The Wheel Rolls On

Hope all is well in your blue world...
I am out on the road with my new band The Wheel, featuring sax/vocalist Jimmy Carpenter, bassist Scot Sutherland, and drummer Rob Lee.
We are out on our official first tour running through the south. Many of you know these fabulous musicians from other great groups and maybe from playing with me as well. I have been writing my new album "Gone to Texas" all year long with an idea of my dream band for this recording.
I saw Rob Lee play drums with Alan Haynes at The Big Easy in Houston years ago and fell in love....
Not like that!
It's his strong, soulful backbeat and swing that really got my attention.
Rob has been playing drums with me for about 3-4 years. He was brought in around the recording of Pearl River. He was booked to be the drummer on that album. He was on tour in Europe with Alan Haynes and their flight got held back and he had to contact me to let me know he didn't think he'd make it in time for the album. It was a frantic situation but being in New Orleans we had a few options and Eric Bolivar was brought in for the recording. Eric did a great job, but I've always been remiss that Rob wasn't on Pearl River.
We have been wanting to make an album together for some time and I am excited to have Rob join me in this new group and album.
Many of my favorite artists always have had a drummer that was their "sound".
Bruce Springsteen with Max Weinberg,
John Melloncamp with Kenny Aronoff,
Mike Zito with Rob Lee.
I first saw Scot Sutherland play bass with Tommy Castro in 2010 at the Blues from the Top festival in Winter Park, Co. I was blown away. He filled the stage with bass and moved the music with a swing that was immaculate. We jammed on the Delbert cruise and had a real rapport right away. He plays all the right notes and knows all the styles and feels that i love. I've always kept Scot in mind for my dream band and its coming true.
I met Jimmy Carpenter in 1998 in Springfield, Mo. with Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers. I had seen him play before and was excited to share the stage with him. He liked my group and offered to help me get some gigs on the road. We stayed in touch over the years and we both moved to the gulf coast about 10 years ago.
He set the bar very high for me considering horn players. I was a big Drivers fan in those days and really liked the sound of a sax with the guitar.
I've been so fortunate to have him accompany me on many gigs over the past 5 years and we just seem to really play well together. Jimmy is not your regular saxophonist. He really knows how to play with a guitar. He phrases like a guitar when necessary and gets a strong tenor tone like no other. Their are times when it sounds like we are one big guitar tone. He is soulful and melodic like no other.
We are out on this tour to get acquainted as a group and get our mindset for next months recording at Dockside Studios.
Their is one more member of The Wheel - Lewis Stephens on B3 and Piano!
I met Lewis on the Delbert cruise in 2009 and got to play with him. Wow!
He is incredible. He played all the right stuff behind my guitar playing, it made me sound so much larger than life.
I then learned that Lewis was Freddie King's B3 player. Aha!!!
He is such a sweet man and shared many stories with me about Mr King, one of my heros of the blues.
I asked him then if he would ever consider playing and recording with me and he said yes.
Lewis will join us in January for the album.
So, I've had these fabulous musicians on my mind and in my heart for some time. I wrote this album with them in mind and with the idea of a big band.
A big sound. A Texas style E Street Band!
With all the success of RSB this year I knew I would need to really step it up in my solo career. The Wheel is the next chapter of my musical book.
We are all very excited to make this album. I believe I have written some of my best material to date and have the group to truly bring it to life.
I've been so blessed this year in my family and my musical career, I couldn't ask for more.
I've had some tough times too but the music always get me through.
I hope that you all have a wonderful Holiday Season, please be safe and enjoy your loved ones. You never know what's around the turns ahead.
Hopefully all good things.
The Wheel will roll on :)
Peace, Love, Zito