{"id":51412,"date":"2022-11-10T09:18:06","date_gmt":"2022-11-10T14:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=51412"},"modified":"2022-11-10T09:18:09","modified_gmt":"2022-11-10T14:18:09","slug":"on-stage-willie-nile-returns-to-philly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=51412","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Willie Nile returns to Philly"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Willie Nile<\/p><\/div>\n

Willie Nile loves the Philadelphia area \u2013 and, without a doubt, the Philly area loves him back.<\/p>\n

Around 16 months ago, Nile\u00a0— much to his relief and much to his delight — started playing live shows for live audiences again after a year-and-a-half of pandemic restrictions.<\/p>\n

Since mid-2021, Nile has come down from New York to perform concerts at the Ardmore Music Hall, 118 North and the Sellersville Theater.<\/p>\n

Now, the veteran rocker is coming back again.<\/p>\n

On November 11, Nile will headline a show at City Winery (990 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, citywinery.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been playing a lot since March 2021,\u201d said\u00a0Nile, during a recent phone interview.\u00a0\u201cWe started playing in April in New York and did a Midwest tour in the middle of October.\u00a0People are coming out. Not as much as normal but we\u2019re still playing to good audiences.\u201d <\/p>\n

Nile is not out on an album support tour. But he is celebrating a new release \u2013 a single titled, \u201cWake Up America.\u201d<\/p>\n

The song might but one of the top three most poignant songs the lauded singer\/songwriter has ever composed. And the accompanying video delivers the message with the power of a sledgehammer and the compassion of a Tibetan monk.<\/p>\n

The track features guest vocals by gavel-throated rocker Steve Earle and an all-star studio cast that includes Stewart Lerman, James Frazee, Greg Calbi, Jimi K. Bones, Johnny Pisano, Jon Weber, Waddy Wachtel, Andy Burton, James Maddock, Frankie Lee and Nile\u2019s band.<\/p>\n

The song is a call for our nation to get itself together and move in the right direction.<\/p>\n

The video features more than a hundred Americans \u2013 all ages, all races, all genders, all religions \u2013 looking at the camera and looking for a path of hope.<\/p>\n

Many of them carry signs with messages such as \u201cStop Hate,\u201d \u201cDefend Democracy,\u201d \u201cNo More,\u201d \u201cNo Racism,\u201d \u201cWe Are Stronger Than Hate,\u201d \u201cMake It Stop,\u201d \u201cFight Today for a Better Tomorrow,\u201d \u201cEnough,\u201d \u201cLove Is Never Wrong,\u201d \u201cStop Plastic Pollution,\u201d \u201cDisarm Hate,\u201d and \u201cStop the Lies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout the song, Nile sings, \u201cWake Up, America\u2026rise and shine\u2026the sun is going down…and it\u2019s all on the line.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Nile, \u201cI wrote this song because I still believe in the dream that is America. Even though our history is riddled with pain and injustice and the divisions between us are greater than ever, I know we can do better than this.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of wrongs that need to be righted and we can do that if we work together, neighbor to neighbor, and make our voices heard at the polls.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of hurt and there will be more hurt to come if we don\u2019t do the right thing and start treating each other with respect. We\u2019re bigger and better than this and we need to get out there and vote and prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nile, who is in his mid-70s, comes from an era when music pushed boundaries. It was also an era when bands like The Who and the Kinks showed the world how to rock.<\/p>\n

Nile has his own special connection to The Who.<\/p>\n

In 1980,\u00a0Nile\u00a0was doing support gigs for his debut album, \u201cWillie\u00a0Nile.\u201d That same year, The Who were touring the world in support of their most recent album, \u201cWho Are You.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the personal\u00a0request\u00a0of The Who\u2019s guitarist Pete Townshend,\u00a0Nile\u00a0was invited to be the opening for the \u201cSecond North American Leg\u201d of the British band\u2019s world tour.<\/p>\n

On May 28 this year, The Who were performing at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York as part of \u201cThe Who Hits Back\u201d tour. Once again, they enlisted\u00a0Nile\u2019s services as the opening act for a concert featuring\u00a0the\u00a0two older and (maybe) wiser legendary acts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a great night,\u201d said\u00a0Nile. \u201cThe Who sounded great. Pete\u2019s guitar work was great, and Roger\u2019s vocals were powerful. They still put on a great show.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show in May was also a \u201cfull circle\u201d event for The Who.<\/p>\n

