Greg Piccolo

Born in Westerly, Rhode Island on May 10, 1951, saxophonist Greg Piccolo is best known for his 24-year tenure as a key member of blues/jazz/R&B band Roomful of Blues. His music career stretches back to the early 1960s when he and his saxophone joined the Rejects when he was just 13 years old. Two years later, he joined guitarist Duke Robillard in the Variations, a band that specialized in cover versions of British Invasion hits. After the Variations split up, Greg Piccolo joined forces with Al Copley and formed Greg and the Groupe. In 1970, Greg Piccolo reconnected with Duke Robillard and Robillard’s band Roomful of Blues as a blues harp player, before switching to saxophone shortly thereafter. The band released their debut album, Roomful of Blues (AKA The First Album), in 1977. By 1979, Duke Robillard had left Roomful of Blues and Greg Piccolo found himself as the leader of the band. After 24 years as a member of Roomful of Blues, he left the band to pursue a solo career. His first two solo albums – Heavy Juice (1990) and Acid Blue (1995) – leaned heavily on the acid jazz sound. He issued the album Red Lights in 1997 before releasing Homage in 2000, which paid tribute to classic tenor saxophonists. In 2005, he was one of the guest musicians on J. Geils Band guitarist Jay Geils’ album Jay Geils Plays Jazz! Greg Piccolo has maintained a busy and steady career as a sideman including a stint in Jimmie Vaughan’s Tilt-A-Whirl Band.

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