The Blues Foundation nominating committee was obviously taken with
the killer guitar hooks and memorable lyrics of "Bad Year Blues,"
the lead-off track on These Are the Days, a CD that
helped launch Albert Castiglia to new heights in both critical
acclaim and album sales. In addition to "Bad Year Blues," his latest
CD also contains four other original songs written by Castiglia,
including "Godfather of the Blues," a tribute to his former boss and
mentor, the late, legendary Junior Wells.
"Albert Castiglia
shows an expressiveness and originality in approach that identifies
him as an emerging star within contemporary blues circles," said
Nashville's City Paper in its review. Miami's
New Times cited the CD as "a worthy platform for his searing
vocals, which are authoritative beyond his relatively modest years,
as well as his extraordinary performing prowess … his exceptional
solos, sizzling slide guitar, and firebrand execution reflect the
thrill of his live sets and make These Are the Days a
memorable statement." Blues Revue summed it up best
when it said: "This is a flat-out, hands-down, unconditionally great
record."
Born in New York and
raised in Miami, Albert Castiglia began playing guitar at 12. In
1990, he became a member of The Miami Blues Authority and was later
voted "Best Blues Guitarist" by New Times magazine in
1997. Shortly thereafter, he was spotted by legendary blues
singer/harmonica player Junior Wells, who asked Castiglia to join
his band as a guitarist and singer. With Wells as his mentor, Albert
performed at clubs and festivals across America, as well as in
Canada and Europe. During that time, he also got the opportunity to
play and jam with many other blues stars, including Pinetop Perkins,
Ronnie Earl, Billy Boy Arnold, Lurrie Bell, Jerry Portnoy, Eddy
Clearwater and Otis Clay. After Junior Wells passed away, Castiglia
toured with Atlanta blues singer Sandra Hall.
In 2002, Albert
launched his solo career with the debut CD, Burn,
collaborating with his longtime friend, Graham Wood Drout of south
Florida band Iko-Iko. Drout's visceral, yet literary songs became
the perfect vehicle for Castiglia's soulful vocals, which recall Van
Morrison, and stinging guitar playing. In 2006, he released his
second album, A Stone's Throw, which included two more
Drout compositions, "Big Toe," and the amazing "Ghosts of
Mississippi," which has all the earmarks of becoming a blues
classic. Castiglia and Drout also released a live CD together,
titled The Bittersweet Sessions, in 2005