The show marked The Who\u2019s return to the Woodstock site nearly 53 years after they performed at the famous gathering in Bethel, Sullivan County. That night, they started the show in darkness, played a few numbers and then played \u201cTommy\u201d in its entirety as the sun rose behind the stage. It was and still is one of their most iconic concerts.<\/p>\n

Nile, who turned 74 last month, is still rocking hard and still playing a lot of live shows.<\/p>\n

Nile\u00a0has also performed at several Bob Dylan Celebration shows — Bob\u2019s birthday celebrations at City Winery in New York City and the Dylan Festival in Warwick, NY. The Dylan shows were a natural fit for\u00a0Nile\u00a0who released an album of Dylan songs \u2013 \u201cPositively Bob\u201d in 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve done the Dylan Festival in Warwick two times,\u201d said\u00a0Nile. \u201cI played Dylan songs and some of my own. When Dylan turned 75, I got a phone call from City Winery in New York. They asked me to close the show with four songs. I played \u2018Hard Rain Gonna Fall,\u2019 \u2018Love Minus Zero,\u2019 \u2018Rainy Day Woman,\u2019 and \u2018You Ain\u2019t Goin\u2019 Nowhere.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was young and first went to New York to play, I never thought about doing cover songs. With my Dylan album, I decided to do songs and put them out there. I made the album in two days. All the vocals were live. I recorded the album at His House Studio which is owned by Spin Doctors\u2019 drummer Aaron Comess.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nile\u00a0is a rocker who loves to perform live.<\/p>\n

Nile\u00a0has tapped\u00a0into his own lockdown experience as a source of inspiration for the set of haunting new songs that comprise his emotion-charged latest album, \u201cThe Day the Earth Stood Still.\u201d The album was inspired by the sight of\u00a0Nile\u2019s beloved hometown temporarily turned into a desolate ghost town, thanks to COVID-19 safety precautions.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor more than a year, New York\u00a0was\u00a0like a ghost town,\u201d said\u00a0Nile, \u201cI have a storage space near the Holland Tunnel, and normally on a Friday night at rush hour, it can take an hour to move five blocks.\u00a0One night\u00a0at 6 p.m., I was on Varick Street. I looked in both directions and there wasn\u2019t a car in sight. I could have laid down in the middle of the street without anyone noticing. It was like a science fiction movie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nile\u2019s debut album, \u201cWillie\u00a0Nile,\u201d was released by Arista Records in early 1980 to critical praise. Now, more than 40 years later,\u00a0Nile\u00a0is still going strong.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018The Day the Earth Stood Still\u2019 in January 2021,\u201d said\u00a0Nile. \u201cWe all wore\u00a0masks the whole time and did our best to keep things safe.\u00a0In the studio, if someone was singing in a room, we couldn\u2019t go in until an hour after they finished singing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole band, except me, had actually caught COVID on our last gig before the pandemic hit — February 29, 2020 at the South Orange Performing Arts Center. Everyone recovered and, for some reason, I never got it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Co-produced by\u00a0Nile\u00a0and Grammy-winner and longtime collaborator\u00a0Stewart Lerman\u00a0(Elvis Costello\/Patti Smith\/Norah Jones), the album features such timely compositions as \u201cSanctuary,\u201d \u201cExpect Change\u201d \u201cWay of the Heart,\u201d \u201cOff My Medication\u201d and \u201cWhere There\u2019s a Willie There\u2019s a Way,\u201d \u201cBlood on Your Hands,\u201d and \u201cThe Justice Bell\u201d (which was inspired by\u00a0Nile\u2019s encounter with civil\u00a0rights icon and U.S. Congressman John Lewis).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album in New Jersey at the same studio we\u2019ve used several times in the past — Hobo Sound in Weehawken,\u201d said\u00a0Nile, who plays acoustic and electric guitars and piano.\u00a0We cut it in January. We spent three days doing the basic tracks and a few days doing overdubbing. \u2018The Day the Earth Stood Still\u2019 is not a concept album, but it is clearly inspired by New York in the pandemic\u00a0shutdown.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Willie\u00a0Nile\u00a0—\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/LCM1QyWM-3M<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at City Winery on November 11, which has Luther Black and the Cold Hard Facts as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $30, $32 and $35.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming acts at City Winery are Toby Lightman on November 10, Liz Longley on November 12,\u00a0Zoe\u0308 Keating on November 13, The Pill on November 16, Melissa Villase\u00f1or on November 16 and Peter Himmelman on November 16.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Roomful of Blues<\/p><\/div>\n

