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Albert Castiglia
(pronounced
“ka-STEEL-ya”)
was born on
August 12, 1969
in New York. At
the age of 5,
his family moved
to Miami. With a
Cuban mother and
an Italian
father, he is an
example of the
melting pot of
culture that is
Miami. He
learned to play
guitar at the
age of 12 and
soon realized
that the
passions in his
heart were
expressed best
by his music.
Castiglia has a
blues history.
In 1990, he
joined The Miami
Blues Authority
and later on won
"Best Blues
Guitarist" from
New Times
magazine
in 1997. The
legendary Junior
Wells discovered
Castiglia and
immediately
hired him as his
own
guitarist/vocalist
on several world
tours. After
Wells' passing,
Castiglia toured
with Atlanta
blues singer
Sandra Hall,
then ventured
out on a solo
career and
released his
debut album in
2002, Burn,
working with his
longtime friend,
Graham Wood
Drout of Iko-Iko.
In 2006, he
released his
second album
(and first for
Blues Leaf
Records),
A Stone's Throw,
which included
two more
insightful Drout
songs, “Big Toe”
and “Ghosts Of
Mississippi.”
Castiglia and
Drout also
released a live
collaboration
titled The
Bittersweet
Sessions
in 2005,
which focused on
a more
acoustic-oriented,
intimate feel.
Now Castiglia
comes back
full-bore with a
blistering new
album on Blues
Leaf Records,
These are the
Days,
which perfectly
showcases both
his incendiary
electric and
slide guitar
work and soulful
vocals, which
recall Van
Morrison.
These are the
Days
contains five
Castiglia
originals,
including a
tribute to his
mentor Junior
Wells,
“Godfather of
the Blues”. The
material is
varied, with
songs from Bob
Dylan
(“Catfish’),
Nappy Brown
(“Night Time is
the Right Time”)
and Fenton
Robinson
(“Somebody Loan
me a Dime”).
Once again,
Graham Wood
Drout
contributes
another
outstanding
song,
“Celebration,”
to add to the
string of
compositions
he’s written on
each of
Castiglia’s
albums. Until
now, “Somebody
Loan Me a Dime”
and Little
Willie John’s
“Need Your Love
So Bad” were
attention
grabbers in
Castiglia’s live
shows; but
through the
insistence of
Blues Leaf
president Joe
Morabia, Albert
captures that
magic on this
album. In
addition to the
solid blues
songs throughout
These are
the Days,
Castiglia
generates some
dance floor
energy with “Bad
Year Blues” and
“Twister,” two
jumping tunes
sure to become
live show
favorites. This
is the album
that says “These
Are Albert
Castiglia’s
Days.”
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