Mike Zito 'Pearl River' album

If there was any justice in the music business, the name Mike Zito would spoken in the same breath with the top echelon of rock and blues guitarists. An incredibly gifted musician, Zito is equally adept at wrapping deeply personal emotions in beautiful and unique melodies, and then rocking the joint with his own exciting brand of hard-rocking roadhouse blues. As a guitarist, he’s second to absolutely no one, but it’s his appealingly warm, husky vocals that really seal the deal, reaching out and drawing listeners into his music whether he’s singing a tender acoustic ballad or shaking the rafters of the biggest arena. And the icing on the cake is that he’s a wonderful songwriter as well, crafting engaging, meaningful songs that are much more than simply vehicles for his extraordinary guitar playing.

On his first Eclecto Groove release, “Today”, we heard the depth and breadth of his musical range. Now with the release of “Pearl River”, Mike Zito simultaneously looks back and takes a giant step forward. In the rearview mirror, he examines his musical roots in blues, soul, and rock & roll, and looking forward, he delves into some fruitful new musical collaborations that expand and build on the solid foundation he’s laid over the last two decades as a road warrior with his music. Returning to New Orleans, the place where his family first took root in the ‘new world’ when his grandfather arrived from Sicily in 1902, Zito taps into that city’s rich and funky musical heritage. Special guests from the Big Easy include Cyril Neville of New Orleans’ “First Family of Funk”, The Neville Brothers, who was a big enough fan of Zito’s to collaborate on a new song which became the centerpiece for the CD, “Pearl River”. “Pearl River” runs through Louisiana and the lower half of Mississippi, and during the time of slavery was a place of both escape and of torment, themes that are both explored in this dark and moody song.

Other New Orleanians adding to the gumbo are acclaimed Americana singer/songwriter (and one-time child musical star) Susan Cowsill; renowned guitarist and songwriter Anders Osborne; long-time New Orleans blues and Cajun specialist Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone; and drummer Eric Bolivar, who propels the band with an immense and unstoppable groove, and is one of the busiest young drummers in New Orleans jazz, blues, and funk. Also onboard is keyboard legend Reese Wynans, long-time member of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s band Double Trouble, and West Coast harmonica ace Richard “Lynwood Slim” Duran.

But even with all this firepower, the focus never strays from Mike Zito. For these sessions, the idea was to try to capture some of the strength and power of Zito’s legendary live performances, and his uncanny ability to reach out and sincerely connect with an audience whenever he performs. So the recordings were made mostly ‘live in the studio’ over just a few days, in order to capture the intensity and fire of a typical live Mike Zito performance. Once done, special attention was given to the sequencing of the songs, allowing a musical journey to unfold and be revealed to the listener, ebbing and flowing in a way that follows the rhythm of Zito’s live shows.

Justice may be hard to come by in the music business, but it can be won. And Mike Zito is earning his share, one step at a time.

Mike Zito biography
Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Mike Zito was immersed in the gritty sounds of the south side that would unknowingly become the groundwork of his future in music. Like the legends before him, music has coursed through his veins from the early age of five, when he began singing and performing. It didn’t take long for him to discover his instrument of choice – electric guitar – after receiving a Van Halen record for his birthday. His education and journey were just starting – little did he know he would find himself among such legends at a local guitar shop just out of high school. “Everyone from Chuck Berry to Bennie Smith came in that store,” Zito shares of his experience. “I soaked up the sounds of that store and began building my own style.”

Zito’s journey took off at the age of 19, when he busted into the local St. Louis music scene, developing his sound even further from the stage. His first independent release arrived in 1996, titled “Blue Room” which included raw and funky songs “Hollywood” and “Pull the Trigger”. His songwriting experience would break through on his sophomore release titled “America’s Most Wanted” in 1999. This album shares his pop sensibilities and intense guitar work. "Crazy People", "Deal Me In" and his own rendition of Elton John’s "Rocket Man" all set the pace to bring him into a national audience.

His touring schedule found him crisscrossing the country as well as performing a regular dose of 6 nights a week in and around St. Louis when not on the road. He would also have the opportunity to play overseas for the USO during that same time period. With such a crazed schedule and lifestyle, drugs and alcohol took their effect on him. Zito was sliding downhill fast. Walter Trout pulled Zito aside one night after a show and explained to him that he had been down that path himself, and that it was no good. He told Zito about the responsibility he had to the music and to the people to perform honestly and unaffected. His abilities suffered and he drifted around the country a bit lost and confused, ending up in Southeast Texas. Zito fell in love with his now wife and had found the love and support to help him clean up and refocus on his career.

With a clean slate and real world experiences to include in his songwriting, Zito released “Slow it Down” in 2004. Including songs like “Long Dark Road,” “Change My Ways” and the title track, “Slow it Down” Zito share what life experiences had taught him. He formed a new solid band and began again playing full-time across the country with over 250 shows in 2005. “Music can change everything…how you feel, how you see and what you believe,” Zito explains.

He would find his true sound from all his experiences, new and old, and release his fourth album, “Superman” in 2006. Touted as “Soulful pop ” critics would pen it as Zito’s sound with his voice and vocals rising above the music. His formative influences blend with additional musical heroes and legends such as Prince, Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, SRV, Walter Trout, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Danny Gatton, and even rising artists like John Mayer. His journey has lead him to a critical point in his life and career to a larger audience and sharing the stage with national recording artists such as Chuck Berry, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tab Benoit, Walter Trout, Bernard Allison, Coco Montoya, Joe Bonamassa and many more.

In 2007, Zito’s path has crossed with Randy Chortkoff of Delta Groove Music. Within months he’s penned a deal and gained full support with Chortkoff’s label Eclecto Groove Records and Rick Booth of Intrepid Artists. With a new chapter of his life unfolding - full label backing, new management and larger audiences, Zito has only begun to scratch the musical surface yet again.

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Mike Zito - Pearl River