Rod Piazza

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Rod Piazza (born November 18, 1947 in Riverside, California is a blues harmonica player, singer and band leader. He has been the driving force behind Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers since 1979, along with his wife Honey Piazza on piano and upright bass player Bill Stuvee, guitarists such as Alex Schultz and Rick Holmstrom and drummer Jimmy Bott. Their sound combines the styles of Jump blues, west coast blues and Chicago blues. Known for their exciting and powerful live performances, Rod Piazza often strolls around the audience, while not missing a note on harmonica, jumps on a bar or a counter and duels it out with either the piano or guitar.

[edit] Background

Piazza grew up in southern California and studied blues records and perfected his harmonica work. In his late teens he went to a jam session and played with idol and future mentor, George "Harmonica" Smith. He formed his first band The Dirty Blues Band in 1967 and by late 1968 the band changed their name to Bacon Fat. Smith joined and they had a duel "harp" sound. Bacon Fat released two albums the following two years. Piazza left and worked in other bands before going solo in 1974. He formed the Chicago Flying Saucer Band the following year and this evolved into the Mighty Flyers. The band recorded their first album in 1980. From that time on up through the present, Rod and his bandmates have released nearly a dozen albums and tour blues clubs, venues and festivals in the US, Canada, England, Germany and Japan. He and his wife live in Riverside while not touring.