Let's talk about Greg Piccolo

Tim Price · 10-23-2003, 01:38 PM

Greg Piccolo's post-Roomful life is stunning.I wonder why more people don't talk about him on this forum? I do not see his name enough.Greg "plays" homage to a musical era, the late 40's and early 50's and to his tenor sax heroes Illinois Jacquet, Ben Webster, Red Prysock, Lester Young, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Gene Ammons, Joe Houston, and Clifford Smith.
To me, Piccolo captures the tonal nuances, phrasings and stylings from those who most influenced him.His CD "Homage" is a text book for any musician wanting to study these styles.
Lets talk about Greg Piccolo !!!

Note the Fredy Mitchell thread-I think people need to check out these guys more.MUCH MORE.

Bill Mecca · 10-23-2003, 03:20 PM

Tim,

based on what you said about Greg a long time ago I picked up his Homage CD and it is freakin fantastic, a range of styles, sounds, yet uniquely his own. Its high in my rotation. And I know he is out there doin it, travelin and playin, one of these days I want to catch him live.

His website has a couple nice video files up there... the Joe Houston tune Blow, Joe, Blow is great... and at the Stanhope house as well, if THOSE walls could talk, the music they have absorbed over the years.

With family committments etc, I don't get out much to see live music, but Greg is one I plan on making time for.

HonkBopSax · 10-23-2003, 04:40 PM

TIm,

You know I love Greg's playing! Interesting that on the initial 'Heavy Juice' album on BlackTop, he plays the original solos for most of the tunes. He is an absolute master of the style and though I love his albums under his name, his work on the two Colin James Big Band albums is incredible. Purvis Henson is his main man, and that really comes through in his phrasing. Saw him a little while ago and he told me he was using a Link 10* with Rico Royal 3.5 reeds! ANd that he keeps busting his neck and he fixes it himself! I hope he doesn't another record soon..

Tim Price · 10-23-2003, 07:26 PM

HonkBop yea I know thats your stuff. Your washed in the holy water of Sax Gordon 8) ...AMEN. Good stuff to feed yuor ears.
Greg is just so under sung...he deserves larger festivals and gigs.
His sound is just fantastic and his ALTO is full of passion.

HonkBopSax · 10-23-2003, 07:47 PM

Tim,

Here's a night of listening for you: last night, I put on 'Blue Gene' the minute I get home, pour myself a couple fingers worth of Jack Daniels. As I start making dinner, I put on 'Rock & Roll: Best of Red Prysock', followd by Greg's 'Homage' while eating dinner. One thing lead to another, and next thing I know, I've gone through the whole spectrum in 5 hours - from Ben Webster, through Ike Quebec, Willis (Chasin' the Gator!!!) Jackson, Purvis Hensen, Lynn Hope, and then, just before I hit the sack, JT Brown blowing his brains out on a Muddy Waters tune. Can't be beat! All roads lead to honk!

Tim Price · 10-23-2003, 07:59 PM

Honk- look for Wild Bill Moore ok? His stuff just got re-issued.

He'll be the icing on your cake.How about Piccolo playin " Night And Day" on that CD?? Thaz what I'm talking about.

HonkBopSax · 10-23-2003, 09:06 PM

Tim,

I have the 'Bottom Groove' album, and the stuff of his on the new 4 CD honking box set from Proper records. Good shizzle indeed. His altissimo was knocking me out the other night!

Have you heard the Jay McShann disc on Stony PLain with Sax Gordon and Duke Robillard? Oh man, music so sweet makes you want to cry. Gordon sounds amazing on that one. But see, that's what I love, that wealth of knowledge for all styles. And somebody who can sound so sweet, but then get the roughest edge possible but still make it sound beautiful.

Tim Price · 10-25-2003, 04:05 AM

Back to Greg P' for a sec'.....

