On this warm midsummer’s Sunday evening at B. B. King’s in downtown Nashville, Albert Castiglia and his band left no notes unplayed during an incendiary set in front of a very appreciative crowd hungry for the dazzling fretwork of this great young bluesman.
Several of us hardcore fans sat right down front, urging him on, but he needed no help from us. Starting off with two fiery instrumentals, he then broke into the slow blues of “Somebody Loan Me A Dime,” which was more in line with Boz Scaggs’ version than Fenton Robinson’s original. After that, he sped things up with “Just A Little Bit,” and, at our request, broke out the slide for a rousing “Bad Year Blues.” He then paid tribute to his old boss, Junior Wells, with an amped-up “Messin’ With The Kid,” and then smoked the joint with our favorite, a slow-burning “somebody done hoodooed the Hoodoo Man.” A request from another fan down front, “Big Toe,’ closed the first set.
Those of us who stuck around were treated to more brilliant guitar work with Albert “going to Detroit Michigan” on the “Cadillac Assembly Line,” and another cut from his latest album, “Living The Dream,’ Little Milton’s “Walkin’ The Backstreets And Cryin.’
Albert Castiglia can stand toe-to-toe with any guitarist in contemporary blues today. This blazing evening of blues was a fine testament to the his boundless energy and talent! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow
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