Tenor sax player Greg Piccolo is another in a long line of Roomful of Blues alumni who have gone on to great solo careers, along with the likes of Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Curtis Salgado and Sugar Ray Norcia.
Roomful of Blues has long been the gold standard for jump blues, which is a horns-heavy jazzy version of the sound that grew out of the African-American experience in the South. Though comprised primarily of white New Englanders, Roomful of Blues have been widely recognized for its sound, working with such Blues luminaries as Count Basie, Jimmy Witherspoon, Jimmy McCracklin, Roy Brown, and Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson. Piccolo was a key member from the band’s early days in the 1970s until 1994.
Since departing Roomful of Blues in 1994, Piccolo, now 75, has toured and recorded a number of projects with his Heavy Juice outfit, as well as touring with Jimmie Vaughn’s Tilt-A-Whirl Band.
For Who Knows What the Future Holds, released earlier this summer, Piccolo embraced his “alternate career” as singer and songwriter. The album includes a great selection of tunes demonstrating Piccolo’s range. Among the best songs are the retro-rocker “I’ve Lost Faith,” the Caribbean-infused “People Are Hot,” the introspective “It’s Over Now,” and the smooth “Break in the Clouds.”
Performing with Piccolo are Shinichi Otsu on piano, keyboards, and synthesizer; Bob Ruggiero on drums, Dean Shot on guitar, Paul Tomasello on bass, Mark Kazanoff on baritone sax, and Al Gomez on trump.
About the author: Bill Wilcox is a roots music enthusiast recently relocated from the Washington, DC area to Philadelphia, PA and back again.