Since The Hurricane - Peter Novelli Band

Guitarist Peter Novelli, based in New Orleans, works in a range of styles and likes to absorb diverse musical influences. The Peter Novelli Band plays Louisiana roots music, a swampy blend of blues-rock-R&B-funk with zydeco-cajun influences. Peter began study of violin at age 6, took up guitar at 13 after hearing a BB King record. The intensity, passion and raw emotional content of some of the blues masters (black and white, American and British) stuck in Peter’s ear and that is what drives him to this day. He likes to combine this feel with some of the harmonic ideas of jazz, and the relentless groove of zydeco, along with just about any cool and unusual style of music or rhythm that works for the project at hand. Early influences, along with B.B., were George Barnes, Mike Bloomfield, early Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Freddie King, Guitar Slim, James Burton, Clarence White, Carl Perkins, T-Bone Walker, Gatemouth Brown, Roy Buchanan. Peter was also strongly influenced by some of the iconic jazz horn players. From a young age, Peter listened to and played Baton Rouge and New Orleans blues / R&B and eventually had the chance to live there and play that music with some of the great pioneers. Growing up, Peter played in Syracuse, NY rock, blues and country bands. Peter frequented, gigged and jammed at the legendary and now-defunct Jabberwocky (which hosted many icons from Townes Van Zandt to Gatemouth Brown to Bonnie Raitt to Buddy Guy to Albert Collins to Jackson Browne to James Brown!) Some years back, after his band opened for Buckwheat Zydeco he began to absorb the zydeco and cajun influences, traveling to New Orleans and S.W. Louisiana, playing and jamming with some of the leaders in zydeco and cajun music including the late Roy Carrier, T. Broussard, Walter Mouton, Steve Riley, Lisa Trahan, Christine Balfa, Wilson Savoy, etc. Shortly after hurricane Katrina, Peter got a call to work with Louisiana accordionist Sammy Naquin. For several years Peter played and toured with Sammy Naquin & The Zydeco Whips, sometimes with guest and fiddle-guitar virtuoso Al Berard (Grammy nominated: The Basin Brothers, LesTraiteurs, Sonny Landreth, etc). Peter has been fortunate to share stages, record and jam with many great musicians including Dr. John; Sammy Kershaw, Clapton; David Hyde, bass (Gatemouth Brown, Delbert McClinton, etc); David Peters, drums (Gatemouth, LeRoux, Tab Benoit); Nelson Blanchard, keys (LeRoux, Tab Benoit, Steve Cropper); Olivier Scoazec, guitar (Zachary Richard, Buckwheat Zydeco); Whoopi's band with David Brown on guitar (Billy Joel, Simon & Garfunkel, etc); Barrence Whitfield (and The Savages), blues harpist Kenny Dore (Maria Muldaur, Big Bill Morganfield); Kalani (Keith Porter & The Itals, English Beat); Paul Barrere (Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt); Greg "Fingers" Taylor (harmonica, Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, etc); Joe Krown (New Orleans B3 and piano legend); Louisiana fiddler Waylon Thibodeaux; New Orleans R&B guitar legend Irving Bannister; Darryl White, drums (Tab Benoit, Chris Thomas King) and many more. Peter lives in New Orleans. He performs around New Orleans and tours. He also performs solo guitar, does session work, composes music and guests with numerous other bands and performers. If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!