The Nieds Hotel Band
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States | SELF
Music
Press
"Nied's Hotel is loaded with great performances from so many wonderfully talented area musicians. If you love good rock music, you'll love this CD."
- Sean McDowell - 102.5 FM WDVE - Pittsburgh
Some seriously hard rockin' blues is the format for, The Nied's Hotel Band opening cut, "Need A Lover." Accented by some lush keyboard dynamics, the thoughtful arrangements really give this band a boost in great musical directions. Vocalist John Vento has got the perfect voice for the music the band churns out on Side One. It's a voluptuous voice that's thick and discerning. Keyboardist Fred Delu really sets the stage predominantly to accent and amalgamate the direction of the music.
His fingers run smooth over the ebony and ivory to build a foundation for the rest of the players in this project. "Everything Will Be Alright" is an excellent example of his technique and adroit skills, and how the band plays off of his skills and interacts with them. The power continues on with the poignant "Frankie's Ghost," which is laden with some nice saxophone work by Ed Jonnet. The story behind this track strikes a chord with the listener, and anyone whose had to deal with someone overdosing and dying will really feel the intent of the track.
The musical direction takes a 180 degree shift transferring to the light and upbeat "We're Just Fine," which features some nice harmonies on the track, from backing vocalist / bassist Russ Oblinger, and guitarist, Tim Hadley. It really pushes the envelope of the song.
"Widow Shiela" has got all the swing of the King himself with a nice shuffling piano melody to match. Top shelf stuff from TNHB. The album crosses over nicely with "California Dance" which breathes so gently combining the whole enchilada to culminate a real solid performance. "Austin's Song" is the hidden track on the album and is a very heartfelt piece that closes out this album on a high note.
Gigz Giger
- Musicians Hot Sheet
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
The Nied's Hotel Band is a power house recording & performing rock-n-roll band from Pittsburgh,PA.(USA). NHB delivers the hardworking, blue collar, muscle that has made Pittsburgh a legendary rock-n-roll city.
The band's lineup includes some of the best-known and respected players in the region; singer John Vento; maybe the hardest working front man around, drummer Ron Beitle (Wild Cherry -Play That Funky Music ), lead guitarist Tim Hadley, rhythm guitarist Jim McCullough, along with keyboardist Fred Delu, bassist Russ Oblinger and sax man Ed Jonnet; who last joined forces in the 1970's as members of Pittsburgh's most beloved rock/soul bands, The Rhythm Kings.
The Nied's Hotel Band was formed by John Vento in 2003 strictly as a studio recording project and as a tribute to Jim Nied proprietor of the landmark Pittsburgh tavern, Nied's Hotel. Though Ron Beitle was John's primary session drummer, he and producer Buddy Hall utilized a roster of great Pittsburgh players to bring their music to life. NHB's first three studio albums are filled with performances from Pittsburgh legends Kenny Blake, Pete Hewlett, Tom Bellin, Joe Munroe, Scott Anderson, Jim Britton, Reb Beach, and of course the incomparable Buddy Hall.
It wasn't until after the release of "The Way That You Roll" in 2007 that John and Ron Beitle got serious about performing the Nied's Hotel recordings through live shows. In the early days the line up changed so frequently that John and Ron couldn't even keep track of their mates. Along the way some fine players became NHB alums: John Fox, Bruce Cody, Al McConville, Joe Birch, John Fiore, Rhonda Watson, Carmen Petote, and most importantly singer/songwriter Stephen Christopher. Christopher has left his mark on the band by composing NHB's classic tunes "600 Under", along with the opening track, "Need A Lover" from their 2012 album, "Side One". Everything changed however in early 2009 when Beitle recruited his life-long friend Russ Oblinger (bassist) to join the band. Russ had just returned to Pittsburgh after a long and successful career as one of Detroit's best session players. With Beitle on drums and Oblinger on bass, NHB had formed a tight and accomplished rhythm section! The band began to fine tune its sound and develop more original material. Within a year or so Christopher, and Cody left the group and were replaced by Tim Hadley, Fred Delu, Ed Jonnet, and in early 2011, Jim McCullough joined the band. With a consistent line up and a killer new sound The Nied's Hotel Band went to work writing and arranging new, original songs and creating a live show that reflected the band's powerful personality.
By May of 2011, NHB was ready to enter the studio with passion, energy, and a single minded vision to make a real rock-n-roll album, with a real performing band. No gimmicks, no digital magic, just a well rehearsed solid band entering the studio to play and record as one. The band took their talents to the woods of Corbriwood Studios (West Deer, PA), and simply performed live in the studio. The Corbriwood sessions were recorded by engineer Michael Ehman. In less than seven working days, The Nied's Hotel Band laid down many songs, some of which became the new album "Side One". The live studio recordings were then sent to Beacon Hill Recording Studio (Dormont, PA.), where Buddy Hall processed and mixed the tracks. Buddy, like the band members, was very committed to maintaining the live sound of the Corbriwood sessions. Painstaking time was taken so that the spontaneity and passion of the studio performances were not compromised in any way. The result is an incredible collection of rock-n-roll music called "Side One". Don?t take our word for it, check out the album now.
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