Roomful of Blues - Steppin' Out!
- chicagoblueseditor
- Oct 10
- 3 min read
Release date: October 10, 2025
Alligator Records
By Mark Thompson
It took five years but one of the nation's great bands is back with their 7th release on Alligator Records. Rich Lataille became a member 55 years ago, and his tenor and alto saxophone offerings are always a delight, as well as his sterling horn charts. Guitarist Chris Vachon has been the band leader for more than a quarter of a century, his tenure starting in 1990. The veteran of the New England jazz community, John Turner, remains the upright bass player. Rounding out the line-up are Jeff Ceasrine on keyboards, Mike Coffey on drums, Craig Thomas on baritone and tenor sax plus Christopher Pratt on trumpet.
The big news is the addition of D.D. Bastos as the band's lead vocalist, the first female to front the powerhouse aggregation. Bastos has been singing since childhood, and served as the Choral Director for the Massachusetts public school system. Steppin’ Out! features her on all 14 rocking tracks; her bold vocal statements have plenty of staying power, especially with horns encouraging her at every turn.
The steady rolling groove on Buddy Johnson's “Why Don't You Stop It” finds her pleading for better treatment, unable to break loose from her no-good lover. The saxophones offer a glimmer of hope in a spirited exchange that is essence of the band. Equally compelling is her rendition of “Good Rockin' Daddy,” originally recorded by a youthful Etta James. Bastos manages to sing in a understated fashion, yet still injects more than a hint of swagger.
Z.Z. Hill's “You Were Wrong” has been covered countless times. Roomful's version features a taut six string excursion from Vachon as Bastos' brawny voice offers encouragement. On the ballad “Please Don't Leave,” her beautifully crafted vocal is sure to capture your heart, the band delivering a performance that decades ago would have had the dancers doing the stroll. Ceasrine gets a moment in the spotlight on “Dirty People,” his rollicking piano dancing through every turn on a Smiley Lewis classic. Bastos rides the slinky backdrop on “Steppin' Up In Class,” her voice expressing with unerring frankness the decision to move on with her life.
While the album is full of covers, the band wisely dug deep for some gems that will surely make an impression. The opener, “Satisfied,” rides along on Coffey's driving beat, while Vachon unleashes an explosive guitar passage that is one of many highlights. Uptempo romps like “Tell Me Who” and “Well Oh Well” are the band's forte, gliding along with plenty of power and grace. Equally fine are the rhumba-influenced cuts including Big Mama Thornton's “You Don't Move Me No More” and “I've Got A Feelin'”. Bastos is up to every challenge, a singer who has learned the value of control and restraint.
All good things must come to an end, but Roomful delivers one more treat, cutting loose on “Boogie's The Thing,” complete with hand clapping, horn blasts, a taut rhythm section, uplifting tenor sax break, and a sprightly piano solo wrapped around one final noteworthy Bastos performance.
Time brings about a change, but Roomful of Blues endures through it all, still making beautiful music brimming with the contributions of a dynamic horn section and an outstanding vocalist who deftly makes a place for herself in the band's storied legacy. Let's hope that the festival promoters give this one a good listen. After hearing Steppin' Out!, with Bastos out front, Roomful of Blues needs to be heard live, as often as possible!
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About the Author: Mark Thompson lives in Bradenton, Florida and is the past president of the Suncoast Blues Society. A former Chicago area native, he also acted as the president of Rockford/Byron's Crossroads Blues Society. Thompson writes for many blues publications and served on the Board for the Blues Foundation in Memphis, which hosts the annual Blues Music Awards and International Blues Challenge events.
To stream or purchase the album: https://www.alligator.com/albums/Steppin-Out-CD/
Artist website: https://www.roomful.com/
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