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Backed by his regular live band of Darrin Gallen
/guitar, Cheong Liu/upright bass and Tom Bona/rhythm
kit, with many guests including Junior Watson/ guitar,
Mark Hummel/harmonica and Big Joe Maher on
drums.The album covers a
very wide of different styles of Blues from the early recordings
of well-known traditional Blues to many tracks that are solid
tunes in the contemporary style with many great new songs written
by Raoul Bhaneja and the members of his band. One of the
original tunes, like the opening, "Can’t Help It", rocks
with the way that I’m feelin’ these days. Oh ya, he’s in love with
the gal from the "Other side of Town". A little old time
acoustic feel is given to the song that you have to believe in, "Kiss
Every Dollar Goodbye". The next track, "Baby Don’t Stop"
starts rockin’ again. One of my all time favorite instrumentals
"Easy" first recorded by Jimmy DeBerry and Big Walter Horton back
in 1953 for Sun Records is done better than any other cover
version I’ve heard since listening to the original 78 RPM.
Things start to move into that up-tempo mood again with "Call
Me Crazy". You can get into the swing spirit with "Come
Back" featuring Junior Watson on the six strings. A
classic feel of the pre-war period is givin’ to the acoustic tu
"Living in Paradise" with just Raoul on vocals and
Graham West on piano. Raoul shares vocals and blows some kool
ten hole with drummer Big Joe Maher on the Wynonie
Harris risky R&B hit from King records in 1951 "Loving
Machine". The sequence is slowed down by the haunting ‘will I
return to you.’ title track from the CD "Cold Outside",
with back up vocals from the band. A New Orleans groove is on the
'break up song', "The Mercy Song" with Raoul blowin’ some
un-amplified harp. This great album finishes off with an easy
tempo tune, "You Got It All" with Mark Hummel takin’
over on the harmonica. Great song writin’, great playin’, just a
fantastic CD by all musicians evolved that should bring Raoul
and the Big Time a possible nomination for the next Juno
Awards in the Blues category. I had a Blues time!
The bands CD release party for "Cold Outside", on Big Time
Records, is on Friday, January 16th 2004 at the Silver Dollar
Room, 486 Spadina Ave, I’ll see ya there to Blues the nite away. Raoul,
still waitin’ for that hit Blues tune "Train 48". Don’t
leave me "Cold Outside" the train!
Eddy B |
