Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Roomful of Blues: There Goes the Neighborhood

Roomful of Blues: There Goes the Neighborhood

By Ed Kopp
August 1, 1999
Sign in to view read count

Roomful of Blues: There Goes the Neighborhood

Few bands could survive the loss of three key members, but Roomful of Blues has endured numerous personnel shakeups in its 31-year existence. There Goes The Neighborhood marks a change in both personnel and attitude for the legendary ensemble. Now that trombonist Carl Querfurth is gone, guitarist Chris Vachon appears to wield more influence. The emphasis is more on straight-ahead blues with fewer swing tunes, though there's enough swing here to keep long-time fans happy. New singer Mac Odom has big shoes to fill at the mic, and he's up to the challenge. His voice is nearly as smooth as Sugar Ray Norcia's, and his style is a bit more contemporary. Highlights here include the driving rocker "Dynamite Baby," the electric blues classic "I Tried," a great version of Bobby Bland's old hit "I Smell Trouble," and a low-down version of Duke Ellington's "Rocks in My Bed." The horns are less conspicuous and Neighborhood is not as hot as Roomful's last three releases, but I'd still fork up a fin to catch these cats live..

Personnel

Roomful of Blues

Album information

Title: There Goes the Neighborhood | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: Bullseye Records

< Previous
12-15-78

Next >
Memphis Piano Convention

Comments

About Roomful of Blues

Tags

Roomful of Blues CD/LP/Track Review Ed Kopp Bullseye Records United States There Goes the Neighborhood

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.