There is a bit of coincidence between area bookings by Willie Nile and Roomful of Blues.<\/p>\n

The last time Nile played the area was at the Sellersville Theater. This weekend, he is at City Winery.<\/p>\n

The last time Roomful of Blues played the area was in April at City Winery. This weekend, the band is playing the Sellersville Theater.<\/p>\n

On November 12, Roomful of Blues will return to the area for a show at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>). The Rhode Island-based band with a recording career that has lasted longer than 50 years and resulted in more than 20 albums, also played at the Sellersville Theater in August 2021.<\/p>\n

Roomful of Blues makes good records, but the band really thrives on stage. Thankfully, the road is opening up for the veteran musicians.<\/p>\n

\u201cStuff is starting to come in,\u201d said guitarist\/bandleader Chris\u00a0Vachon, during a phone interview from his New England home. \u201cWe got new management and gigs are trickling in.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band has toured worldwide and has treated fans around the world to its unique blend of a variety of music genres including rock and roll, swing, R&B, boogie-woogie, soul and a number of different blues styles.<\/p>\n

Roomful of Blues has received five Grammy Award nominations and seven Blues Music Awards, including \u201cBlues Band Of The Year\u201d in 2005. The Down Beat International Critics Poll has twice selected Roomful of Blues as \u201cBest Blues Band\u201d.<\/p>\n

Over the years, more than 50 different musicians have been part of Roomful of Blues\u2019 line-up, including vocalist\/guitarist Duke Robillard, vocalist Lou Ann Barton, keyboardist Junior Brantley and trumpeter Fred Jackson.<\/p>\n

Roomful of Blues is currently an eight-piece unit featuring guitarist\/bandleader Chris\u00a0Vachon,\u00a0Rich Lataille (tenor and alto sax player), Alek Razdan (baritone and tenor saxophone), Rusty Scott (piano, Hammond B-3 organ), Carl Gerhard (trumpet), John Turner (bass), Phil Pemberton (vocals) and Chris Anzalone (drums).<\/p>\n

Roomful of Blues\u2019 first album was an eponymous release in 1978 and the most recent is the \u201cIn A Roomful Of Blues\u201d LP.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur last album was right when the pandemic started,\u201d said\u00a0Vachon.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn A Roomful Of Blues,\u201d the band\u2019s sixth\u00a0release on Alligator Records, features 13 wide-ranging songs, including 10\u00a0band-composed originals \u2014 more than on any previous Roomful album. Eight songs were written or co-written by Chris\u00a0Vachon\u00a0(including one authored with vocalist Phil Pemberton) plus one each by sax player Alek Razdan and keyboardist Rusty Scott.<\/p>\n

The album features a real variety of music styles \u2014 soaring blues, zydeco twists, late-night ballads, Latin-tinged funk and a touch of vintage, fifth-gear rock \u2018n\u2019 roll.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe album came out on March 13, 2020\u2013 Friday the 13th \u2013 right when COVID hit,\u201d said\u00a0Vachon. \u201cCOVID was tough on us. Nobody in the band and its family got it but we were pretty much out of it for a year-and-a-half. We couldn\u2019t have any gigs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve always done a lot of weekend stuff \u2013 mainly because there\u2019s not much going on during the week. Our shows are mostly Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I don\u2019t know how many we do a year. It\u2019s a pretty good amount. Half the guys in the band are from Boston and half are from Rhode Island. It\u2019s also hard to get together because people have families and other responsibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roomful of Blues is getting back in the groove of live performances this summer. This weekend, the band has a pair of New Jersey shows sandwiched around the Sellersville date followed by a close-to-home show in Norfolk, Connecticut. They finish the month with gigs in Maine and Boston.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re playing half the new album in our current live show,\u201d said\u00a0Vachon. \u201cWe change it up every night. For example, we\u2019re playing a blues cruise later this year. We have three shows so we can\u2019t play the same stuff over again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always mix it up. We\u2019ve got a lot of stuff from over the years. We\u2019ve got so many albums, it\u2019s hard to just pull one out. We try to keep some variety there with tempos and beats \u2014 trying to mix it up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I like to do is have a variety of stuff, so people aren\u2019t listening to the same beat repeatedly. It\u2019s more of a journey instead of 10 shuffles in a row. And we do a fair amount of covers \u2014 not familiar stuff but rather mostly obscure stuff that no-one knows.\u201d<\/p>\n

