Artist Biography

Manila-born blues harmonica player and vocalist Carlos Zialcita has been part of the Bay Area blues scene for three decades as a performer, promoter, educator, and former radio announcer. Zialcita's career began in the early 70's as a founding member of the Chico David Blues Band, a popular bay area band that backed artists like T-Bone Walker, Charles Brown, and Big Mama Thornton.

Since those early days Zialcita has been on numerous musical journeys with many of the blues and R&B legends he has long respected and admired. He has also led his own bands, beginning with the Eldorado Blues Band, then the California Cadillacs, the Carlos Zialcita Band, and now the Carlos Zialcita Jazztet.

In 1980 Zialcita joined forces with Oakland blues singer and guitarist Eddie Ray. During this period the Eddie Ray Rhythm and Blues Band was an integral part of the Oakland blues scene, playing at legendary blues clubs like Eli's Mile Hi Club, Ruthie's Inn, the Deluxe Inn, Your Place, and Larry Blake's. The band worked regularly behind visiting blues artists including Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, Pee Wee Crayton, and Big Mama Thornton.

The Eddie Ray Rhythm and Blues Band performed at the 1981 San Francisco Blues Festival. At that event, they also performed behind Sonny Rhodes, Texas blues master, who lived in the Bay Area for a number of years. The band was a very popular back-up band to many other Bay Area artists such as Jimmy McCracklin, Sugar Pie DeSanto, and Mississippi Johnny Waters.

Carlos went on tour in 1985 to Canada with blues singer/guitarist Cool Papa.

In 1988. he recorded with the Mississippi Delta Blues Band. In 1989 Zialcita joined the Spiritual Corinthians, a San Francisco based Gospel group that won the 1991 Gospel Group of the Year award from the Bay Area Blues Society. Zialcita appears on the group's video as well as on their CD on Cherie Records,Second Chance.

Also in 1991, the Blues Society nominated the California Cadillacs as Blues Band of the Year and Zialcita appeard on a rap/hip-hop album by The Coup entitled Kill My Landlord on Wild Pitch/EMI records.

In 1992 Zialcita met blues singer and guitarist Country Pete McGill. Along with guitarist Big Bob Deance, the three Bay Area musicians formed the Cottonfield Trio and performed at the 1994 San Francisco Blues Festival. Country Pete has several recordings, including Baby.. I'm Gone on CPM Records that features both Zialcita and Deance.

In late 1995, after being nominated Harmonica Player of the Year by the South Bay Blues Society, Zialcita disbanded the Cadillacs and in 1996, joined Domingo & Friends, headed by Domingo Balinton, brother of songstress Sugar Pie DeSanto.

Zialcita's CD on J&T Records, Train Through Oakland, released in 2000, was produced by legendary band leader Johnny Otis, and recieved excellent reviews. In December 2001, Zialcita was featured on the Jazz with Frankye Cable Television show along with guitarist Calvin Keyes and vocalist Frankye Kelly as part of a special Christmas program. In recent years, Zialcita has toured with legendary Texas blues singer and guitarist Sonny Rhodes and his band, appearing in festivals and major venues throughout the United States and Canada. He also toured with blues diva Sugar Pie DeSanto to venues like the Blue Note in Las Vegas and the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival in Washington. While at home in the Bay Area, Zialcita's busy schedule includes the Vista College music class that he co-teaches with Johnny Otis, and performances with his band and local artists like Sugar Pie DeSanto, Francis Clay, Country Pete McGill, Brenda Boykin, and Frank Samuels.

In 2003, Zialcita expanded his musical horizons and formed a new group, The Carlos Zialcita Jazztet, incorporating jazz and latin elements into his vocal and instrumental repertoire. Breaking away from the standard diatonic blues harmonica, Zialcita's sets now feature his chromatic harmonica stylings as well as a new vocalist, Myrna Del Rio, whose smoky contralto is able to switch effortlessly from Englilsh to Spanish. The band worked steadily for over a year at the Island Lighthouse in Alameda, developing a new sound and audience. The Jazztet has recorded Evolution, a CD produced by Señor Blues Productions and released in 2004. It showcases the stellar guitar work of Eric Swinderman, along with the very talented keyboardists Marty Swinderman and Albert Yamanoha.

The superb rhythm section features Ben Luis on bass and Tony Coleman on drums. Zialcita and Ms. Del Rio were featured in festivals in Mexico in the summer and fall of 2004. In November 2004, Zialcita and Del Rio began recording a new CD in Mexico featuring the duo with jazz musicians from Mexico City and Villahermosa. Additional tracks were added in the Spring of 2005 in the United States, and plans are underway to release this CD in both Mexico and the United States. In July 2005, Zialcita and Del Rio returned to the 2nd Annual Jazz Las Casas Festival in San Cristobal Little brown Brother" in 2006 and have performed for numerous events in the Pinoy community including the 2006 Pista Sa Nayon Festival in Vallejo, the 87th Annual Dinner of the Gran Oriente Filipino in 2007, the 1st Annual Manilatown Heritage Foundation Banquet in 2007 and the 1st Annual Bindlestiff Theater Back and white Bindleball in 2007. They hope to record a CD soon and plan to organize a tour to the Philppines in 2008.