I was psyched when I heard Knead Wine had come to Town, especially when I learned who was starting it up. It is not every day that a town can have a wine shop owned and curated by a Master Sommelier. If you don't know what that means, check out the movie Somm (https://youtu.be/O4zeyuk8hL8), and you'll understand. The Master Somm test has got to be one of the most challenging tests out there, and few, if any, can pass the first time. Jarad Slipp, who you may know from RdV Winery, is one of the few who passed the test, and we can expect that every wine on the racks in Knead Wine will be better than just good. But Knead Wine offers more than just vintner selections; it also has pizza. I tried it for the first time the other night – it was great. The pies were wicked good – with the perfect crust, just the right amount of tang in the sauce, real cheese, and a great selection of toppings.

On the Knead Wine menu, they have six specialty pies named for various great guitar players. I thought I would recommend an album to go with each of the pie namesakes, like Richards, for Keith Richards, or Trucks, for the great slide guitarist Derek Trucks, so that you might have a rockin' soundtrack to accompany dinner.

Eric Clapton, Blind Faith. I'm not the biggest Clapton fan, but when he joined with Steve Winwood and Ginger Baker to record this album, they created a masterpiece that still sounds good. Clapton contributes to the soulful "Presence of the Lord." The classic "Can't Find My Way Home" has become a jam band anthem that I have seen played by the Allman Brothers, Umphrey's McGee, and Alison Krauss.

Derek Trucks, One Way Out. Derek Trucks, a prodigy guitarist, played his first performance at age 11 and was made a permanent member of the Allman Brothers at age 20. From March 25-26, 2004, this album shows at their annual residence New York City's Beacon Theater. While Dicky Betts is no longer with the group, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes are indefatigable and never in competition as they propel the band to soaring heights across the album. Trucks are at his best in "Desdemona," "Rocking Horse," and "Dreams." The latter is best played very loud.

Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin IV. Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin were on quite a roll from 1969 to 1975, chalking up five-star reviews for their four numbered namesake albums, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti. Led Zeppelin IV is at their apex; Jimmy Page and this opus magnum combine heavy rock, metal, acoustic, rock mandolin, and blues. Let's face it, you likely know every song, and we all have Jimmy Page's "Stairway to Heaven" solo imprinted in our psyches. "Going to California" has always been a favorite of mine, as has Stairway, which for two summers while working at summer camp, we listened to around a campfire every night at midnight. Light a few candles and crank it up.

Jimi Hendrix, Live at Monterey. Jimi Hendrix began in the world of R&B, playing with Lonnie Youngblood and Ike and Tina Turner. But that all changed in 1967 when he released Are You Experienced, and the two incredible followup albums, Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland. When Bob Dylan heard Hendrix play "All Along the Watchtower," he was transfixed, "blown away" by what he heard. I loved listening to Hendrix play Dylan, so my suggested dinner album is Life at Monterey from 1967, on which he plays a remarkable "Like a Rolling Stone," lighting his Stratocaster on fire, "graduating," said the LA Times, from "rumor to legend." The album includes other favorites like "Foxy Lady," "Hey Joe," and the seminal, "Purple Haze." Great with pizza, guaranteed.

Keith Richards, Some Girls Live in Texas. I have always liked this 1978 album. It came out when I started college, and the tunes resonated a lot with me. This album is an excellent snapshot of that era of the Stones. Nobody plays quite like Richards--attitude, posture, and sound. The guitar becomes a loose appendage off his shoulder, playing a loose combination of blues, thrash, and rockabilly. And nobody seems to have more fun than Keith on stage. While I like "Miss You," "Just My Imagination," "Shattered," and "Beast of Burden," the whole album emits unique energy that will keep your head bobbing between bites of pizza.

Billy Gibbons, Tres Hombres. So, what can one say about ZZ Top? In the late seventies, the musical crowd I traveled with kind of shook their heads at the band. We listened to musicians like Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin -- until the needle dropped on this album, instantly becoming a necessary indulgence. On Tres Hombres, Billy Gibbons' bluesy bar band guitar riffs, combined with pounding bass and steady blues beat, resulting in their best effort and a classic genre. Who doesn't love "La Grange," Waitin' For the Bus," or "Jesus Just Left Chicago,"? Played loud with a great stereo system, you'll want to haul a keg of Lone Star onto the porch to ensure there is plenty of beer to go with the pizza and the music.

Check out my playlist for these artists at https://tinyurl.com/y25bvhyd

Steve Chase just got pizza from Knead Wine and is playing Hendrix on the back porch.