Roomful Of Blues - Raisin' A Ruckus (2008)

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.