There likely won\u2019t be any covers from the band\u2019s latest album. \u201cIn A Roomful Of Blues\u201d is almost completely originals.<\/p>\n

\u201cBob Moulton and I wrote seven songs together and another where we texted back-and-forth,\u201d said\u00a0Vachon. \u201cI brought the songs we worked on, and the other guys played on it at my studio \u2013 which I just closed down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rest was done in a studio in Connecticut \u2013 Power Station Northeast in Waterford. After that, I mixed it all at my place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not many bands stay together for more than 10-15 years. Very few make it past 25 and passing a 40th anniversary is almost unheard of. Roomful of Blues celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017 and its roster has featured more than 55 members in 54 years.<\/p>\n

The current line-up is the most stable. Pemberton has in the band for almost 15 years. Lataille is a founding member and has been in the band since 1970. Chris\u00a0Vachon\u00a0has been around since 1990. The \u201cnew kid on the block\u201d is Razdan who joined between the last two albums.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason for our longevity is the music we like to play,\u201d said\u00a0Vachon. \u201cWe\u2019ve had our ups and downs. Some years we\u2019ve toured more than others. We currently play about 150 shows a year. The band keeps getting new fans and there are a lot of older people who have been listening to us for years. For young people, their only exposure to us has been at festivals.<\/p>\n

Video for Roomful of Blues \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/jx4Bd9FOrNc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Sellersville Theater will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $29.50.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>) Stanley Jordan on November 10, Celtica Nova on November 11, Trout Fishing in America on November 12, James Pace band on November 13. Tab Benoit on November 15 and Rodney Crowell on November 16.<\/p>\n

Another blues artist with a history at the Sellersville Theater will be visiting the area for a pair of upcoming shows.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Albert Castiglia<\/p><\/div>\n

On November 13, Albert Castiglia will perform with Jimmy Vivino at the Blues Harvest 2022 at St. Georges Country Store (Delaware Veterans Post 1, 2535 Veterans Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, http:\/\/www.saintgeorgescountrystore.com\/<\/a>).<\/p>\n

One week later, Castiglia will be in Reading with Mike Zito as part of the November 20 line-up at the Reading Blues Fest (DoubleTree Grand Ballroom, Reading, www.readingbluesfest.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Back in March, Castiglia was part of a blockbuster blues show at the Sellersville Theater with Zito. The two blues aces toured with their bands on what was billed as, \u201cBlood Brothers Tour 2022 \u2013 Two Brothers, Two Bands, One Amazing Show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Castiglia recorded a Blood Brothers album with Zito that Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith produced. The CD will be coming out in early 2023.<\/p>\n

Both blues guitarists have been celebrating releases of highly acclaimed new albums — Zito\u2019s double live set,\u00a0\u201cBlues for the Southside,\u201d\u00a0which was released in February and debuted at Number One on the\u00a0Billboard\u00a0Blues Chart, and\u00a0Castiglia\u2019s new album, \u201cI\u00a0Got Love,\u201d which was released in March.<\/p>\n

\u201cI Got Love,\u201d\u00a0was produced by Zito\u00a0and features Justine Tompkins (bass and vocals), Ephraim Lowell (drums and vocals), Lewis Stephens (Hammond B3 organ and piano) and\u00a0Castiglia\u00a0(guitar and vocals).<\/p>\n

