Roomful of Blues - The Blues'll Make You Happy, Too! 2000

Roomful of Blues - The Blues'll Make You Happy, Too! 2000
Label: Rounder / Umgd
Recorded between 1980 and 1998

Blues

Rounder records released a thirty-album series in celebration of its 30th anniversary. All of the CD's in the series, including this disc, are compilations which span a bands contractual existence during Rounders 30 years in business. In this instance, the Roomful of Blues was contractually obligated to Rounder from 1980 through 1998.
Considering the number of personnel changes made by this band over this 19 year period, the consistency is pretty good. The songs seem to flow from one to the next without any appreciable difference in vocalist or guitarist as the case may be. It is not a "Greatest Hits CD" or an all inclusive "Box Set", but it is a nice, albiet brief, historical perspective on the bands years with Rounder. Fans of the Roomful of Blues will also appreciate the accompaning 30 page booklet which is very informative and contains photos depicting the bands numerous transformations.
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This is one of the first volumes in Rounder Records' Rounder Heritage series, which will celebrate the company's 30-year history with a line of 30 releases that dip into the label's deep catalog of blues, folk, and bluegrass recordings. The Blues'll Make You Happy, Too! compiles 14 tracks from various Roomful of Blues albums released over the past 20 years; the collection focuses on the 1990s but includes tracks from as long ago as 1980, just after the departure of guitarist/leader Duke Robillard and his replacement by Ronnie Earl. At this point, the band took on more horns, and its style was subtly redefined. Although production values have changed since that period, the band's overall sound hasn't -- the Roomful's winning combination of blues, soul, R&B and swing remains pretty much the same throughout the program. Singer Sugar Ray Norcia's original jump blues composition from 1996 (the excellent "If You Know It") could have been written 30 years ago, and when the band covers Memphis Slim (with "The Comeback," featuring Mac Odom on vocal) or Duke Ellington (a fine, slinky interpretation of "Jeep's Blues," recorded in 1980), it's with the immediacy and energy of a band delivering its latest composition. This album is an excellent overview of an ensemble that has been making top-notch blues-based music for over 30 years and that shows no signs of slowing down. Highly recommended.
By Rick Anderson , All Music Guide.
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Sugar Ray Norcia- (Vocals, Harmonica);
Greg Piccolo- (Vocals, Tenor Saxophone);
Mac Odom, Curtis Salgado, "Big" Joe Turner- (Vocals);
Chris Vachon, Ronnie Earl Horvath- (Guitar);
Rich Lataille- (Alto & Tenor Saxophones);
Kevin May, Doug James- (Baritone Saxophone);
Bob Enos, Danny Motta- (Trumpet);
John Wolf, Carl Querfurth, Porky Cohen- (Trombone);
Albert Weisman- (Piano, Hammond B-3 Organ);
Al Copley, Ron Levy- (Piano, organ);
Matt McCabe- (Piano);
Rory MacLeod, Marty Ballou, Ken "Doc" Grace, Preston Hubbard, Jimmy Wimpfheimer- (Bass);
John Rossi- (Drums).
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01. Poverty (W.C. Clark/Pearl Woods) 4:03
02. The Comeback (Memphis Slim) 5:31
03. Just Like Dynamite (Chris Vachon) 4:21
04. I'm Just Your Fool (Buddy Johnson) 4:03
05. Standing Here at the Crossroads (W.C. Clark) 4:17
06. If You Know It (Raymond Norcia) 3:05
07. Baby, Baby, Baby (J. Livingston/D. Mack) 5:26
08. She'll Be So Fine (Chris Vachon) 4:03
09. Back on Front Street (Chris Vachon) 3:41
10. He Knows the Rules (J. McCracklin) 4:27
11. Loan A Helping Hand (Don Robey/J. Scott) 3:07
12. Jeep's Blues (Duke Ellington) 5:44
13. That's My Life (Chick Williams) 3:54
14. Shake Rattle and Roll (Charles E. Calhoun) 5:30
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