Showing posts with label Albert CASTIGLIA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Albert CASTIGLIA. Show all posts

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Albert CASTIGLIA & Graham Wood DROUT - The Bittersweet Sessions 2006


Albert CASTIGLIA & Graham Wood DROUT - The Bittersweet Sessions 2006

Blues

About Albert:
Albert Castiglia has more to offer than most performers. For his young age, he has real history- Blues history. In 1990 he joined the Miami Blues Authority, and, after just a few short years, he won the award for Best Local Blues Guitarist by New Times Magazine. Immediately after hitting the road, he was discovered by the legendary Junior Wells who immediately hired to be his own guitarist/vocalist for several world tours.
After the passing of Wells, Castiglia had learned his lessons well and decided to venture out as a solo artist. Working with his long-time friend and front man of Iko Iko, Graham Wood Drout, his first release featured stunning, genuine, and inspired performances from the hot new duo.Burn was well received by radio and on the road, so Castiglia was ready. Audiences were ready. Successfully teaming up with drout again, this time performing live and acoustically, the energy was palpable, tangible and very enjoyable.

About Graham:
With a history that literally defines diversity, Graham Wood Drout was born in Northern New Jersey, but raised in Brazil and Texas before his move to Miami, FL. His musical styles bring flavors of his past to present day performances by paying tribute to those who have influenced his life and music. With accolades like Songwriter of the Year and Best Blues Band from New Times Magazine and a Jammy Award for Best Blues Band, this is Drout´s fourth release featuring his original music and his first acoustic record. In addition, Drout´s songs are covered by a wide range of artists in several styles of music-including by Castiglia.

This record is the result of that friendship and an evening showcasing the real spirit of the music and songs being performed by the duo. Live, acoustic and genuine with all of their collective energy captured.
**
"This is something that Albert and I have wanted to do for a long time, " reports Drout. "It was one of those great nights and we felt very lucky that the show was captured." Little Silver Records has released the first single, "The Ghosts of Mississippi" (composed by Drout and also appearing as the title track to Joey Gilmore's CD by that name) to radio using a newer distribution method of direct download for program directors and music directors.
A mix of originals, standards and familiar Blues songs, "The Bittersweet Sessions" offers a sense of old school flavors with new school recipies performed live and acoustically at Bittersweet Blues on April 12, 2005. Song standout titles include "The Ghosts of Mississippi" (G. Drout), 32/20 (Robert Johnson), Pretty Thing (Willie Dixon) and an outstanding version of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released."
For his young age, Castiglia has history -- Blues history. In 1990 he joined The Miami Blues Authority and won "Best Blues Guitarist" from New Times Magazine. He was discovered by the legendary Junior Wells who immediately hired Castiglia to be his own guitarist/vocalist on several world tours. After Wells' passing, Castiglia ventured out on a solo career and released "Burn" working with his longtime friend, Graham Wood Drout of Iko-Iko. A sophomore solo release is due out from Castiglia in early Spring 2006.
His second live record and his fifth overall to bear his name, Graham Wood Drout is a Miami legend who has worked with a literal "who's who" of Rock, Blues and Country music. Highlighting his more than 25 year career, Graham Wood Drout's band, Iko-Iko, has presented performances that have appeared in the films "Cape Fear, " "Contact" and AAA/Blues/Alt Country radio favorites, "(I've Got) Gris-Gris, " "Bag Me, Tag Me, Take Me Away" and "Celebration" which continue to be hot sellers today. Drout has received the awards for "Best Blues Band" and "Songwriter of The Year" from New Times Magazine, a Jammy Award for "Best Blues Band, " and his music was described by Blues Revue Magazine as "Soul filling ideas that flow out of [Drout's] pen and into the heart of the listener...the result is breathtaking."
Drout's ability to discover outstanding musical talent is impressive. The so-called "voodoo rock" band's line up has featured a wide range of premier performers (Ron Dziubla/Chayanne, Ricky Martin; Nick Kane/The Mavericks; Glen Caruba/Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Bruce Springsteen; Mike Bauer/Pam Tillis, Point of Grace) since their debut as the house band at Miami's first cabaret, Tobacco Road, and has backed up a who's who of legendary performers in a variety of venues.
**
01. Ghosts Of Mississippi    5.44
02. Ain't No Way To Get Along    3.22
03. 32/20    4.31
04. Sweet Home Chicago    7.07
05. Pretty Thing    4.54
06. Blow Wind Blow    4.49  
07. Ticket Agent Blues    5.02
08. Sitting On Top Of the World    5.43
09. Prescription For The Blues    4.02
10. The Sky Is Crying    7.08
11. 3 Fingered Fellers Named Shorty    3.11
12. I Shall Be Released    6.26
**
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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Albert CASTIGLIA - These Are The Days 2008 (REPOST)


