ROOMFUL OF BLUES - Raisin' A Ruckus

							                              ROOMFUL OF BLUES – “Raisin’ A Ruckus”




By Don DiMuccio
January 9, 2008

There are some supposed “experts” of the New England          readers, just think Austin Powers). However the record
blues scene, who would never want to be put on the            quickly auto-corrects with the Dave Howard original
record mind you, that subscribe to the theory that it is of   “Lower on Your List of Priorities”. Though first released
little consequence who is in Roomful of Blues at any          under Howard’s last musical incarnation The High
given moment. And that’s not necessarily said in the          Rollers, this updated version is a much-improved
pejorative sense. Their consistent quality and repute has     interpretation. The song truly lends itself to the
never waned over their four-decade history throughout         phenomenal horn section, which at this point Roomful
various band lineups. Members have come and gone,             could probably execute whilst in a semi-coma. Again,
many of who have graduated to almost mythical stature         it’s Howard’s proclivity for irreverence and self-
– names like Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Porky Cohen,        deprecation that sets his songs apart from the usual blues
and Greg Piccolo immediately come to mind. But with           faire: “I can’t seem to bring you back around, memories
the 2007 hiring of local blues frontman extraordinnaire       I can’t erase – you got me feeling so down, I’m a
Dave Howard, there is something different in the air.         sentimental mental case!”
The band seems to be going through a rebirth; a truly
well-overdue shot of adrenaline if you will. Their sound      One of the cooler cover songs on “Raisin’ a Ruckus” is
has a new assertive edge, perhaps not seen since the          Roomful’s take on Smiley Lewis’ 1950’s romp “Big
band’s lean primordial days. Although they were never         Mamou”. The call-and-response between Dave and the
short for good material, Dave brings to the table a wealth    gang is awfully effective in creating a fun atmosphere,
of self-penned tunes, that many bands would pay a             and must be even more cogent in a live stage setting. On
pretty-penny to record. Lucky for Roomful they now            another cover “Boogie Woogie Country Girl”, the band
have a hip and prolific in-house composer at the ready.       pays tribute to the quintessential jump-swing-blues
                                                              pioneer Big Joe Turner. More than simply removed
To document the new lineup, Roomful of Blues has              admirers of the man called “The World’s Greatest Blues
released “Raisin’ A Ruckus”, a fourteen-track sojourn         Shouter”, Roomful of Blues have had the honor of
through the most effective grooves used within the            backing up and recording with Big Joe in 1983, under
swing and rock & roll idiom. Under the benevolent             the production auspices of 50’s & 60’s songwriting
leadership of guitarist Chris Vachon, the octet treats the    legend Doc Pomus (“Turn Me Loose”, “Save The Last
listener to jump-swing, roots rock & roll, and of course      Dance For Me”, “This Magic Moment). Truly amazing
rhythm & blues. All sounds herein are executed with the       resume entries, no matter which way you look it.
kind of exactitude one would expect from a band whose
name is known from Rhode Island to Norway, and all            Dipping back into Dave Howard’s songwriting well,
points in between!                                            “Sweet Petite” is four minutes of everything this new
                                                              Roomful of Blues incarnation does best. The jump-
Much out of step with the rest of the CD, the opening         swing beat can only be described as infectious. And once
track “Every Dog Has Its Day” is uncharacteristically         again Howard’s knack for keeping the lyrics curt,
corny for the powerhouse. Up until the vocals come            catchy, and creative serves the song perfectly: “Sweet
snarling in, one would swear they’re listening to             petite you’re rolling round my sheets, and it looks like I
incidental music played during some hippie party scene        ain’t gonna get no sleep – I’m rolling in my sweet baby’s
in a 1960s lark starring Michael Caine. (For our younger      arms, I’m burning burning like a five-alarm –
Swallowed up like Jonah in a whale, I’m romping like a
cowboy on a trail.”

One of the disc’s unexpected surprises is “While I Can”,
a classy New Orleans style blues number written by
guitarist Chris Vachon’s wife Bethie, who also duets
with Dave on the vocals. More than just a blues singer,
Bethie Vachon also demonstrates some very cool
country undertones in her execution.

To say there’s something for everybody on this CD is an
absolute understatement. Going from the album’s
namesake, the jazzy instrumental “Raisin’ a Ruckus”
written by the band’s saxophonist Rich Lataille, to a
pulled-back rendering of the Gary US Bonds smash hit
“New Orleans”, Roomful of Blues continue to do what
they’ve been doing since their inception – showing a
versatility and exactness within a musical style than has
all-too-often been bastardized over the years by less
creditable outfits. They have long since crossed over the
threshold from band to institution. I’m confident we will
reconvene in 2027 to discuss a new Roomful of Blues
CD, with yet another lineup, and all will be right with
the state of roots rock & roll.