CD Review: Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers-Keepin' It Real

[dr.alters-wizardsway@xxxxxxx]

Hi Fellow Harpers, 

Here's a cut and paste of my CD review that was just published in Blue Ink, the newsletter for Blues Lovers United San Diego (BLUSD). 

Hope you like it. This was an awesome CD. It has been in my car player for a month. Thanks to everyone who sent suggestions on how to write a CD review. Any suggestions are welcomed.

Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers- Keepin' It Real 
Blind Pig Records, 2004 

Keepin' It Real is a sweaty, steamy journey from tribal juke joints into Maxwell Street rent parties through post WWII clubs that spawned jumpin? blues. Bill Stuve's thumping bass and Paul Fasulo's tasteful drums syncopate your heartbeat so that for 70 minutes Rod, Honey Piazza and Henry Carvajal?s incredible dynamics control your airflow leaving you exhilarated and palpitating. THEY OWN YOU. It doesn't get more real than that. 

Rod sweats details for the band?s originals and digs way deep into covers. The opening Louisiana swamp boogie ?Blues Party? ends with a perfectly timed vibrato making a seamless key modulation to the urbanized SBI ?Good Morning Little School Girl?. Each note counts. You?ll scream ?OWWW!? when Rod bends down a salivating 4 on the header. 

Rod captures the expansive Chess sound like his prior album Beyond The Source. He intersperses overdriven amplification with modulation of tones, volumes and texture adding passion to his complex licks. Listen for harmonica exchanges between a super clean high end repeating licks in the midrange and down into the dirty lows. Sultry voiced Honey introduces ?West Coast Midnight Blues?, Henry?s guitar builds tension for Rod to grab us with anguish using overdriven chromatic that mellows to the plaintive riffs reminiscent of mentor George Smith?s ?Last Chance?. 

Miss Honey?s comp and boogie work is constantly amazing. She is even lighter on her right hand while maintaining a monstrous left syncopated bass line. Buzzin? is a tour de force with multiple surprises. 

Henry?s guitar solos have definitely found their groove. His vocal shines with brilliant tone, vibrato and texture on ?Ain?t Nothing Happening?. 

Rod?s versatile tonal shadings demonstrate greater vocal development enhancing the lightness or depth of each piece. Rod informed me ?This is my strongest album. I was at home with it.? Listen for newly introduced Flyer harmonies that capture the feel of each genre. 

This Flyers blues party compares to Harpburn, Live at BB King?s or Rod?s pre-Flyer live vintage albums. This man has paid his dues, remained true keeping blues living and real. Rod is smiling behind his shades chuckling ?I got you baby.?

_________________
Dennis "Doc" Alters 
Harp and Vocals 
The Alternators