Rod Piazza - California Blues

I have seen Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers perform many times over the years and have listened to most of their CD's. While the band is good and always puts on a good show, I tend to lean toward the two Rod Piazza CD's that he put out as solo efforts, "California Blues" and "Harpburn". The reason is quite simple, when the band all plays together and/or record they seem to always include two or three boogie woogie numbers to accommodate the fine organ playing of wife Honey. Not a bad gesture but, if you dislike boogie woogie as I do, those songs tend to be throw away tunes and distract from the real reason that one purchases a Piazza CD in the first place, to hear the harp. Of course, if you like boogie woogie, you will want to go out and buy any of the CD's that features the Mighty Flyers and, of course, Honey Piazza. Honey, by the way does play a mean organ, I suppose that is how she got into the band in the first place having never played in a professional band prior to meeting Rod in a bar where he was performing, but that's another story. On this disc, Rod blows harder than anyone I have ever seen before (sorry Honey!). He can go from holding a single sustained note to a warbled vibrato with ease. At times Piazza makes his harp sing like an alto sax and at other times like a baritone. If there is a soft spot on the disc, it has to be Piazza' vocals. However, on the bright side, later discs show that his vocals have improved substantially. Low or high notes, fast or slow, Piazza is one of the best. If the blues harp is your thing, check this guy out you will not be disappointed. - by deepbluereview, Amazon.com

Artist: Rod Piazza
Album: California Blues
Year: 1997
Label: Black Top
Quality: eac-flac, cue, log, artw.
Runtime: 45:13

Tracks:
1.  Chicken Shack Boogie (Lola Anne Cullum/Amos Milburn) 2:40
2.  Bad, Bad Boy (Rod Piazza) 3:31
3.  No More Pretty Presents (Rod Piazza) 4:15
4.  California Blues (Rod Piazza) 4:49
5.  One Mint Julep (Rudy Toombs) 3:38
6.  Worried Life Blues (Sam Hopkins/Big Maceo Merriweather) 4:08
7.  Deep Fried (Rod Piazza) 3:10
8.  Can't Get That Stuff No More (Traditional) 4:16
9.  4811 Wadsworth (Rod Piazza) 5:36
10.  It's Too Late Brother (Al Duncan) 4:05
11.  Low Down Dog (Big Joe Turner) 4:58

Personnel:
Rod Piazza (Vocals, Harmonica)
Alex Schultz (Guitar)
Bill Stuve (Bass Guitar)
Honey Alexander (Piano)
Jimi Bott (Drums)

A Great Quote from LaCugna

Here is an important quote from Cathrine LaCugna's book, God For Us. (Did you know that she was a graduate of Seattle University?) I have mentioned this quote a number of times in class but I have never had it in front of me. I recently found it again, so here it is. In this passage, LaCugna is looking at the doctrine of the Trinity from an Eastern Orthodox position. She points out that Orthodox theologians emphasize that the Trinity is a communion of equals with no subordination, yet maintaining a relational structure. As she is highlighting the benefits of this understanding of equality in relationality, she simultaneously critiques the lack of ethical follow-up within the Orthodox tradition.

"Orthodox theolgoians seem entirely unaware of the ideological abuses of personhood with respect to women, or the poor, or other marginalized groups. There is no critique of heirarchical social or ecclesial structures. Much feminist literature has been devoted to exposing the oppressive 'doublespeak' contained in the reasoning that 'men and women are equal but different; God has endowed them with different places in the economy of redemption; every household needs a head and this role properly belongs to the man; this does not make the woman inferior.'"

And here is the key sentence:

"The strongest possible defense against sexism is indeed to argue ontologically, as feminist and liberation theologians have done, that the being of God is utterly antithetical to every kind of subordination and subservience." (God For Us, 287)

She continues by saying that eschatological hope and transformation are no excuse for allowing injustice to remain, because their theology calls for a different ordered structure for the church and society: that their trinitarian theology "calls for the transformation of persons and institutions in the present, precisely because unjust structures or practices obstruct grace and delay the reign of God." (288)

And here we see the heart of LaCugna's theological vision, that God's very being calls for justice, mercy and equality on every level of society, family and culture.

Unfortunately, LaCugna died of cancer at a fairly young age. We will never know the theology of her mature years, and for that we are theologically impoverished.

Peace,
Chelle