"That’s A Pretty Good Love" Recording in 1956, Big Maybelle comes out of the box attacking the subject, making sure we understand that she's giving us a great deal as a potential lover. Roomful of Blues let the horns and guitar provide all the necessary seduction, while Phil Pemberton's vocal just sounds loyal.
"She Walks Right In" Practically a perfect example of Texas jump blues from the early 1950s, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's version is relaxed, swinging, and punctuated by a typically fluid Gatemouth guitar solo. Roomful capture the spirit of the original perfectly, pushing the tenor sax counterpoint to the background, and giving Chris Vachon two choruses to pay tribute to a clear idol. Pemberton sings with more passion than Brown, though both are just right.
"Hook, Line & Sinker" Dave Bartholomew penned this one for the great New Orleans big-voiced blues shouter Smiley Lewis. The original benefits from the fabulous New Orleans rhythm approach, and a killer sax solo. The remake apes the original right down to the horn charts and the pumping New Orleans piano, adding only an extra chorus of sax. Either way, this is a delightful romp that deserves to be better known.
Kill Me
"Kill Me" Don & Dewey sat right on the cusp of R&B turning into rock 'n' roll with this over-the-top scream of agony from the late-1950s. It’s a raw masterpiece. Roomful of Blues slow it down, buff around the edges, and nail the song their own way. Pemberton wails, too, but with more control – and Vachon's guitar cuts right to the core on his short solo, too.
"Gate Walks To Board" A rollicking instrumental showcase for Gatemouth Brown's jazz leanings, the original of this swings so hard you'd think somebody would get hurt. And Gatemouth's guitar stings in nice contrast with the burly tenor sax with which it trades licks. Vachon's guitar sounds nastier, with crackling electricity on the remake. And the band has no problem kicking out the swinging jam. Giving both sax players, the trumpeter, and the pianist room for brief solos was a nicely democratic idea, but it doesn't match the sizzle of the original.
"Juice, Juice, Juice" Nobody ever sang more or better songs about the delights of alcohol than Amos Milburn. You know he’s in a perfect relationship when the problem of running out of juice at a party is solved by his baby's suggestion that he run out and get some more. Roomful copies the original arrangement, and Pemberton even captures Milburn's laconic vocal phrasing.
Ain't Nothing Happenin'
"Ain't Nothin' Happenin'" Before he became a king of rock 'n' roll, Little Richard worked in the prominent styles of the day, including showing off his jump-blues credentials on this delightful obscurity. It sounds like the New Orleans session gang backed him up, especially with the rolling baritone sax solo. Richard's vocal is smooth and silky, with none of his later trademarked shouting. Pemberton sings in the same vocal range as Penniman, and this song is right in the Roomful of Blues wheelhouse. The horn players have a blast soloing on this groove, too.
"With Me Baby" Gatemouth Brown could sing slow blues with conviction matched by few others, and deliver wicked guitar licks as well, which is what he did on the original of this. Pemberton sinks his teeth into it nicely, and Vachon cranks out the guitar licks with Brown's voice. It's possible they chose three Brown songs because of his recent passing; it's just as likely they think of Brown as one of the pillars of their approach to jump blues."It" Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller got this song to jazz vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon in what sounds like an attempt to spring him on the youthful R&B market a la Big Joe Turner. It's actually an undeservingly rare number from both singer and writers. Roomful of Blues rescue it from the dustbins of history with a version that may not match Witherspoon's sumptuous vocals, but which shows off all the players rhythmic and melodic strengths.
Come On Home
"Come On Home" Talk about digging deep into the vaults for something out of the ordinary. Louis (Blues Boy) Jones sounds remarkably like a tougher Bobby "Blue" Bland on this obscure propulsive percussive gem. Roomful of Blues has no problem matching the original for vitality and verve, and Pemberton checks in with his strongest vocal of the album. They don't usually play music this close to being "soul," but this proves they can handle that as well as any jump blues ever written."Time Brings About A Change" Floyd Dixon was in the Charles Brown piano blues mold, and his original of this, cut for Specialty Records back in the mid-1950s, is a melancholy tale of loss meant to accompany multiple sips of whiskey on the rocks. Pemberton fits comfortably on that barstool with his own matter-of-fact delivery of what's changed. There are more comments from horns, guitar, and organ than the original could have dreamed would fit, but it all works perfectly. Colby's piano solo is particularly exquisite.
"Just A Little Love" Not one of Nappy Brown's wildest numbers, it actually comes closer to being a Bill Haley-styled rock 'n' roll number. But it's a delight nonetheless, and Brown is all over the place on vocals. By adding horns to essentially the same rhythm approach, Roomful of Blues return it to the blues realm with a jumping version which leaves the listener wanting more.
