Here's a brand-new little snippet, cinema verite´style, of Rod Piazza working the crowd. Deak does this sort of thing very well, too. It helps to have a crack band. The key point: make sure you do whatever is needed to give your audience a great time.
I remember seeing ROD walk the bar at the old GRAND EMPORIUM in Kansas City back in the late 90's... Just as impressive then as it is now! Although I have never worked up such an impressive - "take it to the people" part of my set... I occasionally will be inspired to step off the bandstand.. This is a brief cut from a small club in LONDON... I was lucky enough to have a "crack band" as Adam outs it - they are the Cadillac Kings and this was our second gig together while I was touring the UK... - Kurt
Must be the bald thing! Funny story about another member on here and mistaken identity... When I lived and played in DC years ago people would hear me and tell me what a great gig I had last (night, week, month) - funny thing was that I never had played the clubs that they mentioned.. Come to find out there was another bald harp player making the rounds in DC... none other than SCOTT ALBERT JOHNSON... We finally met one night and put it all together! To this day we are still friends... funny thing is there is NO WAY I could cop Scott's licks and versatility - not with all those overblows and positions!
not just the bald thing - that is the easiest common denominator. Other items include dressing all in black, the groove vibe body language while playing and the uncommonly handsome good looks. ---------- The Iceman
How about this effect on working a crowd....too much strict choreography in the show - too much thought out and repeated. I noticed this at Rod Piazza shows in the 80's when I saw him a few nights in a row at a Detroit blues bar.
I was blown away the first night, curious the second night and then turned off the third night when I realized every motion, every step on the bar tables, every "oh baby" between licks was exactly carbon copy the same night after night. I concluded that these performers are great to see once and be moved, but lose something after repeated viewings in which you realize that everything is totally pre planned out.
A couple of things to keep in mind. Normally one is working a different crowd each night, even on a 2,3, or 4 night stand. The percentage of people who may have just seen the show, especially more than once, is going to be every small indeed. I've seen major acts on back to back nights almost always doing the same show, Bruce Springsteen being the obvious exception but even he repeats what worked.
Some things may be choreographed but with blues bands most of these "show" pieces are not "thought out" as such. Rather they happened spontaneously at some point but because they worked you keep it in the act. You repeat it because it works and you don't worry about who might have seen it before because 99% of the audience probably hasn't and half the remaining 1% most likely don't care anyway or came back to see it again. And trust me, everything is not preplanned by a long shot, especially the music. Blues, almost by definition, is improvisational and that includes the show as well as the music.
Los Lonely Boys used to do a very cool thing where the bass player and guitar player swapped instruments by throwing them across the stage at the same time. Then they would blaze away on the other guys axe. Pretty spectacular. My step-daughter, who had seen them several times, was disappointed when they didn't do this trick the last time she saw them. ---------- LSC
In regards to Rod Piazza, I had a long conversation with Alex Schultz, former guitarist w/that band. Alex is a great in the moment improviser, but left Rod's band because as time went on, the format moved away from improvisation and more towards repeating the same show every night (including the emotional oh babies and awwws that accompanied the sets).
I understand the advantages of working your sets in either fashion - tightly choreographed or lots of improv in the moment. As a musician, I would be with Alex's position in that it is the in the moment stuff that makes music fun. It's how I like to play and what I enjoy when I see live music. ---------- The Iceman
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2011 11:37 AM
There is only a few people I "get up" about seeing anymore-Rod is one-George Smith is all over Rod's music because he was Rod's mentor and teacher-more power to Rod. Rod's shows constantly change as far as the set list is concerned-he never does the same show or set list twice. I have seen him where he does not end the the show with "Southern Lady" . I always thought the best lineup was with Junior Watson-after that would be with Rick Holmstrom-Henry Carvahal ,who is in the current lineup,was Willam Clarke's guitar player,as was Alex Schultz.
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2011 12:05 PM
we all want to see "fun", iceman, but you aint gonna know the difference unless you go on multiple nights. if you watch the magician often enough you see how the magic is done. i suppose if you could run a loose show and still have the crowd go wild, you'd have the best of both worlds. i saw leonard nimoy do sherlock holmes 3 nites in a row just for his "elementary, watson." good is good.
i saw rod once in detroit. he came off the stage, walked to my table and i could tell he was gonna get on it. i quickly moved my stuff out of the way. he didnt seem to care that it was a pedestal table, nor did he know it was a tad wobbly. just as he stepped onto it, the table started to tilt. i stood quickly and grabbed on to keep it from falling over, which it surely was going to do! after a couple of seconds, one of rod's crew, the guy selling the cd's, comes over and grabs the other side. i think i am done, i can let go and go back to enjoying the show. but, no! the guy looks at me and says, "we can lift him!" WTF!! this clown wants to pick up the table with a 200# rod swaying to his groove and walk him around the room like some pharaoh watching his pyramid being built! i let go of my end, raised my hands and sat down. i paid $20 to see the show, not be part of the act and surely not to be a first responder to stupidity!
Kurt, you are way too kind. I remember it similarly, except that you left out the part about how jealous I was of your impeccable chops and taste. Boy, am I glad we are friends, or I would have had to eliminate you. :)
Seriously, I remember you at the Zoo Bar with Pete Kanaras and some other ringers, and thinking to myself, that's how it is supposed to be done.
We are overdue for a phone call my brother! And it's time for another Hairless Harmonica Hoedown!
Little Willie John would be very proud of Henry....outstanding piece of work. The Flyers dont tolerate no bums. ---------- www.reverbnation.com/thejoeleebushbluesgroup www.joeleebushshow.com "If you think you can or if you think you can't...you are right"
