Swinging fun for everyone
Michael B | 01/28/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Just received my copy and was just elated by the new vocals of Dave Howard.
For those of you Roomful of Blues fans that liked the 'sound' of the Sugar Ray Vocals..........Dave has his own blazing gritty sound, but it reminds me of the Sugar Ray days.
This CD will be a welcome bluesy, swinging addition to your 'jump blues' collection.
Check out tracks Sweet Petite, Life Has Been Good and Lower On Your List of Priorities.
Sadly, master trumpeter and long time musician for Roomful Of Blues, Mr. Bob Enos has passed away on January 11th, 2008 on his way to a blues-cruise getaway.
The last song on this, Bob's last CD with Roomful of Blues, is aptly entitled..........Life Has Been Good.
So were you Bob, and thanks for the many memories of swing, jump blues that we have listened to over the years with you."
Still creative after all these years.
r.j. zurek | Cape Coral, FL United States | 04/02/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In 2000, former Roomful of Blues manager Bob Bell wrote that the band "is, and always has been a living, breathing creative unit". How right he was. "Raisin' a Ruckus" is their 19th album, and with three new members, the current incarnation is as strong as any before it.
New vocalist Dave Howard has the phrasing of Sugar Ray Norcia, but possesses the soulful grit of Kim Wilson.One of the highlights of the disc is "Lower on your list of priorities", an original he first recorded with his band the High Rollers (check out that band's "Sure Bet" to hear how hot this Rhode Islander is on harp).
"Ruckus" has some well chosen covers including "Big Mamou" by the late Cajun saxophonist Link Davis. Jesse Mae Robinson's "Black Night" features a beautiful guitar solo by band leader Chris Vachon, who knows how to fit guitar into horn charts better than anyone performing today.
"New Orleans" is given new life with a great horn arrangement featuring saxophonists Rich Lataille and Mark Early, with trumpeter Bob Enos, who sadly passed away on Jan 11, just four days before this recording was released. "While I can" is an original penned by Vachon's wife Bethie and features her and Howard in a duet remarkably similar to Lou Ann Barton and Kim Wilson. The title cut is a swinging Lataille original worthy of earlier instrumentals in the Roomful canon like "Red, Hot and Blue "and "Back on Front Street". Russian born bassist Dimitry Gorodetsky brings the vintage jump blues style to this band, while new drummer Ephraim Lowell drives the group, especially on "New Orleans"
Personnel changes-about fifty to date-usually weaken a band of this stature.Not so with Roomful of Blues. A five star effort is just about what we can expect from a living, breathing creative unit."
Great musicianship, caught me by surprise!
Peter A. Murano | Bronx, NY USA | 01/16/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I work in a record store and the store manager has been a fan of Roomful of Blues for a while now. When he put the record on over the sound system in the store, I started dancing in the aisles! Great energy, excellent vocals, tight playing and clever lyrics abound all over this record. This has to be the best band playing besides Bob Dylan's backing group and the E Street Band. Highly recommended."