San Luis Obispo Blues Society Upcoming Events Saturday, March 4, 2006 WC Handy Award Winners Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers also appearing Julie & the BadDogs SLO Vets Hall 801 Grand Avenue 8PM  Members $15 / General Admission $17 April 8: Nick Moss & the Fliptops

BLUES SHOW REVIEW.  The San Luis Obispo Blues Society is proud to welcome WC Handy award winners Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers on Saturday, March 4, 2006.  Julie & the BadDogs will be opening the show.  The show starts at 8:00 pm at the San Luis Obispo Vets Hall, 801 Grand Avenue.  Tickets are $15 for Blues Society members and $17 for the general public.  All tickets are sold at the door.  21 and over please.  Buy a membership for $10 at the door and get $2 off admission for a year of shows.  For more information, call 805/541-7930.

ROD PIAZZA & THE MIGHTY FLYERS
Rod Piazza formed his first band, the Dirty Blues Band, in Los Angeles at age 18. A few years later, in 1968, he left to team up with his idol George “Harmonica” Smith (who was once the harpman in the Muddy Waters band) in the band Bacon Fat.  Meeting keyboardist Honey Alexander (a disciple of Otis Spann, another Muddy Waters alumni) eventually led to the formation of the Mighty Flyers in 1977.  Original Mighty Flyers members included Rod Piazza on harp and vocals, Honey Alexander on piano, Mike "Junior" Watson on guitar, Bill Stuve on bass, and Willy Swartz on drums.  Amazingly, three of the original members still remain: Rod and Honey (who were wed in 1989), and Bill Stuve.  Recent additions to the band include Henry Carvajal on guitar and Paul Fasulo on drums.

It wasn't until the 1990s that the band became more widely known.  The turning point was 1993 when the recording “Live at B.B. King's Blues Club” won national music awards.  This was followed by the critically acclaimed “Tough and Tender” in 1997.  Since then, the band and its members have won 15 W.C. Handy Awards, including the Best Blues Band of the Year Award in 1999, 2000, and 2002.  All together, the Mighty Flyers and its members (including solo albums) have produced almost 20 CDs and 2 DVDs, including the recent combination CD/DVD “For the Chosen Who”.

The distinctive West Coast boogie-woogie style of Rod Piazza and The Mighty Flyers has been instrumental in fueling the swing revival in California and beyond.  Rod Piazza’s harmonica technique is astonishing. He can produce rippling phrases, hold and sustain piercingly high or low notes, hum, moan and groan through the instrument, or just play beautiful melodies.  Honey is always a treat for keyboard enthusiasts and the band as a whole operates as a mutually flattering ensemble.  The Mighty Flyers mix earthy originals, rousing jump tunes, earnest boogie, and slow blues ballads into a consistently appealing blues sound that is perfect for a dance venue.

JULIE & THE BADDOGS
Julie and the BadDogs play an eclectic mixture of blues, soul, and rock music.  Julie Beaver, who has been wowing audiences with her violin playing since the age of four, leads the band.  Julie plays everything from Bach to Bluegrass on the violin, although she’ll be focusing on the blues for us.  It is surprisingly satisfying to hear violin featured on Rolling Stones and Aretha Franklin tunes.  The BadDogs include Art Decco (drums), Bruce Sorensen (bass and vocals), and Glen Rathbone (guitar). Julie and the BadDogs perform regularly at the Paso Robles Inn and the Cambria Pines Lodge and have recently released a new CD.

VOLUNTEER
Your Blues Society is run entirely by volunteers. Besides a sense of accomplishment, volunteers get into the shows for free and receive a couple free drink tickets.  We could use your help, so call 541-7930 (our voice mail number) and volunteer to work a shift at the show.
 
 

CATALOG OF SHOWS	LOCAL BLUES PERFORMERS	CD REVIEWS	LINKS
January 2006 December 2005 October  2005 September  2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 January 2005 December 2004 October 2004 September 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 January 2004 December 2003 October 2003 September 2003 May 2003 March 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 September 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 January 2002 December 2001 October 2001 September 2001 July 2001 May 2001 April 2001 March 2001 January 2001 December 2000 November 2000 September 2000 July 2000 May 2000 April 2000 February 2000 January 2000 December 1999 October 1999 1998 Shows	Demolition Blues Freakin' Deacons Gary Mendoza Band Guy Budd Band Julie & the BadDogs Karen Tyler Life at the Top Mighty Croon Dogs Texicali Divas Valerie Johnson Big Daddy's Rhythm & Blues Band Jerome Washington Express	Blues Guitar Women Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers  Shemekia Copeland Debbie Davies Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne Li’l Ronnie & the Grand Dukes Hubert Sumlin Tommy Castro Roomful of Blues Mark Hummel Janiva Magness Guitar Shorty Smokin' Joe Kubeck & Bnois King Jody Williams Chris Thomas King Charles Brown Tommy Castro Deborah Coleman Ernie Hawkins Guy Davis LJ Evans Hot Blues May 02 Omar & the Howlers Popa Chubby Michelle Wilson Blind Pig 25 Anniversary Any Woman's Blues Eric Bibb Ernie Hawkins	Santa Barbara Blues Society The Blues Foundation Cambria Hoot SLOFOLKS

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