Volume 5, Issue 1 1 Issue 5, Volume 68 News.com - E - www.Blues

, a slow, slow, a , Somehow tracks, favorite my of one with up ends ior Wells, recorded three CDs at Dockside. He was my guru and and guru my was He Dockside. at CDs three recorded Wells, ior

blues song with blazing guitar work by both Albert and Mike. It It Mike. and Albert both by work guitar blazing with song blues boost of confidence that I needed at the time. My old boss, Jun- boss, old My time. the at needed I that confidence of boost

out with with out , a rockin' rockin' a , Eat Dog Big The Let in Louisiana gave me a a me gave Louisiana in

on harp on two tracks. The CD starts starts CD The tracks. two on harp on ing at Dockside Studio Studio Dockside at ing

and organ and finally Johnny Sansone Sansone Johnny finally and organ and It's changed me in a lot of ways. I think the experience of record- of experience the think I ways. of lot a in me changed It's

bass, Rob Lee on drums, Lewis Stephens on piano, Wurlitzer Wurlitzer piano, on Stephens Lewis drums, on Lee Rob bass,

and percussion, (he also produces the CD). Scot Sutherland on on Sutherland Scot CD). the produces also (he percussion, and work? you way the or you changed project this Has 1.

accompanied by Mike Zito on electric and acoustic guitars, vocal vocal guitars, acoustic and electric on Zito Mike by accompanied

some of the best musicians in the industry. On Big Dog he is is he Dog Big On industry. the in musicians best the of some there. out music blues best the of

and lyricist but he also knows how to surround himself with with himself surround to how knows also he but lyricist and anywhere near your home, treat yourself to an evening of some some of evening an to yourself treat home, your near anywhere

word not mine LOL) Not only is he an uber talented songwriter songwriter talented uber an he is only Not LOL) mine not word MUST HAVE CD for all blues lovers! And if you see Albert coming coming Albert see you if And lovers! blues all for CD HAVE MUST

impression on me. This CD shows off Albert's badassery (his (his badassery Albert's off shows CD This me. on impression Castiglia this CD just might make you one! This is an absolute absolute an is This one! you make might just CD this Castiglia

seeing Albert only once but much like this CD, it left a lasting lasting a left it CD, this like much but once only Albert seeing something for everyone. If you're not already a fan of Albert Albert of fan a already not you're If everyone. for something

back solid blues perfection to me. I had the distinct pleasure of of pleasure distinct the had I me. to perfection blues solid back wiched in between the two are nine more gems, a little bit of of bit little a gems, more nine are two the between in wiched

Albert Castiglia's new release Big Dog is eleven songs of back to to back of songs eleven is Dog Big release new Castiglia's Albert bluesy tune about homelessness, the lyrics are touching. Sand- touching. are lyrics the homelessness, about tune bluesy

the greatest blues man I've ever known. homeless, the poor and how we as a soci- Ruf Records sending me to Dockside 20 ety treat them. He painted an incredible I saw George Thorogood & The Destroyers years after Junior's last recording there picture with his words and I provided a for the first time. They were a hoot. Great gave me a sense of affirmation that Hey! frame with the music. It was one of the fun! Great band! I also saw Bruce Spring- Maybe I don't suck too bad. LOL A lot of most enjoyable collaborations I've ever steen on his River tour. He never disap- musicians go through battles with self been a part of. To have been able to write points. He and the E Street Band did 3 1/2 esteem. I certainly do from time to time. a song with a musician of his magnitude hours straight. On top of that, he had a Speaking of time, the timing of the re- was definitely one of those confidence cold but sounded great anyway. He was cording couldn't have happened any building moments. blowing snot rockets during "Rosalita". It better. I had just put a whole new band was freaking awesome! He never sounded together and I was going through some 5. What was your most memorable gig better. The very last show I went to was anxiety with that. The recording Samantha Fish at The Funky Biscuit in session was a welcome distraction Boca Raton, Florida. She's terrific. She from the stress of getting the new gets better every time I see her. She band together. The band's great and and why? brought me up to jam with her that night. they've taken to the new material like It was a lot of fun. I always have a great ducks to water. Also, Mike Zito There have been so many. My first gig time when we're onstage together. (producer) pushed me vocally and guitar with Junior Wells was a biggie. It was in wise to places I never thought possible. Buffalo at The Calumet City Cafe, Febru- 8. What is your songwriting process? I'm definitely a better musician and per- ary 1997. There was the Jazz a Juan Festi- son since the session. The whole experi- val in the South Of France when I was The process is very unpredictable ence was spiritual. with Junior (Summer of ‘97). We opened for me. Sometimes the words come for BB King that night. With my band 2. What's your favorite axe to play? there was the performance at the Blues first, sometimes the music comes Music Awards in 2009 and the Blues first. I might put some lyrics or mu- I was a Fender guy for Cruise in October 2013. The 2014 Blues sic on the shelf for a while, then re- Caravan tour was a biggie. Also, the 2014 visit it later and find something that Europe tour with my band was a high- years since I was a kid. works for it. light. Ooh, Katowice, Poland with Sandra