The "Heavy Juice" record has been put out on CD by Blacktop FWIW.
Gregs homage/influence to Pervis Henson on here is cool.
Like "Mushmouth" or "Pics Gospel Groove"...solos that are classics and just beg to be learned. Interesting..I first met Pervis behind the counter at "Mannys Music" in NyC in 1973.He was working there.What a dose of reality for a 21 year old kid like me then in 1973!!! I used to go in there just to rap to him a bit...Pervis WAS history.
Anyhow- gotta check this out guys...Greg is one of the uncrowned kings.

Bob M · 11-05-2003, 07:44 PM

Tim - Thanks for posting this topic and reminding me about "Heavy Juice"! I'm sitting at work listening to it and to quote my friend billmecca "it is freakin fantastic". Greg has taken the honking, tough tenor style of the 40's and 50's that you hear on "Heavy Juice" and "Homage" and very effectively applied it to more modern (and original) material on "Red Lights" his CD with his working band (also called Heavy Juice). Pic is truly a master of this style and should be listened to regularly by anyone who enjoys R&B tenor!

BTW being a RI'er, Roomful of Blues is the hometown team, so I've been fortunate to see them a number of times over the years, including when Pic was still with them. In addition to Pic, the band has other alums that are definative of this style (Doug James, Kevin May) as are Rich Lataille and Mark Early in the current line-up.

Tim Price · 11-05-2003, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob M

Tim - Thanks for posting this topic and reminding me about "Heavy Juice"! I'm sitting at work listening to it <snip>
BTW being a RI'er, Roomful of Blues is the hometown team, so I've been fortunate to see them a number of times over the years, including when Pic was still with them. In addition to Pic, the band has other alums that are definative of this style (Doug James, Kevin May) as are Rich Lataille and Mark Early in the current line-up.

Hey Bob...Greg is a special musician to me on many levels. Our mutual simpatico of Pervis Henson...respect and all that. Plus-Greg really plays outstanding jazz. Listen to him play " Night and Day"..off that "Homage"
Cd. He sounds as good as it gets.He's out there...24/7 365 on the highway in the van...drivin' and playing. But the drag is his venues/clubs could be MUCH better and the acceptance could be more.Promoters are NOT hip to him, nor are many of the younger club owners. AND they really
are at fault by being so asleep on him and others. Greg for as long as he's been out there...should be going along better. Like he SHOULD
be on a MAJOR label....with PR and a booking staff etc via TV.

Greg calls me from time to time to rap and check in.Hes a great dude.
And ALWAYS invites me to his gigs and tells me to bring my horns.
I think I'm going to catch him locally near a Philly burb late this month.
And take him to dinner...if theres time.My respect for him is deep!

Ever hear Greg play alto??? EMILIO loves his alto playing.
Greg is one of my fav. cats for sure.

Zoot Horn · 11-08-2003, 12:27 AM

Hey, Tim, do us a favor and post the club location and the date of the show. Thanks.

Bob M · 11-25-2003, 04:49 PM

Tim - I just listened again to the cuts on "Red Lights" Greg plays on Alto (particularly Old Maid Boogie). His Alto playing is killer!!! Do you have any idea what his set-up is?

FYI, Heavy Juice is scheduled to play at Chan's (Woonsocket, RI) on Janaury 10 and weather permiting I plan to take it in.

Bill08690 · 12-08-2003, 01:45 AM

My wife and I have seen Greg enough times that he actually recoginizes us in the crowd. I really like his playing and tune selection. On tenor he plays a MK VI in the 130K serial number range and on alto he has a Conn. We see him in the NJ and PA area. A nice club to catch Greg is the Classic Cafe in Doylestown, PA and of course Stanhope, NJ.

Bill Mecca · 07-06-2004, 04:44 PM

Greg has joined the recently retired Sam Butera's band "The Wildest"

http://www.wildestband.com/home1.html

gotta love his fat sound.