It showcases 11 intense, blues-drenched tracks and is a personal and powerful statement from\u00a0Castiglia.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Castiglia, \u201cThe album is a musical essay documenting the last two years of my life — two years of many highs and lows. It\u2019s about falling, failing, adapting, reinventing, surviving and becoming triumphant.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe blues and blues-infused music is rooted in truth. This album is my truth. To ignore the events of the past two years (the COVID era) and write about anything else would not be my truth. I went through it all – loss, depression, illness, fear of the unknown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I couldn\u2019t have been the only one that went through it. This collection of songs is for those who felt like I did. It\u2019s for those who went down fighting and those who keep on fighting. For many of us in my profession and in the gig economy, this was our great depression. Some of us are doing well and some of us are still trying to find solid ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI Got Love\u201d officially dropped on March 25.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded \u2018I Got Love\u2019 at Dockside Studio in Maurice, Louisiana,\u201d said\u00a0Castiglia, who lives in Fort Lauderdale Florida.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a wonderful studio in the middle of a bayou. It has a mix of digital and analog equipment including a 48-track Neve board. We recorded it back in November and it just came out this month.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only get to play seven or eight songs in my set. I\u2019ll try to do at least two or three new ones. I also have to play older ones because people want to hear my \u2018standards.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Castiglia\u2019s two previous albums were \u201cMasterpiece\u201d in 2019 and \u201cWild and Free\u201d in 2020.\u00a0Castiglia\u00a0was the 2020 BMA winner for Blues Rock Album of the Year with \u201cMasterpiece.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen \u2018Masterpiece\u2019 came out, we toured pretty heavily that year,\u201d said\u00a0Castiglia. \u201cWe did a winter tour in early 2020. We were in Switzerland and there were rumblings of a pandemic in the states.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got home and did shows in Atlanta and Tallahassee. We were on our way up to Delaware for a show in St. George\u2019s when the owner called and said \u2013 hold on. He called again and said that the state had shut down. So, we turned around and headed home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put out \u2018Wild and Free\u2019 in 2020. COVID was part of the inspiration. There were no real rules where we lived \u2013 in Florida. We just had to adapt to what was happening. I did gigs and then got heat from the other side.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor musicians, the pandemic was a time of depression. We lost all those gigs and had to find a way to make up for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur drummer is a handyman, so he found work. So did our bass player, who is an office worker. I improvised — teaching lessons by Zoom and doing virtual shows. It was a tough couple years but we found a way to get through it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Castiglia\u00a0was born on August 12, 1969 when the planets were getting in cosmic alignment to welcome the hundreds of thousands of music fans who had already begun their journey to New York State to attend \u201cWoodstock Music & Art Fair: An Aquarian Exposition.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lot of blues acts performed live during those three historic days including the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Johnny Winter, Keef Hartley Band, and Canned Heat along with blues-influenced rock bands such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Mountain, Ten Years After and Blood, Sweat & Tears.<\/p>\n

Castiglia, who is a guitarist, singer and songwriter, got involved in the blues two decades after Woodstock.<\/p>\n

\u201cEric Clapton got me into the blues in the beginning,\u201d said\u00a0Castiglia. \u201cI listened to a lot of blues on record. I was fascinated but these were blues songs that were covers. I wanted to find the versions that were the originals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I bought Muddy Waters\u2019 \u2018Hard Again.\u2019 That was the record that really changed it. I was hearing Muddy for the first time on cassette. To me, the songs are what matter \u2014 even without production. Music is still really powerful. It\u2019s all about the song and the message.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s because of the old stuff that I\u2019m doing this now. The great thing about the blues is that you never stop learning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Castiglia\u00a0joined the Miami Blues Authority in 1990 and was named the \u201cBest Blues Guitarist in Miami\u201d by the Miami New Times in 1997. Discovered singing by Junior Wells in 1996,\u00a0Castiglia\u00a0joined his touring band and worked as Wells\u2019 lead guitarist until the blues legend\u2019s death in 1998.<\/p>\n

Castiglia\u2019s first solo album, \u201cBurn,\u201d was self-released in 2004 and followed in 2006 by \u201cThe Bittersweet Sessions,\u201d which was also self-released. He then released four albums on BluesLeaf Records \u2014 \u201cA Stone\u2019s Throw,\u201d These Are the Days,\u201d \u201cKeepin On,\u201d and \u201cLiving the Dream.\u201d Next was a series of four LPs on Ruf Records \u2013 \u201cSolid Ground,\u201d \u201cBlues Caravan 2014,\u201d \u201cBig Dog,\u201d and \u201cUp All Night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Castiglia\u2019s 11th album was \u201cMasterpiece,\u201d which was released by Gulf Coast Records on May 24, 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded the album in Mike\u2019s studio in Nederland, Texas,\u201d said\u00a0Castiglia. \u201cIt was very special to be there.<\/p>\n

\u201cMike played bass and drums and I played guitar and sang. It was mostly analog. A lot was done live with Mike on drums and me. I think it has a live feeling. The only thing we overdubbed was the bass.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was inspired by events of the previous year. I got connected with a daughter I never knew I had \u2013 a daughter and two grandkids.\u201d<\/p>\n

