Domenic Troiano

Domenic Troiano - Domenic Troiano - 1972 - Mercury

The solo debut from guitarist Domenic Troiano came at a time when he was releasing two albums with the James Gang. Charlotte Dillon's biography on the All Media Guide states that this album was initiated prior to his joining the James Gang and completed during that phase of his career. There's a definite Steely Dan feel to the proceedings, especially on "Let Me Go Back," and the first of two compositions co-written with James Gang vocalist Roy Kenner, "Try." The rhythm section for Lou Reed's classic Rock 'n' Roll Animal album, drummer Penti Glan and bassist John Prakash, appear here a year before they would cut the historic live album with guitar heroes Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner. The musicianship is superb, with a loose and funky feel, and the album looks expensive as well. A gatefold with band photos and interesting design, Mercury was no doubt serious about their artist. This was a year before that same label would release Bachman-Turner Overdrive, whose guitarist Troiano would later replace in the Guess Who. This album is distinctive, though, as it shows Troiano in an interesting light and identifies his versatility. Clichés like "The Writings on the Wall" and "Is There No Rest for the Weary" become songs, and the music is more suited to Delaney & Bonnie than the James Gang or the Guess Who. In fact, the elements here do not really show up on his work with Burton Cummings' final two '70s Guess Who LPs, Flavours and Power in the Music, which gives an indication of Troiano's ability to adapt. From the Delaney & Bonnie meets Steely Dan style so prevalent on tracks like "Let Me Go Back" and "I Just Lost a Friend," Troiano concludes the album with an about-face, nine minutes and 40 seconds of "Repossession Blues." It makes for a well-rounded debut by a journeyman who has never really gotten his due. Maybe the bands he played with wanted formula, because allowed to stretch out, the Domenic Troiano album is quite enjoyable and has lots to offer. It's also important to note the co-production work by James Gang producer Keith Olsen came at a time when Olsen was engineering Dr. John for Jerry Wexler. That seems to have had an influence on this project. © Joe Viglione © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/domenic-troiano-r51512/review

The late Canadian guitar icon, Domenic Troiano was a gifted, world-class guitarist and band leader. He formed the bands Mandala and Bush in 1970. He helped create the "Toronto Sound" in the 60′s and 70′s. In his career he replaced the Band's Robbie Robertson while Robbie was playing with Ronnie Hawkins. He also replaced the James Gang band's guitarist Joe Walsh and replaced Randy Bachman in the The Guess Who. Domenic played with many great artists including Joe Cocker, Donald Fagen, Diana Ross, David Clayton-Thomas, Etta James, and also produced albums for for other artists. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996. Domenic recorded this album in 1972, when he was still a member of the James Gang band. Unlike the James Gang albums, this album is full of relaxed, down-to-earth R&B and soul with a jazz touch. The rhythm section plays sharp and heavy, and Domenic lays down some terrific heavy guitar riffs and great solos. "I'm sure the heavenly jam sessions with Lenny Breau and Jimi Hendrix are taken to a new level, now that Dom has arrived." - Randy Bachman, guitarist, songwriter, performer and producer. Try and listen to Domenic's 1973 "Tricky" album. [All tracks @ 192 Kbps: File size = 54.8 Mb] Although SQ is adequate, maybe somebody out there could rip the original album at a higher bitrate?

STEELY DAN TRIVIA: Domenic played with Donald Fagen on Diana Ross' "Ross" album and also on Eye To Eye's "Shakespeare Stole My Baby" album, both albums produced by the great Gary Katz

TRACKS

A1 The Writings On The Wall 2:41
A2 The Answer 5:56
A3 Let Me Go Back 3:46
A4 I Just Lost A Friend 3:21
A5 Try 2:39

B1 The Wear And The Tear On My Mind 2:49
B2 Is There No Rest For The Weary 2:47
B3 Hi Again 4:02
B4 356 Sammon Ave. 1:15
B5 Repossession Blues 9:40

All songs composed by Domenic Troiano except "Try" and "Hi Again" by Domenic Troiano & Roy Kenner

MUSICIANS

Domenic Troiano - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Red Rhodes - Steel Guitar
Prakash John - Bass, Backing Vocals
Hugh Sullivan - Piano, Organ
William Smith - Organ, Backing Vocals
Penti Glenn - Drums
Tessie Calderone - Percussion, Congas
Roy Kenner - Percussion, Vocals
Bunk Gardner, Jay Cantrelli - Tenor Saxophone
Lonnie Shetter - Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet
Buzz Gardner - Trumpet
Shawn Jackson - Backing Vocals