Tim Price · 07-07-2004, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billmecca.com

Greg has joined the recently retired Sam Butera's band "The Wildest"

Well...I'm feelin mixed on this. Ya know.
We all love Greg...thats a given. But- he should be able_after all these years and records_to exist as..Greg Piccolo.
Its nice & all that... steady gigs are in his sights and the rigors of 22 hour drives after gigs in a 2 decade old van could be over but..DAMN.
Why?? Why can't he exist as Greg. His manager is tight with me- Bonnie. And she explained to me how hard it is to sell REAL music these days.
I was kinda bummed when I heard this. Greg is VERY original and very together,,,,far from _JUST_a back up player.
ESPECIALLY AT THIS POINT IN HIS CAREER!!!!!

Hasn't the world been listening? Hasn't he proved himself? Wasn't founding one of the hippest jump bands ever enough? Wasn't recording with Cleanhead..Joe Turner or Dr John enough? What do people want to hear?? I wonder!!!!

Greg is a very close friend of mine...he was at a gig in March I did.
He is someone I hold in high reguard as a creative force.
I'm glad for him in a way...but in another way...it ain't fair. It ain't fair that a guy likethis is NOT playing EVERY major JVC festival in the world or BB KIngs clubs.
Sorry for the rant guys..but it just ain't very fair. This guy is MAJOR headliner material and a real giant...NOT a sideman. ( no offence to the Wildest guys either..its beyond that...they are great too )
How can some players be flying around in jets and a guy like this has to
do this??? He should be a headliner in the same line with ANYONE out there. Hell...Basie loved him when he heard him.
I dunno...I just don't understand it.

People need to support the music more...ughhhhhhhh. Oh man!

Bill Mecca · 07-07-2004, 12:41 AM

Tim,

I hear ya. one question, is Greg doing both? I saw on the wildest site they are playing AC in July and August and I think he and Heavy Juice still have gigs booked... that's gotta be rough. I might have to make a trip to AC ;-)

DD · 07-07-2004, 07:48 PM

You just gotta love the entertainment business - has nothing to do with aesthetics or artistic level, technique, blow yer mind compositional attitude and improvisational dexterity - just a matter of how many butts can we put in how many seats.
If they just wants peanuts, sell em peanuts - at least you'll be working. (But make sure they's good quality peanuts.)

Spaz Johnson · 07-08-2004, 05:37 AM

Well it IS, after all "entertainment" and it IS "business"!

Nobody got rich selling talent or technical facility alone!

No one is obligated to force themselves to be "entertained" by material that they have no palate for, and I doubt that you are actually suggesting that, but, there is only the tiniest vestige of a connection between financial sucess and musical ability!

Possibly the best way to look at it is that you may do what pleases you and take whatever meager rewardr may come your way, or find a need and fill it, no matter how repulsive the task. You get to choose, but, really you don't get the right to complain if it's not what you'd hoped!

I'd like to know how this is different than any other industry!

Bob M · 07-08-2004, 02:34 PM

Bill - According to the website, the keyboard player from Heavy Juice, Shinichi Otsu, has also joined "The Wildest", so I suspect Greg may be moving "Heavy Juice" into the background, somewhat.

If you check out Greg's website, "Heavy Juice" doesn't seem to play more than 3-4 gigs in a typical month. During the past year or so in RI several venues have opened that have live music 2 or 3 nights a week so we can regularly hear local/regional R&B bands like Roomful of Blues, Duke Robillard (with Doug James and frequently Sax Gordon), The Love Dogs, Fat City Band, Roger Cerisi and the Allstarz (several alums of Roomful), etc., not to mention the summer concerts in places like Newport and Block Island. Despite this activity locally, "Heavy Juice" seems to stick with two or three times a year at Chan's and a few summer beach gigs.

Greg is a great player with a big local following, so in light of the improving RI scene for live music, I've been surprised he isn't more active locally. Perhaps by joining "The Wildest" Greg hopes to gain more of a national following.

Bill Mecca · 07-08-2004, 03:58 PM

Bob,

Good to hear from ya! I envy you with those players around. But heck even if they were around here, I would still find it difficult to find the time.