotlight on the instrumental "Honey's
Blues" and doesn't disappoint. This package comes
with a DVD chronicling the recording of this album and
the only thing better would be a Rod Piazza & The
Mighty Flyers live show. Catch 'em if you can. Them
are some gone cats. |
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