South Saturn Delta

"South Saturn Delta is one of the slammin'est blues bands...that you'll wanna see!" Sherry exclaims on air after spinning "What's The Big Idea!"

Sherry Wine
Host of "The Blues Cafe" radio show
Z 88.9 FM
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"Recommended Albums 2008" List

South Saturn Delta "Drink From The Well"
American Music Belgium, Radio

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"South Saturn Delta is a funky band out of the Philadelphia area. Crossing genres with belting vocals from April, bluesy guitar leads from Dave, and soulful organ riffs…Cool stuff, check 'em out live!"

Stew Leibman
DJ WNTI Public Radio 91.9 FM
www.WNTI.org

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"It's clear South Saturn Delta understand the entertainment value of music. Their song choices are refreshing and April's strong vocals are sure to please your audience!"

Mr. Blues
Philly Blues
www.PhillyBlues.com - (Various DJs)

In Celebration of its new album, local blues band South Saturn Delta will perform Jan. 18 at Red Hot and Blue in Cherry Hill.
Led by husband and wife Dave Fecca and April Iorio of Moorestown, the band will perform a variety of songs from its latest album, “Drink from the Well.”
“We wanted to try and bring back blues and jazz in a more modern sense, and try to keep it alive,” said Fecca. “Lot of people have been trying to do it, and we’d like to be a part of that.”
The band, which has been together for about five years, began when Fecca and his wife came together with Fecca’s father-in-law John Tiberi, bassist Jerry Mayall and drummer Mike NewMiller to produce music inspired by New Orleans jazz and blues.
“I’ve been playing music since I was a kid and I feel that we’re all put on this earth to do what feels good,” Fecca said. “Everyone has their own way in life and for me I wanted to bring out the imaginary and bring it to life. It feels good to get people to enjoy music and come together with smiles on their faces.”
To Fecca, blues and jazz music has faded in popularity over the years.
“ I think the blues scene isn’t quite what it used to be in this area especially,” said Fecca. “I wanted to bring back it’s popularity and show people it’s OK to come out and see stuff like this just as they would any other genre.”
Through “Special of the Day,” which is on the new album, Fecca pays homage to New Orleans and hopes to remind people that the city is still desperately in need of help.
“We wanted to bring back the spirit of the city and serve as a reminder to people to keep the faith of the city alive so that it never looses it roots,” he said. “For us, New Orleans is where the heart and soul of good music came from.”
In choosing a location to play the band decided on the Red Hot and Blue for its local flavor and its dedication to music.
“We like the place and we have lots of fans locally,” said Fecca. “Music means everything to me, it’s, it’s like a religion and a feeling inside that makes you feel complete.”
South Saturn Delta will perform from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Jan. 18 at Red Hot and Blue, Sayer Avenue and Route 70, Cherry Hill.

[Courtesy Photo]
South Saturn Delta, a group that features husband and wife Dave Fecca and April Iorio, will perform Friday at Red Hot and Blue in Cherry Hill.

January 17, 2008
- Newsweekly By Drew Ciccotelli

August 11 –Dave Fecca, originally from Cinnaminson, will headline the Cinnaminson Township summer concert series with his five-piece blues band South Saturn Delta (SSD) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 16 at Wood Park.

Fecca and his wife, band member April Iorio, met during one of Fecca’s local blues performances in 1997 and they’ve been together on and off stage ever since. Iorio’s stepfather, (“Tibs”) Tiberi, is also a band member.

“A friend introduced me to her and she wanted to get up and sing. She got up and the first time I heard her sing Stormy Monday, I was knocked out from that point on,” said Fecca. “As I got know April and who she was, it turns out her father was my guitar teacher when I was young.”

Iorio, who grew up surrounded by musical influences, said she has always been close to blues music although she didn’t start singing until she was 27.

“Blues music I rediscovered at a really difficult time in my life,” said Iorio. “There was something I found about blues music that was very healing. It’s very cathartic and it connects with me in a very spiritual way. There’s so many different ways you can channel the blues.”

Blues music is commonly fused with other genres to form various sounds. SSD experiments with popular tunes to create a sound of their own.

Performing at a song circle for famous folk singer Pete Seeger, Fecca and Iorio say they were surprised when Seeger joined them in playing their version of one of his songs. They took a slow and melancholy folk song (God Bless the Grass) and made it more gospel-like and triumphant.

The husband and wife team think their partnership is an asset to their band as well as themselves. “It’s great because we’re both in the same page, wanting to play the same music and having the same goals musically,” said Iorio. “It’s great because we can bound things off each other. We’re always together. It’s a great influence.”

