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Rod Piazza and the
Mighty Flyers

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Rod Piazza isn't quite comfortable with the term "virtuoso," even though his skills certainly merit placing him in that company. Piazza's harmonica technique borders on astonishing. He can spew out rippling phrases, hold and sustain piercingly high notes or equally low ones, hum, moan and groan through the instrument, or just play beautiful melodies and refrains.

After winning two consecutive W.C. Handy awards for Blues Band of the Year and also winning the Handy award for Blues Instrumentalist-Harmonica, Piazza hardly needs the endorsements of critics or collectors. He's already proven himself before a far tougher judge than anyone could imagine. Piazza spent 15 years working alongside the great George "Harmonica" Smith in Bacon Fat, an experience Piazza treasures even though it was both a grueling and rewarding experience. "He taught me to always have a plan, to always know what you were going to play before you hit the stage," says Piazza of his mentor. "He would listen closely to whatever you played, then he'd say, if you're not going to say anything different, you shouldn't be up here. He didn't want me trying to mimic him, or anyone else. Be yourself, he'd always say."

Piazza has certainly followed his advice over the years. He'd already made somewhat of an impression playing with the Dirty Blues Band, but after Bacon Fat, Piazza created the Mighty Flyers, an ensemble whose group and cohesive qualities have evolved in almost as impressive a fashion as his own abilities.

The Mighty Flyers are a genuine group, rather than a bunch of seasoned pros who only assemble for recording dates. Their peers have voted them the Blues Band of The Year in both 1999 & 2000 at the annual W.C. Handy Awards in Memphis, the blues equivalent of the Grammy. Piazza's searing harmonica remains a key ingredient as well as his impassioned, gritty vocals. Guitarist Rick Holmstrom, who has recorded two albums under his own name including last year's "Gonna Get Wild" on Tone-Cool, is a powerful presence soloing or comping, as is funky pianist Honey Piazza, a devoted Otis Spann disciple and multiple Handy Award nominee who is also Piazza's wife. The rhythm section is rounded out by longtime drummer Steve Mugalian, who grooves in an encyclopedic variety of styles, and upright bassist Bill Stuve, also a frequent Handy Award nominee.

The Mighty Flyers mix earthy originals, rousing jump tunes, earnest boogie and slow blues ballads, even an occasional animated instrumental, and remain among the most consistently appealing, enjoyable contemporary units. "We didn't always really know what we wanted to do in the studio," reflects Piazza. "Some of the records that we made had some good songs, but they've never completely been a good indicator of how the group sounded in concert, or even how well we might have been playing when we were doing the gig."

That is until now. Beyond The Source is the first Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers release that presents the identical dazzling qualities on disc that the band demonstrates in concert. Piazza's vocals sound looser, more energized and exuberant than ever before, and there's just the right mix of tingling guitar, flickering piano, tight bass and crisp rhythmic underpinning. "We made this one just a little bit different," says Piazza in response to questions about what makes this date stand out from all the others. "We've kind of gone into the studio in the past and had a few songs, then tried out some other things. I think that we still had a loose attitude, but we also got a more complete feel for things on this date." The session also has a disciplined, crisp edge. There are no self-indulgent displays on any track. The exchanges, harmonies and arrangements reflect a group that truly enjoyed cutting every selection, and there's also a nice variety of styles, from boogie to jump to ballads to shuffles.

Guitar heroes have gotten much of the publicity in the blues world during the rock era, in part because so many great harmonica and piano soloists have passed. Rod Piazza's current work compares favorably with any harpist since the Golden Age of Chicago blues, and quite frankly surpasses that of almost anyone we could readily name. But forget about the comparisons, and just dig in and enjoy Beyond The Source. This is 21stcentury blues with a 20th century edge, delivered with fire, intensity and individuality.

Swing | Jam | BC | Sugar Ray | Li’l Ed | Diane | Jimmy | Holmes Bros | Big Joe | Magic | Rod Piazza
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