Florida Music Reviewer Praises Big House Blues Band's Second CD Release

A blues music reviewer located in Florida has written his opinion of BHBB's "Live! No Room To Move" CD. And it's good! We are told this CD review has been submitted to approximately 200 different Blues Societies throughout the world for possible inclusion in many of their published newsletters! Take a look...

BIG HOUSE BLUES BAND
"LIVE! NO ROOM TO MOVE"
VINYL WALL RECORDS
BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO  © SEPTEMBER 2007

    "BIG HOUSE BLUES BAND" is similar to that of many small town local bands in that most of their members are usually successful professionals such as accountants, lawyers, chemists, bankers, restaurant employees, or members of the full-time workforce in general.  Often, more than not, these individuals are 100% satisfied with the daily lives they lead, their places in the community and most importantly, their families.  Inasmuch as they may be content with not being the next band to go platinum, that doesn't stop them from being a kick ass band.  "LIVE! NO ROOM TO MOVE" will attest to that.    
 
       The band consists of "BIG DADDY" on vocals, guitars and harmonica; JIMI RAY on drums and vocals; JANE BASSETT on vocal and percussion; NICK "THE HOUSE" HOUSEMAN on guitars and vocals; "TZER" TABACZKA on keyboards and vocals; JAY CARR on bass and vocals; GREG NIMTZ on alto sax; MARK MILLER on trombone; and JIM VAN BEMMELEN on tenor sax.
 
    Although "LIVE! NO ROOM TO MOVE" features all covers, the bands' use of horns, piano and background vocals, that were not on the originals, make them sound quite interesting.  The disc opens with back to back B.B and T-Bone tracks - "PAYING THE COST TO BE THE BOSS" and "STORMY MONDAY".  On the B.B cut, JANE does a great job on vocals and the horn section is right on the money.  Also, for as many times as it's been done, I don't think T-Bone himself would be disappointed in this version of his classic.  The guitar work is outstanding and the piano and sax solos, along with the background harmonies, make this one of the better versions this listener's heard. 
    
    Another hot one is Hookers "HUG AND SQUEEZE YOU".  This one features some of the discs best rhythm.  JIMI and JAY, on drums and bass, lead the fast pace that automatically leads to an all out jam with great guitar and sax leads. 
 
    Another of my particular favorites is "THE GOOD LIFE".  With the band locked into a real tight groove, "TZER" tears it up with some great piano highlights, [MARK] blows the hell of the [trombone] and JANE belts it out on vocals. 
 
    More great vocals are sung by JANE on "GOTTA RIGHT TO BE WRONG".  Backed by some awesome drum work by JIMI, she basically runs away with it on this beautiful ballad.   
 
    BIG DADDY lights it up on "I'VE GOT MY MOJO WORKING".  His vocals and sharp harp work highlight this one - which, with all the vocal ad-libbing and background banter, makes it sound like the band is having a heck of a good time.  I'm sure they were.
 
    Other tracks on "LIVE! NO ROOM TO MOVE" are: "I'VE GOT PAPERS ON YOU", "WALKING BY MYSELF", "(I'VE GOT EVERYTHING I NEED) ALMOST", "IF YOU LOVE ME LIKE YOU SAY", "SMOKING GUN", "GIMME SOME LOVING" and "HEY BARTENDER"
 
    You can check out BIG HOUSE BLUES BAND by dropping by http://www.bighousebluesband.com.  Maybe while you're checking them out, you'll write them a check as well.....for a copy of "LIVE! NO ROOM TO MOVE".  Tell them Blewzzman said you won't be disappointed.

Coopersville Farm Museum - THANKS!

Thanks to everyone that attended the Big House Blues Band show at the Coopersville Farm Museum this past Saturday. The band had a blast!

LeeAnn Creager is a fantastic host and we send our thanks to the volunteers who all did a wonderful job.

