'People love their blues': Albert Castiglia headlines Manomet Blues Festival in Plymouth

Albert Castiglia’s music is as much rock ‘n’ roll as blues, and also has hefty doses of funk and gritty country swamp music. If that upsets blues purists, he couldn’t care less, because pulling the venerated form into contemporary times is one of his greatest joys.

“There’s a purist in me too,” said Castiglia last week, en route from Macon, Georgia, to a string of dates in the Carolinas. “But I don’t believe you would do the blues justice if you were just rehashing what’s already been done. Why rehash Muddy Waters, for example, as incredible as he was? We may cover that stuff every now and then to show respect, but the fun part that got me into playing music was the chance to express yourself. You have to try and be original.”

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Castiglia and his band headline the first day of the Manomet Blues Festival  staged by Marshfield promoter John Hall at the John Alden Sportsman's Club in Plymouth on Saturday and Sunday.

Quincy’s Sam Gentile and Basic Black open Saturday’s show, and Sunday’s lineup features Rhode Island blues-rockers Young Neal and the Vipers, with Martha's Vineyard rockers Johnny Hoy & the Bluefish opening.

Miami bluesman

Castiglia was born in New York City, and grew up mostly in Miami. He was playing in bands early on, but went to college and was working full time in social services by 1996. Touring blues harmonica legend Junior Wells came through town and heard one of Castiglia’s bands.  Wells was looking for a new guitarist and he convinced young Castiglia to quit his job and join Wells. The master of the blues harp died in 1998, but by that time Castiglia had found his calling.

“Junior changed my life. I haven’t had a ‘real job’ since,” Castiglia said, laughing. “It didn’t take long, playing with that band, for me to vow never to go back to a job I hated. It was more than a career opportunity; he transformed my life. Now that I have grandkids, I teach them that lesson: Don’t settle for what is convenient or easy or what society wants you to do. You have one life and you might as well spend it doing something you love.”

Castiglia has been writing more and more of his own songs. His most recent album, “I Got Love,” released this spring on Gulf Coast Records, includes 10 of the 11 songs either written or co-written by the guitarist.

The title cut is the kind of gritty rocker you might expect on a ZZ Top album, while “Double Down” mixes hard funk into the mix. “Don’t Pray with the Devil” had us thinking of ‘60s rockers Grand Funk Railroad, while the cover of Melvin Taylor’s “Depression Blues” employs the kind of angular funk hook that evokes the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Clearly, Castiglia goes beyond basic blues.

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“I have done better at writing my own songs as time went on,” Castiglia said. “It has taken a while for me to get the hang of it. … I was not really very good at conveying what I was going through in a song. But now that I’m in a better place in my life, I can look back to those times when I was suffering from unrequited love or being dumped and deal with it. Twenty-five years ago, I couldn’t write about that stuff.”

Castiglia's songs 'dig deep'

The challenge for modern blues acts is to write up-to-date material while still somewhat in a traditional form.

“Let’s face it,” Castiglia said. “Anyone can write over a 12-bar blues form. But trying to develop that into a more contemporary style and tell a more contemporary story means you have to dig deep. Basically, if a song moves me, I want to record it. If it is at the expense of losing some traditionalist fans, so be it. There’s a place for everyone in this genre. I never was good at playing someone else’s music note for note. But I don’t disrespect those who do. I always say, ‘Don’t be a hater, be a motivator.”

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It's not like Castiglia doesn’t appreciate those who reinterpret classic works, however. This is a man who named his dog after his favorite singer, Ella Fitzgerald.

“Ella is my favorite jazz singer, by far,” Castiglia said. “She did a rendition of (Cream’s late-1960s hard rocker) 'Sunshine of My Love' that just blew my mind. It was on a whole album she did of ‘60s rock tunes. Then, you also had Frank Sinatra doing “Mrs. Robinson.” That’s how I try to do any covers I do, to think outside the box and be true to yourself.”

Castiglia had just toured through the area in April as one half of the Blood Brothers Tour with Mike Zito, where each man’s band did a set and then they merged. The concept worked so well they’ll be doing it again and also recording a Blood Brothers album together. Zito, remember, is the founder and main owner of Gulf Coast Records. The new record is Castiglia’s second for Gulf Coast.

South Shore fan base

Castiglia said he appreciates South Shore fans.

“We’ve always had a lot of support in New England and we’ve been building it up for 20 years,” Castiglia noted. “We have played The Spire Center in Plymouth and were supposed to play the Sportsman's Club last year, but got canceled by a potential hurricane. We have also played The C-Note in Hull a number of times and I love the fact that they got through the pandemic and reopened. People love their blues in New England, and that area south of Boston is so beautiful.”

C-Note endorsement

Barbara Rhind, bar manager and talent scout for the C-Note, first heard Castiglia in connection with the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise and became an instant fan, eager to book them for the club.

“Albert’s is one of the kindest, funniest and easiest bands with whom I’ve had the honor and pleasure of working with,” Rhind emailed. “I’ve already arranged to have a night off to see them at the Sportsman's Club. For anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of hearing them, I recommend they check Albert and his band out. Guaranteed to blow you away.”

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Lori McKenna's co-writing

Before the Fourth of July weekend, we caught the show by North Carolina rockers American Aquarium at The Sinclair in Cambridge. The band’s leader and songwriter, BJ Barham, has a co-write on the new album, “Chicamacomico,” in the song “Just Close Enough (To Be Too Far Away)” with Stoughton’s Lori McKenna, the Grammy-winning country songwriter.

The sextet performed the song about midway through its two-hour show and Barham introduced it with a warm and funny tribute to McKenna, who lives in Stoughton. Noting that he had never previously co-written with anyone, Barham said he knew McKenna slightly and mutual friends suggested they write together.

“It came during the pandemic, through Zoom, the worst, most annoying/most wonderful invention ever,” he said.

Barham said all he really had was the chorus line and a vague idea of tying it to the ephemeral relationships of touring musicians. McKenna suggested another story, about a couple together 30 years who wake up one day when their kids have grown and realize they no longer know the person they’re with.

“So I have Lori to thank for taking my (bleeped)-up idea for a song and turning it into this really (bleeped)-up story, but working with her was a wonderful experience,” he said.

Later, as Barham met fans at the merchandise table, we mentioned knowing McKenna. Barham said he’d received a message that day from her, expressing regrets that something had come up and she and her husband, Gene, wouldn’t be able to make the show, but wishing them well anyway.

“Lori is the best and such a really authentic, nice person,” Barham said. We told him that is the consensus.

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Jackson Browne takes over Leader Bank Pavilion on Thursday, July 14, while Phish jams at The Xfinity Center for two nights, July 14-15. Country star Chris Young performs at the Music Circus on Friday. Boston punk legends The Nervous Eaters heat up Brighton Music Hall on Friday.  TD Garden is up and dancing all weekend when New Kids on the Block and their fans invade the arena July 15-16, with Salt-N-Pepa and Rick Astley. Don’t forget Joe Perry has been added to that July 22 ZZ Top show at Leader Bank Pavilion.

Manomet Blues Festival

When: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. July 16-17

Where: John Alden Sportsman's Club, 16 Minuteman Lane, Plymouth

Tickets: $25 at the door, $20 in advance; two-day ticket is $30

Note: Fans are allowed to bring lawn chairs, but coolers or outside alcohol are not allowed

Info: rhythmroomrntertainment.com, or eventbrite.com 

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Albert Castiglia brings blues to Manomet Blues Festival in Plymouth