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 Roomful
of Blues, according to Down Beat magazine, "is in a
class by themselves." With their masterful combination of jumping,
horn-heavy, hard-edged blues and R&B, it's no wonder why the
great Count Basie called them "the hottest blues band I've ever
heard." Since 1967, the group's deeply rooted blend of swing,
rock 'n' roll, jump, blues and soul has earned it five Grammy
Award nominations and a slew of other accolades, including seven
Blues Music Awards (with the nod for Blues Band Of The Year
in 2005). The band, with a membership that has continued to
change and evolve over the years, has always boasted great musicianship
featuring a stellar horn section.
With a non-stop performance schedule for almost 40 years, Roomful
of Blues has earned critical, popular and radio success and
a legion of fans around the globe. Twice, the prestigious Down
Beat International Critics Poll selected Roomful of Blues as
Best Blues Band. Roomful of Blues joined the Alligator Records
family with the Grammy-nominated That's Right! in 2003,
followed by Standing Room Only in 2005. Both CDs received
massive amounts of critical and popular praise and earned them
hordes of new fans around the world. Down Beat described
Standing Room Only as "bold, brassy and highly danceable
jump blues with contemporary energy and sophistication...swings
with a vengeance." Now they're back with Raisin' A Ruckus,
a foot-stomping CD highlighting the intense vocal and instrumental
power of the world's smallest big band.
Even though Roomful of Blues' lineup has changed over the years,
the band has always been one of the tightest, most joyful blues
ensembles in the world. Currently an eight-piece unit led by
guitarist Chris Vachon, the band has never sounded fresher or
stronger. In 2007, singer Dave Howard took over the vocal duties,
bringing his gritty and soulful vocals and adding another bright
new dimension to their jazzy, jump-blues musical roots. With
new members bassist Dima Gorodetsky and drummer Ephraim Lowell
and long-time members keyboardist Travis Colby, baritone and
tenor saxophonist Mark Earley, tenor and alto saxophonist Rich
Lataille (the longest-standing member of the group) and trumpeter
Bob Enos, Raisin' A Ruckus swings with ferocity and
rocks with urgency and purpose. Moving effortlessly from originals
to carefully chosen covers, the expertly executed songs sizzle
from start to finish. Roomful of Blues' winning combination
of jump, swing, blues, R&B and soul remains their calling card,
as does their ability to fill the dance floor.
Roomful of Blues was born in Westerly, Rhode Island in 1967
when guitarist Duke Robillard and keyboardist Al Copley started
a band that played tough, no-holds-barred Chicago blues. They
soon began exploring the swinging, jumping blues, R&B and jazz
of the 1940s and 1950s, and added a horn section (including
Rich Lataille) in 1970. The band's ability to ignite a sedate
crowd into a dancing frenzy solidified their reputation as the
best "little big band" in New England and expanded their following
into New York and Washington. In 1974, they performed with Count
Basie, and a few years later legendary songwriter Doc Pomus
helped them land their first record deal. In 1977, Roomful of
Blues' self-titled debut album on Island Records (recently reissued
on Hyena Records) brought them to the attention of fans and
critics from coast to coast.
Over the years there have been at least 46 Roomful of Blues
members, each bringing his or her own unique talent and vision
to the mix. When founding member Duke Robillard left the band
in 1980, equally talented guitarist Ronnie Earl replaced him.
Singer Lou Ann Barton joined the band at this time, sharing
vocals with Greg Piccolo. By now the band was touring nationally
and attracting bigger and bigger crowds. Roomful recorded the
critically acclaimed Hot Little Mama for their own
Blue Flame label and two successful albums for the Varrick label
during the 1980s. In 1994 they released Dance All Night,
their first featuring guitarist Chris Vachon (who joined the
band in 1990) and harpist/vocalist Sugar Ray Norcia. Radio play
was increasing, as was the band's stature. Their 1995 album,
the Grammy-nominated Turn It On! Turn It Up!, was a
remarkable mix of big band swing and rock 'n' roll, bringing
the band its greatest radio and sales success to date, and giving
them credibility with the rock radio audience.
In addition to their band recordings, Roomful of Blues often
backed legendary musicians like Jimmy Witherspoon, Jimmy McCracklin,
Roy Brown, Joe Turner, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Earl King-stars
of the 1940s and 1950s blues scene, and the very people who
created the music that Roomful still keeps vital and alive.
Roomful recorded albums with Turner, Vinson and King during
the 1980s, and all three recordings received Grammy nominations.
They played with rocker Pat Benatar on her 1991 album True Love,
further establishing Roomful of Blues' reputation as one of
the best blues bands in the country. The Roomful Horns backed
many other artists as well, including Canadian star Colin James
on his double platinum album (in Canada), Colin James and the
Little Big Band, and Stevie Ray Vaughan on his 1984 Live
At Carnegie Hall album on Epic.
Over the years Roomful of Blues has played countless gigs and
many major festivals, including The San Francisco Blues Festival,
The King Biscuit Blues Festival, The Beale Street Music Festival,
Blues On The Fox, Illinois Blues Festival, Kansas City Blues
Festival, Monterey Blues Festival, Santa Cruz Blues Festival,
and overseas at The North Sea Jazz Festival, The Stockholm Jazz
Festival, The Montreux Jazz Festival, Notodden Festival and
the Belgian Peer Festival. They've gigged with blues stars ranging
from B.B. King, Otis Rush and Stevie Ray Vaughan to rockers
Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana. The band has toured-as they
always have-virtually non-stop, hitting cities from coast to
coast, and traveling abroad to Spain, Italy, France, Portugal,
Switzerland, Turkey and Russia.
In 2008, Roomful of Blues will once again hit the road hard,
bringing their horn-and guitar-fueled music to fans around the
world. With their non-stop touring schedule, long-time fans
and new converts alike can see for themselves why The Chicago
Sun-Times said, "This is a band on top of its game, sliding
easily from big-band jazz-blues to guitar-drenched urban blues….let
the party begin." With Raisin' A Ruckus, the party
has clearly already started.
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