When\u00a0Castiglia\u2019s daughter found him, she provided him with an instant family.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Castiglia, \u201cPrior to my daughter finding me, my entire adult life felt incomplete. I never knew why I felt that way. I could never put my finger on it. Then when I discovered my daughter, my heart was suddenly overflowing.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy daughter finding me and opening up my world to an additional family, including two grandchildren, brought out the deepest material I\u2019ve ever created.\u201d<\/p>\n

Family relationships have always fueled blues lyrics and\u00a0Castiglia\u00a0is keeping the tradition alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy job as a musician is to keep the groove alive and relevant,\u201d said\u00a0Castiglia. \u201cThat\u2019s why I do it. That\u2019s why my contemporaries do it. I do it because I love it. It\u2019s the reason I live and I exist. It\u2019s the reason that I play this music for a living.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Albert\u00a0Castiglia\u00a0—\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/dV58R7b3WSA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Blues Harvest 2022, which will also feature Venom Blues with Kitty Mayo, will run from 1-6 p.m. on November 13.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $45.<\/p>\n

The Castiglia\/Zito show at the Reading Blues Fest will start at 10:30 a.m. on November 20.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $69.<\/p>\n

As usual, blues will also be on the menu at Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,\u00a0www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) this weekend.<\/p>\n

On November 12, Jamey\u2019s will host Stevie and the Bluescasters, a three-piece acoustic blues band from Philadelphia featuring vocals, acoustic guitars, mandolin, National Steel and wood body Resonator, harmonica and percussion.<\/p>\n

On November 11, the venue in Delaware County will present Ken Ulansey and Phyllis Chapell. The two music vets have been blending their instruments and voices together for more than 15 years, recording in each other\u2019s many projects, mixing influences, and broadening each other\u2019s musical outlooks.<\/p>\n

Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM\u201d featuring the Philly Blues Kings. Another weekly event at the venue is the \u201cTHURSDAY NIGHT JAZZ JAM\u201d\u00a0featuring the Dave Reiter Trio with guest vocalist Annika Horne.<\/p>\n

This weekend, Lyric Fest (https:\/\/lyricfest.org<\/a>) is continuing its 20th anniversary season with\u00a0\u201cA Singer\u2019s Singer: A Biography In Music of Winnaretta Singer – An American Patroness In Paris.\u201d<\/p>\n

The concert will be presented twice this weekend — November 12 at the\u00a0First Presbyterian Church\u00a0in Philadelphia and November 13 at\u00a0The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill.
\nWinnaretta Singer was the American-born heiress to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune, who became Princess de Polignac after marrying a penniless aristocratic composer, Prince Edmond de Polignac.<\/p>\n

The couple hosted the most famous salon in Paris in the early 20th century. Trailblazer and philanthropist, Singer lived life on her own terms and ahead of her time.<\/p>\n

\u201cA Singer\u2019s Singer\u201d is a retrospective of 50 years of Singer\u2019s influence on music and on the City of Paris itself. The event uses letters, biographical narration, and video animation to explore her patronage and commissioning history.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re an art song revival series and this is our 20th season,\u201d said\u00a0DuPlantis, during a recent phone interview from Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe take a theme and create a program. We curate songs and also do commissioned music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joining Lyric Fest for this biography in music are soprano\u00a0Danielle Talamantes, mezzo-soprano\u00a0Marjorie Maltais, and baritone\u00a0Jorell Williams, with Founders and Artistic Directors\u00a0Laura Ward\u00a0on piano and\u00a0Suzanne DuPlantis\u00a0providing script and narration. The evening features works by\u00a0Debussy,\u00a0Satie,\u00a0Stravinsky,\u00a0Bach,\u00a0Faur\u00e9,\u00a0Ravel,\u00a0Grainger,\u00a0Quilter,\u00a0Porter, and others.<\/p>\n

The First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia is located at 201 South 21st Street in Philadelphia\u2019s Rittenhouse area. The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill is located at 8855 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia\u2019s Chestnut Hill section..<\/p>\n

Both shows begin at 3 p.m. Tickets for\u00a0either\u00a0show\u00a0are $25.<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is presenting Better Than Bacon on November 11, The Cartoon Christmas on December 6, and The Last Big Band Holiday Show on December 20.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is hosting Angry Young Band on November 11, UZO on November 12, Antje Duvekot on November 18, The D Corridori Project on November 19, Jazz Jam on November 27, Dead Flowers on December 3, and Bryan Tuk Project on December 10.<\/p>\n

