Phil Parlapiano and band throw down funky ‘neo-Afro redneck blues’ from latest album, ‘The Mordacious Mr. Squeeze’

By Stephen K. Peeples

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Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music director and producer Phil Parlapiano AKA Mr. Squeeze and his band The Medicine Men throw down their self-described “neo-Afro redneck blues” on the next all-new edition of SCVTV’s WAVE-nominated “House Blend” series hosted by veteran Santa Clarita journalist Stephen K. Peeples.

The half-hour music-and-interview program featuring Mr. Squeeze and the Medicine Men debuted Saturday, June 29, at 10 p.m. Pacific Time on SCVTV, seen on Time-Warner Channel 20 in the Santa Clarita Valley and AT&T U-Verse 99 in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

“House Blend” also streams live everywhere in the known universe at www.scvtv.com at the same time.

The show is now available for on-demand viewing here.

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Who is Phil Parlapiano?

Based in Los Angeles and a frequent performer in the Santa Clarita Valley, Parlapiano is a first-call musician (guitar, keyboards, accordion and more) and music director. He has toured and/or recorded with John Prine, Rod Stewart, Jon Bon Jovi, The New Radicals, Tracy Chapman, Iris Dement, Social Distortion and Joan Baez, among many others.

Nicknamed “Mr. Squeeze” for his accordion-playing prowess by Prine, Parlapiano has produced and recorded four albums as a solo artist or bandleader. This was his second “House Blend” gig; he and his Medicine Men first appeared in May 2011 during the series’ first season.

Medicine Men Spread Funky Mojo all Over ‘House Blend’ Stage

In the latest “House Blend” show, Parlapiano and longtime Medicine Men Tad Wadhams on bass, Lynn Coulter playing weird percussion (both are alums of the 2011 “House Blend”) and Butch Norton on drums and more weird percussion spread some funky mojo on the SCVTV Media Center set.

The musicians performed exclusive unplugged versions of “Taking Me Back,” “Girlfriend Revenge,” “Under the Bus” and “A Little Love,” all Parlapiano originals from their most recent album, “The Mordacious Mr. Squeeze,” released in spring 2013.

Between Songs, Mr. Squeeze Talks About Past, Present and Future

Between musical performances, Parlapiano and Peeples talked about the artist’s early touring and recording career, how Prine nicknamed him, and why he recorded “The Mordacious Mr. Squeeze” on an analog machine.

Peeples also asked Parlapiano to talk a bit about what inspired each of the four songs.

“I enjoyed my second go-round on the ‘House Blend’ set,” Parlapiano said later. “The staff was friendly and helpful. Steve was a great host and got me to open up about my creative process.”

Find out more about Parlapiano and Mr. Squeeze and the Medicine Men at his website.

More About SCVTV’s ‘House Blend’ with Stephen K. Peeples

Peeples books, researches and writes “House Blend,” and co-produces the show with SCVTV studio director Megan Perez at the SCVTV Media Center in Newhall, Calif. Perez also directs the show, assisted by SCVTV’s Austin Dave, sound engineer Mike Mazzetti and the studio staff. Leon Worden, SCVTV president/CEO, is the series’ executive producer.

Nearing the end of its third season, “House Blend” premiered on SCVTV in September 2010 and airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. Pacific Time, with an encore broadcast Thursdays at the same time.

All “House Blend” programs produced to date — more than 35 original editions with music and interviews and a dozen all-music best-of compilations — are archived and viewable on demand; click here.

A “House Blend” highlight is the May 2011 program featuring folk-rock-country-bluegrass legends Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen. The episode was one of three finalists for a WAVE award from the Western Alliance for Community Media. Read more here.

For booking, sponsorship and other information about “House Blend,” email houseblend@scvtv.com.

Photos: Stephen K. Peeples.

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Stephen K. Peeples is a features writer/reporter and photographer for KHTS Radio News (hometownstation.com) and SCVNews.com. He also writes the occasional “Peeples Place at KHTS” blog post, and delivers the “SCV Entertainment Minute” Wednesdays during SCVTV’s NewsBreak evening news program. He independently provides editorial and social media services for select clients.

Previously, Peeples was a music/entertainment features writer and columnist for The Signal (2004-2011), and the paper’s CNPA-award-winning online editor and social media manager (2007-2011).

Raised in Southern Florida and Southern California and a rock-jazz drummer since age 12, Peeples was a longtime record industry media relations executive (Capitol Records, Elektra/Asylum Records and Rhino Entertainment, 1977-1998), sandwiching eight years as a radio writer/producer (Westwood One Radio Network, 1983-1990).

He is a Grammy-nominated record producer (“Monterey International Pop Festival” boxed set, MIPF/Rhino, 1992) and an award-winning radio producer (Radio Festival of New York medalist for “The Lost Lennon Tapes,” Westwood One, 1988-1990). Contact him at stephen (at) hometownstation.com or visit http://www.stephenkpeeples.com.

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

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