SSD is currently working on it’s second CD entitled Drink from the Well. The title suggests musical artists drink from the well of artists in the past and reinterpreting that music in their own way. Fecca expects the CD will be released by late fall.

“I believe blues touches upon everything,” he said.

“I believe it’s a root in all kinds of music. Some bands are traditional and they just stick to that. We kind of touch upon all different forms.”

Band members are April Iorio, Dave Fecca, Jerry Mayall, John (“Tibs”) Tiberi and Mike (“Wazz”) NewMiller.


- The CinDel Times By Michelle Teel

I love bands like South Saturn Delta! Their newest creation "Drink From The Well" is a genuine gem. The opening track 'The Home Where I Come From' clearly shows what this band is all about: the blues, yes… but the blues in all its aspects. The song has something hypnotising but is really too short to my taste. But this album has much more to offer, and that would be: a lot of variation. 'Special Of The Day' is a fine example of New Orleans R&B. Dr. John comes to mind immediately. 'Cool Jazz Cats' and 'Dragon Clouds' are bluesy/jazzy songs, both performed very inventively and playfully. On 'Blues Cliché', the mixture of soul and funk is just perfect. Singer April Iorio does a fine job on every track, holding her own without any problem. Her sensual then again hoarse or cheerful voice is under perfect control all of the time. She managed to gather some fine musicians around her. The rhythm section (bass and drums) play very finely dosed, a thing every listener can appreciate, I would think. Furthermore, let us not underestimate Dave Fecca on guitar and John 'Tibs' Tiberi on piano and Hammond organ. They do their thing at the right moment and at the same time give room to April's singing talent when needed. "Drink From The Well" is an album which will certainly not go unnoticed. With this album South Saturn Delta were guests on one of America's oldest blues radio shows, King Biscuit Time (broadcast from Helena, Arkansas). No small feat!

English Translation by: Bernard Neyens

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ROCKnREEL Magazine
South Saturn Delta

"A band with their collective heart in the right place as they pay homage to American roots music on “Drink From The Well”. Singer April Iorio is cookin’ on the gospel-like opener “The Home Where I Come From’ and the jazzy ‘Dragon Clouds’ "


- CD Review By Bobtje Blues of Bobtje's Blues Pages - Posted on March 21st, 2008

Congratulations to South Saturn Delta!
Their CD release "Drink From The Well" has been selected as our entry into "The Best Self-Produced CD Contest" as part of "The International Blues Challenge 2009" sponsored by The Blues Foundation.*

http://www.blues.org/ibc/selfcd.php4

Nomination by:
The Sonny Boy Blues Society
Arkansas Blues & Hertitage Festival
aka. The King Biscuit Blues Festival
233 Cherry Street
Helena, AR

CELEBRATION OF BLUES EXCELLENCE - *The Blues Foundation celebrates the best current developments in Blues!
The Blues Music Awards Awards® - What have at times been known as the Handy Awards represent the highest accolade afforded musicians and songwriters in Blues music. The Blues Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, the home of the Blues. With more than 165 affiliated Blues organizations, and membership spanning the globe, the Foundation serves as the hub for the worldwide passion for Blues Music.

- The Blues Foundation Nominee

South Saturn Delta, a premier blues band named after a posthumous Jimi Hendrix album, took the crowd to a higher place as vocalist April Iorio wailed a jump tune with a voice whose timbre penetrates the outskirts of the soul.

"Listen to this," offstage musicians in the crowd called out to one another, as they scrambled for seats or standing room. The New Jersey-based band, with guitarist Dave Fecca, bassist Jerry Mayall and drummer Mike NewMiller, featured songs from their selftitled CD and latest offering, "Drink From the Well."

The intensity of South Saturn Delta is evident when April Iorio is belting out a tune. The collective audience murmurs,
"Wow."
- By Mason Loika

Robert Edwin, Associate Editor-NATS Journal of Singing

South Saturn Delta is a fabulous band that has one foot firmly planted in the modern music world and the other foot equally planted in the great tradition of old-time, down-home blues. This combination of old and new totally informs their new self-titled CD. From the record-like look of the actual CD and the tribute to 1927 blues singer, Bessie Smith, to the great cover of the Aretha Franklin tune, "Good To Me As I Am To You," and the powerful licks of lead singer, April Iorio and guitarist, Dave Fecca, this band creates exciting and soulful music...They are worth a serious listen!


Debut CD Review by Chuck McCrory
All Things Guitar Magazine www.AllThingsGuitar.com

The South Saturn Delta is a blues band comprised of 5 smokin’ blues players. Their five song EP is getting a lot of attention and has been getting radio play on stations...