BIO

Singer, songwriter, and famed guitarist Domenic Troiano is probably best known for the time he served as a member of the famed rock group, the Guess Who. Over more than three long decades in the music world, Troiano did a lot of other work with different bands, blues style and rock, including the James Gang, the original Bush, and Mandala. He later composed tunes for both film and television. He even completed several solo albums in the '70s, earning himself a spot in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Some of the solo numbers Troiano recorded so long ago, became available on CD just before the new millennium rolled around, proving that many fans still hold interest in his music. Domenic Troiano was born in 1946 in Modugno, Italy. When he was little more than a baby, his family picked up and moved to Toronto, Canada. He was raised with a love for music, both rhythm & blues and good ol' rock & roll. When he was in his mid-teens, his desire to learn to play the guitar resulted in him teaching himself. Maybe that's why his style became so much his own and was later imitated by many other artists. One of the early influences on Troiano was a guitarist by the name of Robbie Robertson. In a twist of fate, Troiano started his professional career by replacing Robertson in a band that performed with Ronnie Hawkins, a fellow Canadian singer. Troiano worked with the band for less than a year, then moved on to other groups. One of those early bands was Five Rogues, which changed its name to Mandala. It was with Mandala in 1967 that Troiano made his first recordings and began to climb the ladder to fame. Some of that fame started from negative press, complaints from parents about the group's corrupt music style, the way the guys dressed, and even the length of their hair. Of course, the more parents complained, the more their teens loved Mandala and its music. When Mandala came to an end around 1969, Troiano and some of the other members pulled together to start a new group, Bush. ABC/Dunhill singed the band and sent it on tour with major groups at the time like Three Dog Night. After a short life, Bush met a quick end, but never one to give up, Troiano went solo. In 1972, before he could finish an album of his own, he was called in to join the James Gang, replacing Joe Walsh. For the next year, Troiano recorded with the group, but continued to work solo also, completing not one, but two solo albums, a self-titled one in 1972, and then Tricky in 1973. Both albums were released under the Mercury Records label. During that same time, he recorded two other albums with the James Gang, writing a number of the songs himself. 1974 and 1975 found Troiano serving as a member of the Guess Who. After that group folded too, he took some time working on his own again, trying his skills at a little funk and some jazz. Two years later he was under contract once more, this time with Capitol Records, where he finished a third solo album, Burning at the Stake, and then a forth offering, Jokes on Me. It was followed in 1979 by Fret Fever, Troiano's last solo album. In the early '80s, Troiano was back with a band, this one called Black Market. The group released one independent recording in 1981. When success didn't come to Black Market, Troiano walked. He soon turned his attention to composing for films and television, and doing session work for other artists in the '90s. Domenic Troiano passed away May 25, 2005 after a long battle with cancer. © Charlotte Dillon © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/domenic-troiano-p21137/biography

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Domenic (Michaele Antonio) Troiano. Guitarist, composer, singer, b Mondugno, Italy, 17 Jan 1946, d 25 May 2005 at Toronto. Troiano became a naturalized Canadian in 1955 and was raised in Toronto. He began playing guitar at 15 and became one of Canada's premier rock guitarists during the late 1960s and the 1970s. He began his career with Robbie Lane and the Disciples but moved on to replace Robbie Robertson as lead guitarist with Ronnie Hawkins. He then became a member of the popular Toronto rhythm and blues band the Five Rogues (1964-9); the band shortened their name to the Rogues, which then evolved into Mandala (1966-9). Mandala presented a more soulful style with vocalist George Olliver (replaced in 1966 by Roy Kenner), organist Josef Chirowski (replaced in 1966 by Hugh O'Sullivan), bass guitarist Don Elliott and drummer Whitey (Pentii) Glann. Mandala toured widely in the US, released Soul Crusade (1968, Atlantic) and enjoyed hits such as 'Opportunity' (1967) and 'Love-itis' (1968). In 1970, Troiano and some of the members from Mandala, including Kenner, Glann and the bass guitarist Prakash John, established Bush, a blues-influenced rock band, based in Arizona. Although Bush worked together for less than two years, they released an album (Bush, 1970) and toured extensively through the US with Steppenwolf and Three Dog Night. Troiano then replaced Joe Walsh and began playing with the US band the James Gang (1974-5); the Gang recorded the albums Straight Shooter (1972) and Passin Thru (1972). From there he joined the Guess Who (1974), co-writing and playing on the two albums Flavours (1974) and Power in the Music (1975). In the late 1970s he formed the Domenic Troiano Band 1977-9 in Toronto, once again working with Roy Kenner. In 1980 Trojano formed Black Market with Bob Wilson and Paul DeLong, and released Changing of the Guard (1981, El Mocambo Records) before turning exclusively to studio work as a composer, producer and guitarist with his independent production company Black Market. In 1984 he began writing themes and incidental music for TV, including the CBS series Night Heat, Diamonds, and Hot Shots, CBC's Airwaves, and NBC's True Blue. Troiano collaborated with many other musicians including Diana Ross, Joe Cocker, Donald Fagen, David Clayton-Thomas, Etta James, Jean-Michel Jarre, James Cotton and Long John Baldry. He also produced albums by Shawne Jackson, Moe Koffman and Kilowatt. He produced for David Gibson and John Rutledge on his own independent label. His songs, such as 'Writing on the Wall' and 'I Can Hear You Calling' from the 1970s, have been recorded by Three Dog Night, Skylark, and John Rutledge, among others. He received three Gemini award nominations for his television work, and his song "Just as Bad as You" was honoured by SOCAN. Troiano received a nomination for Producer of the Year at the Juno Awards for Fret Fever (1980) and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996. - from The Canadian Encyclopedia © 2012 http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/emc/domenic-troiano