Rob Paparozzi Reviews “The Road And The Room”

It was with great pleasure and astonishment for the great, great words that Rob Paparozzi spent for “The Road And The Room” that I’m happy to share this review to you.

“Here you go bro, really fantastic job, 1st class and cool selection of Music… feel free to use some or all of my review…..
Ciao
Rob

I just finished listening to the newest CD from The Riccardo Grosso Blues Band title “The Road and the Room”. The recording was put together very uniquely before and during the Pandemic as a labor of love for the Blues.

To start the record Grosso uses a highly energetic and soulful “live” recording of 6 Blues Tunes with original arrangements and a killer band. There is a wide eclectic variety of tunes on this LP from Willie Dixon and Slim Harpo and Sonny Boy Williamson 2 and also deeply grooved “Double Trouble” by Otis Rush which kicks the Project off. I especially loved the funky arrangement of Chuck Berry’s lesser known gem “Nadine”. Grosso’s reading of Charlie Musselwhite’s “Feel it in Your Heart” leaves you imagining your sitting in a Brazilian Blues Bar, really nice addition to this diverse CD of Blues grooves. But each tune whether it’s a nod to Kim Wilson, Jerry McCain or Little Walter has Grosso’s Original stamp on it with soulful vocals and masterful Harmonica playing. He never copies riffs on his harp but rather builds and expands on the the Masters who came before him.

Kudos to Riccardo who pulled up his sleeves and keep working hard during the Pandemic – Recording, Mixing and Producing from his home to bring his fans a new product. A real first class production. The backend of this project closes with two new recordings both Solo and with top notch band. Trust me you’ve never heard Rice Miller’s “Fattening Frogs for Snakes” done so creatively with a post pandemic message. Finally, to end with a Tom Waits song is the Perfect conclusion to a might fine project. Flavio Paludetti’s Guitar Solo on this song is superb and on the Money!

Grosso’s hi level harp playing through out the whole CD is dripping with Soul and originality but always paying respect to his mentors.

So tune in and turn on the new CD from the RG Blues Band, trust me you will NOT be disappointed!

Rob Paparozzi”

You can click on the image above to see the original email.

I’ve met Rob at SPAH Convention in St.Louis, Missouri back in 2008, we were introduced to each other by Charlie Musselwhite. We met again in 2019, after eleven years, to play “Sweet Home Chicago” with the Original Blues Brothers Band. We worked together in a nice masterclass about “Diatonic and Chromatic Harmonica” on Zoom, when everybody was locked down, that I’ve organized, but honestly when a heavyweight musician spends great words like the ones you’ve been reading for the music I do, it always