At Breaktime in Denison
by Scott Snidow

	Through the dark, almost cave like confines that serve as the performance area of Breaktime Lounge, one can make out several images in the mural that completely lines the room. There are the visages of musicians of a bygone era; first my eyes focus on the members of the death trilogy, Hendrix, Morrison and Joplin. Zappa is there. And so is Stevie Ray. There are many familiar faces, making the room seem more like cathedral dedicated to musical heroes past as opposed to a local roadhouse. As I stare through the smoke that is hanging from the band setting up for the gig, I notice a sunglassed and chapeaued image on the wall. I do a double take as I notice the same face, a little heathier and older, wearing glasses and standing on the stage doing a sound check. For this was the reason I and many of the other patrons have come this night to witness what was and is Texas rock personified. John Nitzinger. A few minutes before ten p.m. the band takes the stage, and Nitzinger, strapping on a red Les Paul that is running through a Marshall amp, breaks into a standard blues riff. The band, with admirable punctuality, falls right in time. They jam on this number for a full dozen minutes, during which the guitarist runs through a full range of tricks, solos within the box, riffs, runs, chorded solos, changing effects, pure enchantment. The whole time a grin is on his face that seems to say, "Damn! This is great! I hope that you are having as much fun as I am!" Mentally, my jaw is flapping in awe at what I am witnessing. I remember John Nitzinger from the days when he was a regular in the clubs down on Greenville Avenue. He was good then, but time and a newfound health and spirituality seem to have amplified his talent and raised it to unparalleled heights. After this first number, I am left wondering what else this band can possibly do to top the opening. (I would find myself wondering this with each subsequent song, and every time I would be answered.) This time, the answer came as the band shifted gears and broke into a newer Nitzinger number, "Fingers in the Fan." This is a slower tune, heavy with beautiful instrumentation. Listening to the words, one can't help but wonder if there is a little autobiography to the lyric: Rules were made to be broken, and he practiced what he preached. Used his words like a weapon, a living bullet in the breach. Whether intentional or not, these lines seem to perfectly underscore the thirty year career of this Texas music legend. He has always played his music his way; damn the prevailing winds that blow from the world's music centers. As the night wore on, each curve in the road of the musical journey that the band and audience were on revealed yet another facet of this talented performer. There were long jam sessions with nearly every song, showcasing the talents not only of Nitzinger himself, but also those of the band members; Bob Spoon lending his talents on bass, Albert Berber hammering away at the keys of the old Hammond b-3, and Randy Shea on drums. This is a tight band, whose personalities and abilities mesh perfectly on stage. One senses that this band would be having one hell of a good time, even if there were no audience to perform for at all. Next up was a rollicking house rocking number entitled "Didja Miss Me." This performance would have gotten the attention of even though most addle brained of listeners, held them mesmerized for the duration, then left them with a new found understanding of what rock and roll should really be. It was that good. Other numbers that were played in that first set included "Rude and Crude," "Even My Tears are Cold," and the classic Nitzinger number "Louisiana Cockfight" among others. The set closed with one of the best renditions of the only song that could be classed as a standard in the Nitzinger repertoire, "Jellyroll Blues." This tune has long been a fan favorite, and this night the band proved that this was still true. Consider for a moment, this lyric snatched from the number: Honey if you put your brain on the edge of a razorblade it'd look like a b-b rolling down a four-lane highway. Yeah, if you put your brain in a gnat's ass it would rattle like a b-b in a boxcar. But there's one thing about my jellyroll, She don't need a weatherman to tell you which way the wind blows. A Texas blues classic! I can remember quoting this song when I was in high school. A great performance piece that combines cutting wit with fantastic blues instrumentation. A natural for a bar room performance. After the intermission, the band resumed by playing one of the many requests of the evening, "Are You With Me," a song that apparently wasn't a normal part of the repertoire, as Nitzinger had to go over it with the group before they actually played it. But that is the way things are at a Nitzinger show. There are no set lists, they merely play what strikes them as appropriate. The rest of the evening progressed like this, full of twists and surprises. Lengthy jams featuring conversations between the instruments. There was plenty of smoke this night, but certainly no mirrors or wires. The magic that was performed that night was the talent of three more than capable musicians who were backing a true Texas guitar giant. This was rock and roll. A pure, blues based no holds barred bring down the house performance by masters of the genre. And it was played with enough raw energy to air condition Dallas on a mid-July afternoon. Keep an eye on the concert schedule at Rockzillaworld for local Nitzinger shows. Then, when you see him appearing at a venue near you, do yourself a favor and get out and experience a world class blues rock performance. You can thank me later! You can learn more about John Nitzinger at his website at www.nitzinger.com. You can contact Scott Snidow at: scott-at-rockzilla.net

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