[Harp-L] Re: Rob P and B S & T in Gothenburg (re-post)

["Rob Paparozzi" <chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Martin,


It was a pleasure to meet yoiu & your wife in Gothenburg, glad you enjoyed the show. Yes, I agree that was a strange venue for BS&T, sort of a family amusement park setting but I loved the grounds and beautiful tulips as I walked around!

Thank you also for reminding me about the terrific Nordic Folk song...it was so cool that everyone recognized it even know we jazzed up the changes a bit ala Toots....BTW, I played it again last night in Stavanger, Norway as a prelude to ' Body and Soul' and it went over great!!

yeah, BS&T has sort of been a finishing school for Rock Jazz Musicians over the years we've have some greats go thru that band. From Jaco Pastorious to Swedish Guitar Man Georg Wadenius to Joe Hendeson & Randy Brecker!

I'm honored to be amongst the singers long list as well from Al Kooper, David Clayton Thomas, Jerry Fisher. Jerry Lacroix and even Luther Kent!.....43 yrs and still going strong.....

Now if the ELECTRIC FLAG wants to renunite with Harvey Brooks at the reign (not many others still alive!) I'll be there in a heartbeat......or if Levon Helm ever decides to reunite the RCO allstars and needs someone to fill the butterfield chair.....I'm SO there!,-)

We are heading home today after a succesfull tour....my voice is tired after '8' 2hr shows....whew!

I loved Gothenburg and next time I hope we'll have time to go for a beer, but we were so rushed with an early leave the next day for Budapest....we played there with John Mayall who still sounds SO good and Kool & The Gang...it was fun...

next week is Austin then Iowa....no rest for the weary......

Thanx again for coming and your kind words...

Harpfully,
Rob
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: martin oldsberg 
  To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx ; chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2010 8:35 AM
  Subject: Fw: Rob P and B S & T in Gothenburg (re-post)


        (I wrote a few words on Rob P and B S & T the other day, but it appears not to have made it to the list, so I re-post.)

        --- On Sat, 6/5/10, martin oldsberg <martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:



                Rob Paparozzi is a well known presence here on Harp-l, and I have a couple of his records w/ the Rats, I hear him on Youtube, but have so far never seen him live.
                  Tonight he played with Blood Sweat & Tears here in Gothenburg and I was fortunate enough to attend. Great fun. (And for once this inclement place that we masochists call "home" provided agreeable weather.)
                 
                BS&T kinda fell off my radar sometime in the 70s (I´m not particularly unique there, I guess), there´s only one original member still in the band, and they have a catalogue of numbers that "must" be done -- and such things doesn´t always bode well: it can be more lika a "brand name" touring the world than actual musicians. 
                  Happily these guys put on a great show, at an impossible venue (an amusement park ... not their fault) and gave a slightly hungry impression, which was very sympathetic.
                  Rob, if you haven´t heard him, has a deep and powerful soul voice, and an easy stage presence. Professional in the best of senses. 
                  Gotta envy the guy, playing the harmonicas at the level and then sing as well.
                  Of course BS&T aren´t primarily a showcase for Rob´s harmonica playing, but he snuck in a couple of nice chromatic solos and a very appreciated version of a Nordic folk song, "Who can sail without the wind" (you can also hear him do it on Youtube).
                  Steve Katz, bandleader (?) with a somewhat fleeting stage manner ... plays a bit of harp as well, not bad, but I´m sure he would profit by some lessons from Rob. (But don´t say I said so.)

                Anyway, the wife and I had a great time and I recommend you good folks to catch BS&T if they´re in your part of the world. 
                  Rob is accessible and no diva and he will sign your T-shirt or whatever you bring along, even your ... -- trombone?! (I didn´t get that one ... probably some sexual connotation that escaped me.)

                 Thank you Rob, for this injection of musical vivaciousness and best of luck with the rest of the tour.

                Cheers from,
                Martin,
                a giddy headed insomniac.