Mighty Flyers & Rod PIAZZA - From The Start To The Finnish 1985
PR 7201
Blues
Rod Piazza was born in California on December 18, 1947. In 1965, at the age of 18, he formed the Dirty Blues Band in Los Angeles. Soon after, in 1967, they released their first self-titled album on ABC/Bluesway Records. This was followed by "Stone Dirty" in 1968. After it's release Rod left to team up with his idol George "Harmonica" Smith who once held the prestigious harpman's seat in the Muddy Waters band.
It was during this time that Bacon Fat came to be. Their debut album, "Grease One For Me", was released in 1970 on the Blue Horizon label. This was followed in 1971 by "Tough Dude". Bacon Fat toured the country backing up, and recording with, such blues legends as Big Mama Thorton, T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Turner. While still performing with Smith, Piazza released two solo albums. "Rod Piazza Blues Man" in 1973 on LMI Records, and 1979's "Chicago Flying Saucer Band" on Gangster Records.
In 1973 Rod met keyboardist Honey Alexander. Together they formed the Chicago Flying Saucer Band in 1976. The Mighty Flyers soon followed. Formed in 1977 it featured Bill Stuve on accoustic bass, Junior Watson on guitar, and Willy Swartz on drums. They began playing clubs in 1980 and released three albums - Radioactive Material (1981), File Under Rock (1984), and From the Start to the Finish (1985). Also during this time Piazza became a session man working with a varity of musicians including Pee Wee Crayton and Michelle Shocked. He also released two solo efforts. 1986 saw the release of "Harpburn" on Murray Brothers and "So Glad to Have the Blues" followed in 1988. The end of the eighties produced one more important event. Rod and Honey were married in 1989 and began thier non-stop touring.
It wasn't until the nineties, after twenty-five years of hard work, that the band truly took off. Two studio records were released. "Blues in the Dark" in 1991 and "Alphabet Blues" in 1992. The turning point was 1993 when the band's "Live at B.B. King's Blues Club" won the NAIRD (National Association of Independent Record Distributors) Award Winning Album of the Year. The Mighty Flyers signed with Tone-Cool Records in 1997 and released the critically acclaimed "Tough and Tender". In 1998 the band received six nominations at the W.C. Handy Awards which are considered the blues equivalent of the Grammys. And Rod walked away with the Best Intrumentalist - Harmonica award. The band was nominated for four awards in 1999 and four in 2000. The Mighty Flyers also won Blues Band of the Year in both those years.
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A California-based blues bandleader, harmonica player, and singer, Rod Piazza's stratospheric harmonica wailings owe a heavy debt to both Little Walter and George "Harmonica" Smith. Piazza began his professional career as a member of the Dirty
Blues Band in the mid-'60s. The Dirty Blues Band recorded two albums for ABC/Bluesway -- an eponymous debut in 1967 and 1968's Stone Dirty. Piazza left the band after the release of Stone Dirty, choosing to hit the road with his idol George "Harmonica" Smith instead. Over the next decade and a half, Piazza and Smith performed together frequently under the name Bacon Fat; they also recorded the occasional album. In 1969, Bacon Fat released their eponymous debut album on Blue Horizon. While he was performing with Smith, Piazza released his own solo albums, the first of which -- Rod Piazza Blues Man -- appeared on LMI in 1973. The second, Chicago Flying Saucer Band, was released in 1979 on Gangster Records.
As Smith's health began to decline in the early '80s, Piazza assembled the Mighty Flyers -- with his wife Honey Alexander on keyboards -- which began playing clubs in 1980. Between 1981 and 1985, the Mighty Flyers released three albums: Radioactive Material (1981), File Under Rock (1984), and **From the Start to the Finish (1985).** During the early '80s, Piazza became a session musician, working with artists as diverse as Pee Wee Crayton and Michelle Shocked. In the mid-'80s, he began a full-fledged solo career, releasing Harpburn on Murray Brothers in 1986 and So Glad to Have the Blues in 1988. Piazza and the Mighty Flyers signed a contract with Black Top Records in 1991; the label later re-released the group's albums on CD. Throughout the '90s, Piazza continued to record and perform with the Mighty Flyers, releasing the occasional solo album, like 1999's Here and Now. Beyond the Source appeared in 2001. Three years later the Mighty Fliers returned with Keepin' it Real on the Blind Pig label featuring two new members, Paul Fasulo on drums and guitarist Henry Carvajal. The next two albums were released by Delta Groove Records, For the Chosen Who in 2005 and Thrillville in 2007.
By Cub Koda. All Music Guide.
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Acoustic Bass, Vocals- Bill Stuve
Guitar, Vocals- Junior Watson
Lead Vocals, Harmonica- Rod Piazza
Percussion, Vocals- Ed Mann
Piano, Vocals- Honey Alexander
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A1. From The Start To The Finnish 4:47
A2. Where Was Your Love 3:58
A3. 502 3:20
A4. Queenie 4:27
A5. Hard Work Boogie 5:13
B1. P.S. I Love You 4:27
B2. Somebody 3:50
B3. Sinister Woman 5:48
B4. Blues For Honey 8:39
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