Arthur Magliazza
Inducted in 2010
Blues and boogie-woogie piano player Arthur
Migliazza was born in Hyattsville, Maryland in
1980. He began taking classical piano
lessons at age nine, mainly due to the prompting
of some family friends who, noticing his
tendency to play any piano that happened to be
in reach, suggested that his mother get him
started with lessons. Frustrated with the
confines of classical music, but clearly gifted
at the keyboard, Arthur soon found himself under
the tutelage of Judy Luis-Watson, a local blues
piano player and teacher. It was at this point
that Arthur’s true potential began to show.
Arthur was immediately drawn to the soul in
blues music and began listening to blues piano
greats such as Otis Spann, Champion Jack Dupree,
Jimmy Yancey, Professor Longhair, Jay McShann,
Katie Webster, and many more. Their influences
can be heard in his playing today.
In 1991, Arthur and his family moved to Tucson,
AZ. Inspired by his immense talent, blues
piano luminaries such as Ann Rabson (from
Saffire – the Uppity Blues Women), Mr. B, and
the great New Orleans keyboard master Henry
Butler have all taken Arthur under their
collective wing and given him lessons. By the
time he was in high school, Arthur was already
fronting his own band, a piano-drums duo called
The Blues Kats, making solo appearances nation
wide, and playing clubs all over the Tucson
area. Arthur has also played with prominent
Tucson artists including George Howard, Tom
Walbank, Julie Anne, Joe Bourne, Lazy Ed &
the Strat-o-loungers (w/Ed Friedland), and the
17th Street Band (w/Harvey Brooks). In 2005,
Arthur was awarded the Tucson Area Music Award
(TAMMIES) for Best Keyboardist and in 2010 he
was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of
Fame.
During the past several years, Arthur has been
featured on the Cincinnati Blues Fest’s Arches
Piano Stage multiple times, and has taught blues
piano at August Blues Week in Elkins, WV, and at
Centrum in Port Townsend, WA. Arthur has
traveled regularly to Hiroshima, Japan to play
at the former Soho jazz club, and has completed
a short tour of Holland and Italy. In 2004, he
released his debut self-titled solo album, and
his second, entitled PUMPING IVORIES in 2006.
In 2000 Arthur teamed up with Blues Harmonica
virtuoso Tom Walbank and together they released
an album of songs in 2009 entitled BURN YOUR
BRIDGES. In January 2010 the duo were finalists
at the International Blues Challenge held in
Memphis, TN. 2010 also saw the release of
an EP entitled CLAMDIGGERS, featuring Arthur on
piano and keyboards, Mike Levy on bass and
Alejandro Canelos on drums. Arthur currently
resides in New York City.
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