Albert CASTIGLIA - These Are The Days 2008  (REPOST)
Label: Blues Leaf

Blues

This is a joltingly strong album from a virtuoso bluesman whose career is gaining velocity. These Are the Days is Albert Castiglia's newest disc, and it's eclectic, electric and flat-out excellent.
There's nothing typical about these cuts.
High-gain, rockin' music mixes with some moody acoustic picking that can be downright eerie, particularly on an eccentric baseball-flavored number called Catfish written by an eccentric guy named Robert Dylan.
The disc also features some deeply personal (but seriously rhythmic) songs written by Castiglia, notably including Godfather of the Blues, which is a hot-shuffle tribute to Albert's former boss in Chicago, the late Junior Wells. Also powerful is Another Bloody Day, which blends some smoking Stratocaster tones with a sharp anti-war message aimed at the current D.C. military-industrial brain-trust. Another of my favorites is the wry Bad Year Blues.
All the covers here are worthwhile, but I think the most sizzling one is Night Time Is the Right Time, which is packed with sounds to love. Albert's gritty vocal is outstanding, the guitar work is excellent, and the sexy-ladies background singing is very, very nice.

The album's title derives from the lyrics of Celebration , a great song on the disc written by Castiglia's friend and musical collaborator Graham Wood Drout, leader of the Florida-famous swamp-boogie band Iko Iko. This song is one of the elements that make the album rise above the 12-bar blues routine. It has a mystic feel and sounds like it's already been a hit before, emerging as a folk-rock anthem from an alternate universe.
If all this sounds as though I'm a Castiglia aficionado, hey I'm guilty. But there's a reason: The man's music is better than good.
By Richard Wallace.
**
Florida based bluesman Albert Castiglia opens his latest release These Are the Days with the rollicking original composition “Bad Year Blues”. This track is perhaps the pick of the original tunes with strong vocals and scorching, masterful slide work. Among the eleven tracks that make up this record are five Castiglia originals mixed in with blues classics featuring exceptionally soulful vocals and strong guitar work.
One of the highlights is found in a cover of “Loan Me a Dime” – best known as a Boz Scoggs classic - with vocals that put the listener right in Castiglia’s shoes and guitar work that tells the rest of the story.
Other listener favorites will be “Need Your Love So Bad” – reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green and “Night Time is the Right Time” with a strong groove and a good mix of supporting elements.
By Illinois Phil.
**
Albert Castiglia- vocals, guitar
Bob Amsell- Drums
Kenny Sorensen- Harmonica
Rio Clemente- Organ
Steve Gaskell- Bass instrument, Bass guitar
Susan Lusher- Piano, Hammond b-3 organ
Sweet Suzi Smith- Background vocals
**
01. Bad Year Blues  5:11  
02. He's Got All the Whiskey  5:12  
03. Loan Me a Dime  6:38  
04. Godfather of the Blues  4:35  
05. Celebration     4:06  
06. Nighttime is the Right Time     4:53  
07. Catfish  6:34  
08. Another Bloody Day    4:36  
09. Need Your Love So Bad  7:14  
10. Twister  4:32  
11. Blues For Evan  3:01  
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