Also, kudos to Syd Tomloski who opened the show for us. Make it a point to go see him when you can. You can keep up to date on what Syd is doing here: Syd Tomloski's SoundClick Webpage

I'm sure the Museum is still accepting donations for this fundraiser, so if you have a little extra to spare, send it their way. They can be contacted here: (616) 997-8555 or at their website: http://www.coopersvillefarmmuseum.org/

Although the show is now past, we thought we'd post an interesting article that appeared in the Grand Rapids Press about the fundraiser:

Coopersville: Concert to get cash for grain display

Thursday, September 20, 2007
By Ron Cammel
The Grand Rapids Press

COOPERSVILLE -- A local blues band will help raise money to bring part of the closed Cereal City USA to the Coopersville Farm Museum.

Muskegon-based Big House Blues Band will perform from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the museum, 375 Main St. That concert follows a cocktail performance by one-man-band Sid Tomlowski [sic] starting at 5 p.m.

Big House Blues Band performs only about six times a year, despite getting international airplay from two CDs.

Member Doug Houseman said not many venues can fit the nine-member band, which includes two saxophones and a trombone, on stage.

Curator LeeAnn Creager said she was determined to try the band at the 340-capacity museum after seeing other sold-out concerts. She attended a concert in Muskegon and liked it so much she arrived an hour early at a West Olive concert but still had to stand the entire time.

"They have a lot of fun -- you can tell they really love what they are doing," Creager said.

Houseman said the band's popularity comes from its uniqueness and the fact that members do not take themselves too seriously.

"Nobody's a rock star here," he said. "We just love what we do. We try to please the crowd and get them involved."

He described the music as "kind of a rocky blues, not old-fashioned blues." He compared it to Muddy Waters' music but said it has the band's own edgy feel to it.

Still, "it's strictly the blues," he said.

The band has opened for George Thorogood and Larry McCray concerts. Its CDs get local airplay on WGVU's "Saturday Night Blues" show and on stations in at least Belgium, Brazil, France, Spain and Macedonia.

The concert will raise funds for a new permanent exhibit.

When Cereal City USA in Battle Creek closed because of low attendance, farm museum organizers jumped at the chance to buy a display on grains. Creager said the interactive display fits the farm museum's theme well.

"It bumps up the museum a notch," she said.

It cost only $2,500 -- far less than it took Cereal City to build -- but the money was not in the budget. Creager said she hopes to raise the amount from the concert.

Tickets are $8 at the door or $6 in advance. A cash bar will run throughout the concert. For more information, call the museum at (616) 997-8555.

Mona Shores Fiddlers - 6:30 PM
BHBB Show 7:00-8:30 PM

This event is RAIN or SHINE

This is a fundraising event to benefit the Muskegon based "Mission for Area People" (http://www.map-lincs.org/) organization's Medical Support Fund to be held in the beautiful Trillium Center in Spring Lake Michigan.

Listen to STAR 108 FM's Britta Cleveland for ticket give-aways and radio advertisements for the show. Britta Cleveland will also be the special M.C. for the show!

Hors D'uerves and Beverages will be available.

BHBB is proud to announce they have JUST secured a show with promoter Pat Corbin for a New Year's Eve Steak-N-Blues show to be held in Muskegon.

The band had a fantastic time playing with Larry McCray at this past summer's Steak-N-Blues Festival and is looking forward to this New Year's event.

As is the case with these shows, a full steak dinner will be served and there will be a cash bar.

We will post details on our website and in our newzletters as we get them.

BHBB Tee-Shirts

THESE THINGS ARE AWESOME!

BHBB Can Coolers

Need a way to keep that beverage cool?

Get one of our beautiful can coolers (currently available in blue)!

Our can coolers fold flat and can be conveniently carried in your pocket.

These things look fantastic and only cost $2

BHBB Bumper Stickers

Get your own Big House Blues Band bumper sticker! They are included FREE with the purchase of a CD or T-shirt, or you can get them individually for $1.