That's Right! [CD]

This is Roomful Of Blues' 17th album. Really quite an extraordinary achievement for any band. Some bands make only one record. Others perhaps two or three. A handful of acts hit big and the dough rolls in. Others just fade and die -- the bands disappear from sight and mind. A very few persevere, year after year, doing what they do because it is what they love to do, want to do, insist on doing. These are the committed, the believers, the visionaries. Big sales or small, no matter. This is who they are; this is what they will do. Period.

Roomful Of Blues is that kind of band. As the organization approaches its 35th year, the total of its alumni now nudges 50. Inevitably, Roomful's sound changes a little each time someone departs and another arrives. This is a Good Thing, as it keeps the music creative, fresh and fun. Throughout these changes, Roomful has maintained its artistic focus, maintaining a commitment to deliver great tunes with finesse and feeling.

Since I joined the Roomful organization in 1981 as publicist, manager and cheerleader, I have witnessed these changes firsthand. Such a period occurred between November, 2001 and May, 2002, a time when, ironically, I was preparing to retire from the band. During those months, Roomful added Mark Earley on baritone and tenor saxes (filling the former trombone spot), hired a great new singer, Mark DuFresne, changed bass players, gaining the very experienced and knowledgeable Brad Hallen, brought in the talented Mark Stevens on keyboards and, last but hardly least, hired a new drummer, Jason Corbiere.

My last night with Roomful Of Blues was at The Regatta Bar in Cambridge, MA, Saturday, May 18th, 2002. The new lineup smoked; long-time fans told Chris, Rich, Bob, myself and anyone within earshot that this was the best Roomful they had heard in years. It felt strange to leave the venue that night, knowing that a nearly 23-year association was coming to a close. I felt an odd mixture of joy and regret that I was leaving the band when it was sounding so undeniably great. It felt good to hear the final result of months of planning in which I had played a role, and yet I felt a sadness knowing I wouldn't get to hear these guys every night! This lineup had all the signs of being a keeper, a vintage Roomful indeed.

That's Right! is the first Roomful recording session since Hot Little Mama (cut in 1980) that I have missed. But listening to the results and Chris' kind invitation to me to contribute these notes compensate, at least partially, for my absence. In our ongoing correspondence, the guys keep harping on the fact that everyone is having a whole lot of fun these days, on stage and off. This recording exudes a tightness, a togetherness, and above all, a shared commitment to and love for the music. From the rocking title tune to the gently but insistently swinging "You're Driving Me Crazy," from the New Orleans jump of "Shame, Shame, Shame" and bayou grease of Eddie Bo's "I'll Keep On Trying" with its Guitar Slim feel, to the hauntingly melodic "Tennessee Woman," from the Big Maybelle "Ocean of Tears" to T-Bone's wry "I Know Your Wig Is Gone," from Little Milton's "I'm Tryin'" to the Bob Tate and Guitar Shorty query, "How Long Will It Last?," the band covers the gamut of blues styles effortlessly. The album ends with a gloriously raucous and distorted nod of the head to Elmore James with "Stranger Blues" a typically Roomful flourish in its stylistic counterpoint to the sophistication of "You're Driving Me Crazy." Truly, these guys cover all the ground. Their passion is palpable, the excitement contagious.

On its 17th album - the band is in magnificent shape.

And that's right, that's right, THAT'S RIGHT!

--Bob Bell