Biography
Radio contact: Kevin Johnson
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Breezy Rodio: vocals, guitar
Special guests:
"Monster" Mike Welch: guitar on "Led To A Better Life"
Kid Andersen: gtr on "From Downtown Chicago To Biloxi Bay"
Corey Dennison: vocal on "Led To A Better Life" and guitar on "I'm A Shufflin' Fool"
Quique Gomez: harp on "Shufflin' Fool" and "Pick Up Blues"
Simone "Harp" Nobile: harp on "If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It" and "From Downtown Chicago To Biloxi Bay"
Sumito "Ariyo" Ariyoshi: piano
Dan Tabion:: organ
Light Palone: bass
Lorenzo Francocci: drums
Constantine Alexander: trumpet
Ian Letts: alto & tenor saxophone
Ian "The Chief" McGarrie: baritone saxophone
The latest project by Breezy Rodio, If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It presents vibrant, new, quality original material. Rodio has produced a veritable smorgasbord of tasty songs. With the use of A-list musicians, dynamic horn arrangements and inventive original lyrics, Breezy has managed to produce a recording full of musical delights.
The set begins with the title track; a funky James Brown inspired, driving original song, segueing into a blues shuffle with powerful horn lines. Desperate Lover (one of my personal favorites) features great horn and organ work, heartfelt lyrics and takes us back to sounds of 60s soul. Los Christianos is an autobiographical blues reflecting on Breezy's experiences while living in the utopian hippie district of Christiana in Copenhagen. Led To A Better Life is a moving tribute to Chicago's own guitarist and stellar vocalist Mike Ledbetter, who we tragically lost last year. "Monster" Mike Welch and Corey Dennison add spice to this tasty musical treat.
I met Breezy shortly after he appeared on the Chicago Blues Scene. I watched him grow from a shy, young aspiring guitar player into the confident guitarist and vocalist that he has become. Believe me; I know a thing or two about navigating the Chicago Blues landscape. It may sound cliché, but you absolutely must pay your dues to get accepted here on the scene. Though long gone are most of the classic great musicians, Chicago is still the world Mecca of the Blues. I have seen many musicians with great potential fall by the wayside, succumbing to the many pitfalls that plague the path to success. Breezy has not only survived but has emerged as a dynamic artist.
It is worth mentioning that Breezy’s nine-year tenure as a guitarist in the band of Chicago’s illustrious Linsey Alexander definitely gave him the experience and confidence to develop his own musical identity. I became acutely aware of his musical growth and development when I collaborated with him on his previous Delmark release, Sometimes The Blues Got Me (Delmark DE 853).
I am confident that Breezy’s musical growth will continue. I am happy to know him as a friend, and a serious musician, who shares the same respect for those who paved the way before us. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come. - BILLY BRANCH from liner notes
Album Production and Supervision: Julia A. Miller and Elbio Barilari
Produced by Breezy Rodio
Recorded at Riverside Studio, Chicago by Steve Wagner
Track 16 recorded at Rax Trax Studios, Chicago, November, 2018 by Andy Shoemaker
4121 N. Rockwell, Chicago, IL 60618 www.delmark.com