Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers
NewMusicforOldFolks says …
It's safe for say that Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers have played in as many bars and nightclubs as any band touring today. Piazza and his traveling band of seasoned veterans have been doing it for more than half a century. And he still brings it, and looks sharp in those suits. The albums are good, but the stage shows are where it's at. With that in mind, I'd start my collection with Live at BB King's Blues Club.
Artist's Info
Website: themightyflyers.com
See them live: Tour dates
Record company: Blind Pig
Genre: Blues
If you like this, look into: Charlie Musselwhite, Ric Estrin & The Nightcats, Delbert McClinton
Bio (From the artist's website)
Don't make the mistake of thinking of Rod Piazza as one of the "young turks" of the blues, or part of the "new generation" of blues greats. At this point in his career, Piazza has been recording longer than his mentor George "Harmonica" Smith did, or Sonny Boy Williamson (either of them!), or Big Walter Horton. He's been making records for more years than Little Walter was alive. Piazza is a tried-and-true, dyed-in-the-wool blues veteran with credentials that are second to none. From his first recordings as a leader in 1967 fronting The Dirty Blues Band, through his multiple W.C. Handy Award winning with his current band The Mighty Flyers, to his countless appearances both live and on record with legendary blues figures, Piazza has set a standard for harmonica virtuosity that has established him as one of the most influential living blues harp players. He's consistently surrounded himself with players who bring out the best he has to offer, and epitomize the very best in blues: fresh, swinging, tasteful, exciting and creative. The core of his band has been together for over three decades, and developed the kind of musical telepathy that simply cannot exist without years of experience on the bandstand and in the studio. The Mighty Flyers are a well-oiled machine, with Piazza in the driver's seat. (more)
Spotify sampler
Recordings
Most Recent
EMERGENCY SITUATION (2014): Rod Piazza began his career in the mid-'60s and like plenty of young rockers of the day, was putting his own stamp on the Blues. Almost 50 years on, Piazza is a seasoned veteran who is still paying homage to the vintage sounds that first turned his head around, and on his 15th solo album, 2014's Emergency Situation, Piazza is still showing what he's learned over the years from the masters. Piazza's powerful, overdriven sound, clearly modeled on Little Walter and George "Harmonica" Smith, is as distinctive as ever, and the most exciting moments here are the ones where Piazza cuts loose and wails with his band, blowing gale-force solos on numbers like "Neighbor, Neighbor" and "Colored Salt." Piazza is an effective ensemble player, too, and his band is in solid form here, especially guitarist Henry Carvajal, sax players Ron Dziubla and Jim Jedekin, and pianist Honey Alexander, as they split the difference between Chicago blues and vintage R&B.
OTHERS
Dirty Blues Band / Dirty Blues Band (1967)
Dirty Blues Band / Stone Dirt (1969)
Bacon Fat / Grease One for Me (1970)
Bacon Fat / Tough Dude (1971)
Rod Piazza / Blues Man (1973)
Chicago Flying Saucer Band / Flying Saucer Band (1979)
With The Mighty Flyers
Radioactive Material (1980)
The Mighty Flyers (1981)
Robot Woman II (1982)
From the Start to the Finnish (1984)
File Under Rock (1985)
Harp Burn (Rod Piazza solo) (1985)
So Glad to Have the Blues (Rod Piazza solo) (1988)
Blues in the Dark (1991)
Alphabet Blues (1992)
Live at B.B. King's Club (1994)
Tough and Tender (1997)
Here and Now (1999)
Beyond The Source (2001)
Keepin' It Real (2004)
For The Chosen Who (2005)
Thrillville (2007)
Soul Monster (2009)
Almighty Dollar (2011)
Emergency Case (2014)
