Blue Lunch - Big Sound Blues (2004)

Led by Bob Frank on guitar, vocals, and harp, they offer a sound similar to Roomful of Blues. His vocal style is jumping and in the style of Duke Robillard. Pete London on vocals and harp offers up a different, echoing higher pitched vocal style that reminds me of our buddy from Madison, Jimmy Voegeli. He and Frank are both superb front men. Raymond DeForest on bass and occasional vocals and Scott Flowers on percussion are solid throughout. Mike Sands keyboard work ranges from elegant and harmonious to full throttle barrelhouse. The horns and brass make these guys larger than life. Keith McKelly on tenor sax, Bob Michael on trombone, and Mike Rubin on trumpet (with Gordon Beadle on the tenor lead on a couple of tracks) add a really nice dimension to the tracks.

The hep cats of Blue Lunch have always been a diverse outfit, tapping their love of classic R&B and doo-wop in addition to "straight" blues. The band's celebrating two decades of music with the release of its fourth CD, a collection that comes hard with predictably rock-solid playing and a distinctive stylistic mix.

The iron man here is guitarist-vocalist Bob Frank, whose versatility clearly grounds the band. Not many outfits that strut their swing stuff so well can put on a country-blues face that's just as respectable -- as Blue Lunch does here on Frank's version of Robert Lockwood's "Little Boy Blue." Frank's originals stand up nicely alongside the well-chosen vintage covers; his sly Latin/lounge mash-up "You Got to Dance the Cha Cha With Me" is as good as almost anything from Roomful of Blues or Little Charlie & the Nightcats. The best track, though, is the smokin' cover of the Five Royales' "I Do," which, in an ideal world, would be Blue Lunch's radio single. (bluelunch.com)



1 IC Boogie 3:17
2 Alligator Meat 4:23
3 You got to Dance the Cha Cha With Me 3:26
4 Cleveland, Ohio Blues 3:29
5 Chicken Blues 3:03
6 I'm Not Ashamed 3:27
7 The Fidget 2:23
8 I Do, I Do, I Do 2:48
9 New Place to Hang My Hat 3:13
10 Teardrops from My Eyes 3:06
11 Little Boy Blue 2:34
12 Honey Chile 3:23
13 Vida Lee 4:43
14 Quaker City 3:54
15 Poison Ivy 3:60
16 If It Ain't Me 3:03
17 Thrill on the Hill 3:34

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