PHOTOS OF ROD PIAZZA & THE MIGHTY FLYERS BY KURT SWANSON
E-MAIL: kurtswanson@juno.com
Bill's Blues Bar Evanston, IL 07/09/2004

California native Piazza began his musical career in Los Angeles in 1965, when he formed the Dirty Blues Band at the age of 18. They released their first record in 1967, which was quickly followed up by a second album in 1968 on ABC/Bluesway Records. At the same time, he was cutting his musical teeth on local club dates with blues pioneers such as Big Mama Thorton, Big Joe Turner, and T-Bone Walker.

Rod then joined his long-time mentor, George "Harmonica" Smith, Muddy Waters' former harmonica player, to form the double harmonica outfit called Bacon Fat. It was through George that Rod learned the power of a dynamic stage performance and developed his prodigious harmonica talents. "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."

Rod released two Bacon Fat albums in 1969 and 1970. In 1973 Rod hired a talented young piano player and Otis Spann disciple named Honey Alexander, who was later to become his wife. In 1976 Rod and Honey began to perform regularly together as the Rod Piazza Blues Band and the Chicago Flying Saucer Band. ~ blindpigrecords.com

The new Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers CD is out. From Blind Pig Records, it is already being praised as "the best since their 'Live at BB's' cd in 1993". "KEEPIN IT REAL" is available in our store. BUY NOW! ~ themightyflyers.com

WEBSITE: http://themightyflyers.com