The Sound Bank (119 South Main Street, Phoenixville, www.soundbankphx.com<\/a>) will have Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise on November 10, Lower Case Blues on November 12, and E Street Shuffle on November 18.<\/p>\n

Phantom Power (121 West Frederick Street, Millersville, www.phantompower.net<\/a>) will have Dancing Bears on November 12, Couch on November 18, Brass Monkeys on November 26, Local H on December 3, Maya de Vitry on December 9, and Aunt Mary Pat on December 29.<\/p>\n

Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com\/events<\/a>) is hosting Bruce Hornsby on November 16 and Jessica Lynn on December 9.<\/p>\n

Hornsby and his band will also headline a show at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, New Jersey, scottishriteauditorium.com<\/a>) on November 17. The South Jersey venue will also host Tower of Power on November 19.<\/p>\n

The Living Room & Cricket Caf\u00e9 (104 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore, livingroomardmore.com<\/a>). \u201cJazz Night with Chico Huff & Friends\u201d on November 10, solo show by Eric Bazilian of the Hooters on November 11, and NRBQ on November 12.<\/p>\n

18 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) will host Grizful Dead on November 10, Kbong & Johnny Cosmic on November 11, Reggae Thunder on November 12, Courtney Marie Andrews on November 13 and Old Sea Brigade on November 16.<\/p>\n

The Met (858 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/themetphilly.com<\/a>) will host Joe Russo on November 11 and Michelle Obama on November 18.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Bowl (1009 Canal Street, Philadelphia, www.brooklynbowl.com\/philadelphia<\/a>) will have Cloud Nothings on November 10, Infected Mushroom on November 11 and Smallpools on November 13.<\/p>\n

Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, kungfunecktie.com<\/a>) presents The Schizophonics on November 10, Hive on November 11 and Sug Daniels on November 16.<\/p>\n

Fire (412 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, thefirephilly.com<\/a>) will host Sanctorium on November 10, the Wheelz on November 11 and 12 and Waiting on Mongo on November 16.<\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) will present Paul Reiser on November 11.<\/p>\n

Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a>) hosts Gloria Trevi on November 10, Jessie Reyez on November 13 and Mercyful Fate on November 14.<\/p>\n

World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, www.worldcafelive.com<\/a>) will have Joan Osborne on November 12.<\/p>\n

Johnny Brenda\u2019s (1201 North Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, www.johnnybrendas.com<\/a>) presents Bulldozer on November 10, Whitmer Thomas on November 11, Skullcrusher on November 12, The Lazy Eyes on November 15 and Ty Segall on November16.<\/p>\n

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/undergroundarts.org<\/a>) will have She Wants Revenge on November 10, Black Lips on November 11, Katatonia on November 12, Mindforce on November 13 and Thee Sacred Souls on November 16.<\/p>\n

Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-232-2100, www.utphilly.com<\/a>) hosts Plains on November 10, Four Year Strong on November 11, Magdalena Bay on November 13, The Lone Bellow on November 15 and Bright Eyes on November 16.<\/p>\n

Longwood Gardens (1001 Longwood Drive, Kennett Square, longwoodgardens.org<\/a>) will present Peter Richard Conte on November 11.<\/p>\n

The Kimmel Cultural Campus (Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelculturalcampus.org<\/a>) will present Nigella Lawson on November 10, Preservation Hall Jazz Band on November 11, Amanda Seales on November 12 and Rami Khalife on November 13.<\/p>\n

PhilaMOCA (531 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, 267-519-9651, www.philamoca.org<\/a>) will present Tenci on November 14.<\/p>\n

Franklin Music Hall (421 North Seventh Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/franklin.musichallphiladelphia.org\/<\/a>) will host Soccer Mommy on November 11 and Alvvays on November 12.<\/p>\n

Reverb (1402 North Ninth Street, Reading, 610-743-3069, www.reverbconcerts.com<\/a>) will present Venom, Inc. on November 11 and Black Flag on November 15.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Willie Nile loves the Philadelphia area \u2013 and, without a doubt, the Philly area loves him back. Around 16 months ago, Nile\u00a0— much to his relief and much to his delight — started playing live shows for live audiences again after a year-and-a-half of pandemic restrictions. Since mid-2021, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":51409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[12314,7426,6820,9671],"class_list":["post-51412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-albert-castiglia","tag-featured","tag-roomful-of-blues","tag-willie-nile"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51412"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51412\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51413,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51412\/revisions\/51413"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/51409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}