But these days, I use Gib- Hall in 2000. There was about 5000 peo- 9. What artists or bands get your heart a ple in this arena. Backing up Hubert Sum- son Les Pauls and flutterin'? lin the night before his birthday in 2008 in

Delaney Jagatas. They Fellsmere, Florida. There will continue to be more great memories as long as I keep I love Samantha Fish and Mike Zito & have tone for days! doing this for a living. I'll just stop with The Wheel. Danielle Schnebelen is my these. favorite singer in the world. I melt when 3. Do you have a special name for the she sings. I also listen to her brother Nick instrument you play? 6. Why do you play/sing? Artists are in- Schnebelen. Eric Gales is a friggin monster! spired by many things, what inspires you? Dave Gross is an amazing musician and I got a Les Paul Goldtop called Duane, a producer. All this bullshit about the blues black Stratocaster named Missy, a cherry Because I can't live without it. It's a huge being dead really frosts my ass. There are sunburst LP called Virginia and a wine part of who I am. Taking music away from so many great blues artists, young and old, colored LP called the Fat Bastard (Fat me is like ripping my heart out. Music doing it and doing it well. There's a Bastard is the name of a cabernet wine saved me from a potential life of bore- that my wife and I used to drink. dom and strife. Music is the biggest rea- band called Jane Lee Hooker son I have the great life that I have. My outta NYC. Man!!!A wonderful hy- 4. How did you feel after writing the track great friends, my wonderful wife; I would brid of punk rock and blues. On the country "Somehow"? not have had them if I didn't have the side, I love Chris Stapleton. He's country

music. This incredible journey that I've music's savior. I've been revisiting Luther I felt particularly good about been on since I was eighteen would not "Snake Boy" Johnson these days. He was "Somehow," which I wrote have been possible without music. What the bomb! There's so much great, real stuff inspires me? Life inspires me and that out there. People just need to open their with Cyril Neville. enables me to write. I can only write minds, dig deep and avoid radio stations Cyril is New Orleans music royalty and about things that happen in my life or that play artificial, cookie cutter, soulless one of the greatest voices in American things that I can relate to. If it's not real shit. Look for stations that have Blues and music. He's also an amazing songwriter to me, it's going to be fake to the ears of Roots shows. There's great stuff out there. and lyricist. His lyrics are something else. the listener. That's just my opinion. You just have to look hard for it. It's worth When he sent me the lyrics to the song, I the search. knew right away the kind of music need- 7. Tell us the last few shows you went to ed to go with them. It's a song about the see. www.Blues-E-News.com Your Partner In Blues Volume 5, Issue 1 69

Volume 5, Issue 1 1 Issue 5, Volume 70 News.com - E - www.Blues

sons served me well when I I when well me served sons

vibrato, which is the the is which vibrato,

a great mentor and his early les- early his and mentor great a blues guitarist should have is a good good a is have should guitarist blues

doing a great job raising him. raising job great a doing

told me that the most important thing a a thing important most the that me told

wonderful, loving parents and they're they're and parents loving wonderful, ment meant a lot to me. He was was He me. to lot a meant ment

When I was eighteen or nineteen, he he nineteen, or eighteen was I When law are are law - in - brother and sister My what.

His encourage- His writers on the planet. the on writers

guitar player and singer out of Miami. Miami. of out singer and player guitar That kid's my little homie, no matter matter no homie, little my kid's That

man named Pat DeLeon. He's a great great a He's DeLeon. Pat named man tism. I suppose I'll keep learning as I go. go. I as learning keep I'll suppose I tism. song- greatest the of one He's mine. of rator

The best advice I ever received was by a a by was received ever I advice best The Miami. He's a legend and a frequent collabo- frequent a and legend a He's Miami. There's a lot I'm still learning about au- about learning still I'm lot a There's

career? musical Graham Drout from the Iko Iko Blues Band in in Band Blues Iko Iko the from Drout Graham to communicate than other kids. kids. other than communicate to

you ever received regarding pursuing a a pursuing regarding received ever you everybody else. It's just harder for him him for harder just It's else. everybody

enough?"

were "good "good were

you that you you that you

12. Who first told told first Who 12.

to death. As far as I see it, he's just like like just he's it, see I as far As death. to advice worst and best the What's 15.