This very talented blues band was started by the husband and wife team of Dave Fecca and April Iorio. Dave is an amazing guitarist and someone I have known and admired for a long time. On this EP, he really shows his “in the pocket” rhythm playing and flamethrower guitar solos and he does a great job belting out the vocals on classic blues track 2 - “I Ain’t Drunk” and 4 -“Bad Axe”.

Dave’s wife, April is a talented lead vocalist and percussionist. She has an amazing presence with a wide, dynamic vocal range. On the EP, April easily moves from a sultry, sexy voice to a more raspy down and dirty vocal styling, which really stands out on “Good To Me As I Am To You”, reminding me a little of Texas blues queen Angela Strehli.

Keeping in the family, April’s stepfather, John “TIBS” Tiberi lays down some great keyboard parts, weaving in and out of Dave’s rhythm guitar playing. Mike NewMiller (drummer) and Jerry Mayall (bassist) are just as deadly in the rhythm section, locking everything down and adding to the dynamics of this very enjoyable EP.


There is more good music by South Saturn Delta to come. They are currently writing original music for our next CD, which will be out soon!

- Robert Edwin, Chuck McCrory

“Guitarist Dave Fecca is a rock solid bluesman following closely in the footsteps of Stevie Ray Vaughan.”
- declares...

Win a CD from the C-P!
Area blues band South Saturn Delta will play Red Hot and Blue, Route 70 and Sayer Ave., Cherry Hill on Friday night from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Having performed on the "King Biscuit Radio Show" and at several local venues, the band describes its music as "American music gumbo: equal parts jazz, blues, soul, gospel and the spirit of New Orleans permeate their songs along with a dose of Hendrix added like Tabasco sauce."

The band's second album, "Drink from the Well," features original songs and Malvina Reynolds' "God Bless the Grass," popularized by Pete Seeger in the 1960s.

There's no cover for Friday's show, but be prepared to be tempted by Red Hot and Blue's decadent Southern food.

And if you'd like a copy of South Saturn Delta's "Drink from the Well," test your blues knowledge with the quiz below.

E-mail your answers by noon Friday to Phaedra Trethan at ptrethan@courierpostonline.com and the first six people with the correct answers get a copy. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

1. Robert Johnson is regarded as the father of American Delta blues. But how many songs did Johnson actually record in his brief lifetime?

2. What was Muddy Waters' given name?

3. What was the title of the 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio as an aspiring bluesman?

4. Name three famous musicians who appeared in 1980's "The Blues Brothers."

5. What was the name of Eric Clapton's 1994 album that paid tribute to his blues heroes?

6. What's the name of B.B. King's most beloved guitar?

7. What was the first recording of the blues (artist, song and year, please)?

8. What DJ has been spinning blues records on Philadelphia's WXPN since 1977?

9. Who portrayed Billie Holiday in 1972's "Lady Sings the Blues"?

10. Who produced the epic PBS series, "The Blues"?

- The Courier Post Newspaper Jan 17, 2008

“Drinking From The Well” is a meaningful title for these blues freaks (in French ”mordus de blues” = “bitten by the blues”) who intend to let the whole world know about it. As a result, the compositions of this quintet from the southern US are just oozing of influences from the Delta and explore all the facets (colors) derived from the music that we love. This 2nd CD starts with a chant where vocals and slide guitar take on un original riff that leads into the following songs: Mistaken Identity Blues, soul on Chalk Marks On The Pavement, funk and blues on Blues Cliché, on Dragon Clouds and Cool Jazz Cats. The (female) lead singer and her four musicians/back-up singers captured all of this live like in the good old days (in French, “la grande époque” = “the grand era”) with microphones hanging from the ceiling, amplifiers arranged in a circle, a vintage Hammond organ, electric guitar solos and the blessing of Dr John. A lot of groove for this album full of feeling and emotion recorded by blues enthusiasts.

English Translation by: Didier Fra

Here is the article in French:

"Boire à la source" est un titre significatif pour ces mordus de blues qui entendent le faire savoir au monde entier. Du coup, les compositions de ce quintet du Sud des US dégoulinent des influences du Delta et passent par toutes les couleurs des dérivées de la musique qu’on aime. Ce 2ème CD commence par une psalmodie où voix et slide guitar reprennent un riff originel de blues à partir duquel va découler la suite : rhythm & blues sur Mistaken identity blues, soul sur Chalk marks on the pavement, funky sur Blues cliché et jazzy sur Dragon clouds ou Cool jazz cats. La chanteuse et les quatre accompagnateurs/choristes ont tout capté live comme à la grande époque avec les micros pendus au plafond, les amplis en cercle, l’orgue vintage Hammond, les solos d’électrique et la bénédiction de Docteur John. Beaucoup de groove pour cette production pleine de feeling enregistrée par des passionnés. - Le Cri Du Coyote Magazine (French)