Roomful Of Blues

Steppin’ Out!

Alligator Records

Roomful of Blues, the perennial horn-driven blues powerhouse, first came together in 1967—fifty-eight years ago—when a group of Rhode Island teens bonded over their passion for straight-ahead, Chicago-style electric blues. By 1970 they had expanded their sound with a horn section, releasing their debut album in 1977. Since then, the band has gone through numerous personnel changes, with more than fifty musicians passing through their ranks, many of whom have gone on to enjoy successful solo careers.

For the past twenty-seven years, guitarist Chris Vachon—who joined in 1990—has served as bandleader, and his guitar work is heard throughout this recording. The celebrated horn section, anchored by founding saxophonist Rich Lataille, has earned seventeen Blues Music Award nominations and won seven times. Their most recent vocalist, Phil Pemberton, joined in 2010 but is currently recovering from a serious automobile accident. Steppin’ Out marks Roomful of Blues’ twentieth studio album, continuing their run with Alligator Records, a label they’ve called home since 2003.

With Pemberton sidelined, the band announced a major change: the addition of veteran vocalist D.D. Bastos—the first woman ever to front the group. A dynamic performer with a background in blues, swing, and rock ’n’ roll, Bastos previously led the New England-based D.D. & The Road Kings. Other new additions include keyboardist Jeff Ceasrine, saxophonist Craig Thomas, and trumpeter Chris Pratt, joining longtime rhythm section members John Turner (upright bass) and Mike Coffey (drums).

Bastos takes the lead on every track, bringing a fresh edge to the band’s trademark sound. The opener, “Satisfied,” originally written and performed by Billy “The Kid” Emerson for Sun Records in 1955, sets the tone. Bastos belts out lines like, “Well, I love to see my baby happy, and I love to see him satisfied…” with conviction. On Z.Z. Hill’s 1964 cut “You Were Wrong,” she leans into the lyric, “Hey, you were wrong… stayed out at night, it ain’t right to fight,” delivering the song with grit and authority.

The band keeps the groove alive on Jimmy McCracklin’s “Steppin’ Up in Class” (1965), also credited to Don Robey, with Lataille’s sax leading the horn section in fine style. Little Richard’s 1967 “Slippin’ and Slidin’,” co-written by Edwin J. Bocage, Albert Collins, Richard Penniman, and James Smith, gives Bastos room to shine with her playful phrasing: “Slippin’ and a-slidin’, peepin’ and a-hidin’, I’ve been told baby, you’ve been bold, I won’t be your fool no more.”

“Please Don’t Leave” was written by Wilbert Smith in 1960 and recorded by Lee Diamond, “My love for you is so strong…hold  my hand and try to understand, without your love, I’m gonna die. “Tell Me Who” was written by Billy Myles and recorded by Big Maybelle in 1956 as Bestos cries “won’t you tell me who said I was running around on you, won’t you tell me who”.

“You Don’t Move Me No More” was written by Willie Mae  Thornton a.k.a. “Big Mama” Thornton in the mid-1950’s “you ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, you don’t move me no more”. “Good Rockin’ Daddy” was written by Richard Berry and  Joe Josea (Joe Bihari) and sung by Etta James in 1955, “Well, you can really go, go, go, jumpin’ fast or movin’ slow, I will see you when the band gone blow, now hold it, don’t move it, now boogie some more”.

On Steppin’ Out, D.D. Bastos proves herself more than worthy of the frontwoman role. Her vocals blend power, nuance, and charisma, breathing new energy into Roomful of Blues’ enduring “little big band” sound. With its mix of deep cuts, classic blues, and swing-infused horn arrangements, this album is both a celebration of the band’s legacy and a confident step into its next chapter.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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