Bman's Blues Report

Are you kidding me! Take someone along to go on beer runs... you're not going to want to miss a minute! Look at this line up! Big Two-Day California Beer Festival Features Craft Beers, BBQ Contest, Big-Name Blues Acts Saturday, September 15 / S unday, September 16 - Mission Park, Ventura, CA (Ventura, Calif.) - California Beer Festival takes place Saturday, September 15 (12:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.) and Sunday, September 16 (11 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.) in Ventura's Mission Park, 36 Figueroa St., in the downtown district. CBF is one of the year's biggest entertainment events featuring everyone's favorite three B's: Beer, Barbeque and the Blues! Tickets for the California Beer Festival Craft Beer Heaven on Saturday are $50 for General Admission, $70 for a special Saturday-only "V.I.P. Meet The Brewer", or $25 for a Designated Driver Ticket. Sunday it's the CBF Blues, Brews & BBQ Blues Festival for $...

When we hit St. Croix, USVI, it was just in time for the St. Croix Blues Festival. This festival began at noon and was spread out across various bars all afternoon culminating in a huge gathering at the Verne I. Richards Memorial Park stage in Frederiksted at dusk where the featured artists were Coco Montoya, Shemekia Copeland, and the Low Rider Band (formerly known as WAR... the band can't legally market themselves as WAR, but I can say that). After a hike of 1.25 miles through "the jungle," as my wife called it, I hit a place ca lled Rhythms At Rainbow Beach. They had a local band called the St. Croix Blues Society playing. These guys jammed and played well beyond the 12-3 time frame. I ended up here due to a prior commitment to deliver some Tom Jenkins BBQ Sauce down from Ft. Lauderdale to the keyboard player of the St. Croix Blues Society, Tom Eimer. And what I discovered at Rhythms is that Harry Nilsson was right. You put de lime in de coconut and drink em bot togett...

Rod Piazza (born December 18, 1947, Riverside, California) is an American blues harmonica player and singer. He has been playing with his band The Mighty Flyers since 1980 which he formed with his pianist wife Honey Piazza. Their boogie sound combines the styles of jump blues, West Coast blues and Chicago blues. Piazza grew up in Southern California, where he studied blues records and perfected his harmonica work. He originally started on guitar, an instrument he began playing at the age of six or seven. In the mid 1960s, Piazza formed his first band The House of DBS, which later changed its name to the Dirty Blues Band. The band signed with ABC-Bluesway and released two albums in 1967 and 1968. The band broke up in 1968, and Piazza formed Bacon Fat that year. Piazza's idol and mentor, George "Harmonica" Smith joined the band and they had a "dual harp" sound. Bacon Fat released two albums the following two years. Piazza left and worked in other bands before ...

ROD PIAZZA This past June saw the release of Rod Piazza's 25th recording "Almighty Dollar" on Delta Groove Music and the response so far has been strong. The CD has been riding high on the charts since its release which already includes ten weeks on the Roots Music Report and four months on the Living Blues Radio Chart where the album hit #1 in July. Blues Revue magazine has an upcoming feature about Rod written by Tom Cullen III, tentatively scheduled for their 2012 January/February issue, and the band is already gearing up for another busy Spring/Summer touring season which will include making their first appearance at our very own 7th Annual Delta Groove All-Star Blues Revue at the Cajun & Blues Music Festival held in Simi Valley next Memorial Day weekend. Be sure to catch Rod Piazza and the All Mighty Flyers when they hit your town! 11/03/11: Las Vegas, NV – Boulder Station Hotel & Casino 11/05/11: Arcadia, CA – Arc...

Rod and the gang are known for solid quality blues recordings and this cd is no exception. This recording sees guest artists Rusty Zinn, Johnny Dyer, Hank Van Sickle, Norm Gonzales and Jonny Viau along with the All Mighty Flyers pumping out 12 good tunes including originals and covers for a well balanced released and that great harp tone that Rod is known for. Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE Get on it!