really smart, a numbers wiz. I love him him love I wiz. numbers a smart, really LOL worse. or better for man,

material. of record are responsible for me being a blues blues a being me for responsible are record he's a great kid. He's funny as hell and and hell as funny He's kid. great a he's

crazy as this brings a lot to me in terms terms in me to lot a brings this as crazy heard at the time. All the musicians on that that on musicians the All time. the at heard now do the same. His name is Sean and and Sean is name His same. the do now

sharing it publicly so I feel that I can can I that feel I so publicly it sharing as world a in living Just obstacles. ing ever had I stuff charged emotionally raw,

trials and tribulations of life. overcom- life. of tribulations and trials out of respect to my sister. She started started She sister. my to respect of out most the produced They Cotton; James ese,

Love, good and bad. The joys of life, the the life, of joys The bad. and good Love, until now. I never brought it up before before up it brought never I now. until Calm- Charles Perkins, Pinetop Smith, Eyes"

Johnny Winter, Bob Margolin, Willie "Big "Big Willie Margolin, Bob Winter, Johnny last December. I never mentioned it it mentioned never I December. last

I wanted to be a bad ass like them. Muddy, Muddy, them. like ass bad a be to wanted I My nephew was diagnosed with autism autism with diagnosed was nephew My songs? your write to you

"Hard Again" oozed badassery and and badassery oozed Again" "Hard

heard that record. Those cats on on cats Those record. that heard before. you

play the blues for a living the day I I day the living a for blues the play that has never been printed about about printed been never has that

path as a musician. I wanted to to wanted I musician. a as path 17. Tell us something about yourself yourself about something us Tell 17.

Muddy Waters that solidified my my solidified that Waters Muddy

my love for blues music but it was was it but music blues for love my Land" Promised

and Stevie Ray Vaughan started started Vaughan Ray Stevie and "From Down In The Alley To The The To Alley The In Down "From

years old. Eric Clapton, BB King King BB Clapton, Eric old. years Hmm... I would probably call it, it, call probably would I Hmm...

was a cassette, actually. I was 16 16 was I actually. cassette, a was

Again" album by Muddy Waters. It It Waters. Muddy by album Again" called? be it would what oir

It was the day I bought the "Hard "Hard the bought I day the was It 16. If you were to write your mem- your write to were you If 16.

the good with the bad. the with good the fan? a to opposed as cian

to take action and become a musi- a become and action take to

It's all good. Gotta take take Gotta good. all It's

experience that moved you enough enough you moved that experience

who I am because of it. it. of because am I who 11. What was your first musical musical first your was What 11.

and mistakes and I'm I'm and mistakes and

profession. current my

learned from the bad advice advice bad the from learned

thing I hated. I have no intention of leaving leaving of intention no have I hated. I thing 14. What life experiences have brought brought have experiences life What 14.

mistakes none the less. I've I've less. the none mistakes self I would never spend my life doing some- doing life my spend never would I self

him, I never looked back and I promised my- promised I and back looked never I him,

LOL disaster. total a other people but I made the the made I but people other

When Junior Wells took me on the road with with road the on me took Wells Junior When at night so my life would not have been been have not would life my so night at

takes were encouraged by by encouraged were takes

good at it and I hated every minute of it. it. of minute every hated I and it at good However, I would still be playing music music playing be still would I However,

lege. I did it for 4 1/2 years. I wasn't very very wasn't I years. 1/2 4 for it did I lege. takes. Some of those mis- those of Some takes. cluttered cubicle somewhere in Miami. Miami. in somewhere cubicle cluttered

go. I was a welfare worker right out of col- of out right worker welfare a was I go.

I'd probably be chained to a desk in a a in desk a to chained be probably I'd

I've made mis- made I've

life or career. career. or life

something and it brings you joy, never let it it let never joy, you brings it and something

advice that detrimentally affected my my affected detrimentally that advice at good you're If it. love I that, of top On at. living? a for music playing weren't

advice? I really can't think of any bad bad any of think can't really I advice? good I'm thing only the It's it. at good pretty 13. What would you be doing if you you if doing be you would What 13.

wanted me to play in the band. Worst Worst band. the in play to me wanted become might I felt I life, my entered guitar

vibrato was the primary reason Junior Junior reason primary the was vibrato the When damn. a worth field or ball curve sic full time. full sic

Michael Blakemore, told me that my my that me told Blakemore, Michael the hit couldn't I was problem The Yankees.

went out to pursue the mu- the pursue to out went

Junior Wells' road manager, the late late the manager, road Wells' Junior York New the for base first play to wanted

When I was a kid, I I kid, a was I When a lot of time developing it. it. developing time of lot a

ceiving that advice, I spent spent I advice, that ceiving

do? you fingering hand. After re- After hand. fingering

Why do you do what what do you do Why on the guitar with your your with guitar the on

10. What is your "why". "why". your is What 10. pulsating effect you create create you effect pulsating

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