Roomful of Blues

"They kick out the jams and take us higher and higher, swinging and swaying with pulsing horns and pulsating guitars. Richly textured, raucous and rambunctious...we're dancing from the first track to the last." —Living Blues

"Roomful of Blues are the best little big band on the scene. Virtuoso musicianship [that is] jubilant, horn-propelled R&B magnificence. Boisterous and rousing with tight, fluid arrangements and an infectiously joyous spirit." —Blues Music Magazine

"Jumps, swings, struts, and rocks...supercharged and ready to rumble." —No Depression

Roomful of Blues, according to DownBeat magazine, "are in a class by themselves." On record and on stage, the band--first formed in 1967 and led by master guitarist Chris Vachon for over three decades--delivers a toe-tapping mix of jump, swing, blues and proto rock 'n' roll. USA Today says they play "high voltage, swinging jump blues and R&B." With longtime tenor and alto sax player Rich Lataille leading the horn section since 1970, Roomful of Blues' impeccable musicianship has earned them five GRAMMY Award nominations and seven Blues Music Awards. Twice, the prestigious DownBeat International Critics' Poll has selected them as Best Blues Band. And now, even after 19 previous releases and thousands of live shows, Roomful of Blues, one of the premiere blues ensembles in the world, continue to break new ground.

With the new album, Steppin' Out!, Roomful of Blues introduces the soulful, emotive, full-throated vocalist D.D. Bastos. With D.D., the band is celebrating an historic milestone. For the first time in their history, Roomful of Blues have recorded an album featuring a female vocalist. Bastos brings fresh, dynamic energy, passionately singing each song as if she's lived them all, all the while honoring Roomful's rich traditions and signature "little big-band" sound.

Produced by Vachon, Steppin' Out! features 14 rollicking, house-rocking performances. Bastos' and the musicians' emotional connection to the material is palpable from the first note to the last. The album opens with the supercharged, guitar and horn-storming cover of Billy "The Kid" Emerson's Satisfied. The track list includes timeless reinterpretations of mostly obscure songs originally recorded by legends including Big Mama Thornton (You Don't Move Me No More), Big Maybelle (I've Got A Feeling and Tell Me Who), Etta James (Good Rocking Daddy), and Buddy & Ella Johnson (Why Don't Cha Stop It). Jimmy McCracklin's Steppin' Up In Class, Tiny Bradshaw's Well Oh Well, Z.Z. Hill's You Were Wrong and Smiley Lewis' Dirty People, like all the songs on the album, are unearthed treasures.

Bastos could not be more aware of the significance or more proud of this album. "I am so excited to be the first female singer to record with the band. They are such an amazing group of musicians, such a well-oiled machine. I am thrilled to ride this wave."

And Vachon is a huge fan of Bastos, always happy to sing her praises, saying, "D.D. Bastos does everything right. She knows exactly what she's doing and she's very good at entertaining people too."

The current lineup of Roomful of Blues features guitarist and bandleader Chris Vachon, who first joined in 1990 and has been leading the group since 1998. The band has maintained its instantly identifiable sound through great musicianship and a stellar horn section--featuring tenor and alto saxophonist Rich Lataille, who first joined in 1970. Lataille's masterful playing can evoke either the fat-toned, honking sax of the glory days of early rock or the cool elegance of big band swing jazz. Along with Vachon, Lataille, and lead vocalist D.D. Bastos, Roomful of Blues features the talents of keyboardist Jeff Ceasrine, bassist John Turner, drummer Mike Coffey, baritone and tenor sax player Craig Thomas and trumpeter Christopher Pratt.

The original Roomful of Blues began in 1967 when a group of southern Rhode Island teenagers with a shared passion for the blues formed a straight-ahead Chicago-style electric blues band to explore the music of their Windy City heroes. In 1970, Rich Lataille joined Roomful while still in his teens and was one of the creators of what has become the most legendary horn section in contemporary blues. It was Rich's interest in the swinging bands of the '30s and '40s that led Roomful to forge the distinctive sound that has become the band's trademark. Roomful of Blues released their self-titled debut album in 1977 on Island Records (reissued on Hyena Records), which brought them to the attention of fans and critics around the world.

Recording for Rounder Records' Bullseye Blues and Varrick labels between 1980 and 2001, Roomful of Blues cut nine albums that won them international fame and major rock radio airplay. They've gigged with stars ranging from bluesmen B.B. King, Otis Rush and Stevie Ray Vaughan to rockers Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana. The band has performed in cities from coast to coast, and traveled abroad to 22 countries including Lebanon, Poland, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey and Russia. The New Yorker says the band brings "thunderous performances that get feet stomping and hands clapping."

Since Roomful of Blues joined the Alligator Records family, their popularity continues to soar. Their first Alligator CD was the Grammy-nominated That's Right! in 2003, followed by Standing Room Only in 2005, Raisin' A Ruckus in 2008, Hook, Line & Sinker in 2010, 45 Live in 2013, In A Roomful Of Blues in 2020 and Steppin' Out! in 2025.

Joyous and rambunctious, Roomful of Blues is a band built to deliver the goods night after night. Their winning combination of horn-driven jump, swing, blues, rock 'n' roll, R&B and soul remains their calling card, as does their ability to fill the dance floor. "We always keep things fresh, and we keep the excitement level high," says Vachon. "Playing this music is an immense amount of fun for us. And it's just as much fun for our audience." Now, with Bastos and her richly expressive, swaggering vocals leading the charge, the band is captivating audiences old and new everywhere they perform. With Steppin' Out!, Roomful of Blues remain a defining musical force in the blues world, with their sound rooted in tradition, but their sights reaching far into the future.

BAND BIOGRAPHIES

D.D. Bastos - Vocals:
D.D. is no stranger to the stage, and music has always been her passion. She began singing in church at the age of 5. She earned second chair in the All-Eastern Honors Ensemble representing Massachusetts which garnered her a college scholarship. After college, D.D. began performing with local groups throughout New England, which led to the inception of her band, D.D. & The Road Kings. Her work brought her into the fraternity that included Roomful of Blues, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters and the dozens of splinter groups who have branched off--shaping many other New England blues bands. D.D. is also a Choral Director in the New Bedford, MA public school system, with over 20 years as a private music teacher. Her love of singing is what fuels her soulful and powerful performances.

Chris Vachon - Guitar:
Chris is a true multi-talent. His prowess as a guitar slinger is well documented, and his strengths as a producer and songwriter are now well known among critics and fans. He produced Roomful of Blues' nine most recent albums. Many of Chris' original songs have become fan favorites at AAA and blues radio, bringing a constant stream of new fans into the Roomful fold. Guitar Player says Vachon's guitar playing "burns with explosive solos and a delightfully greasy sense of rhythm."

John Turner - Upright and Electric Bass:
A veteran of the New England jazz scene, bassist John Turner has performed and recorded with artists including the Either/Orchestra, Charlie Kohlhase, Scott Hamilton, Roswell Rudd, Lee Konitz, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, members of Ornette Coleman's band, and Magic Dick and Jay Geils' Blues Time, among others. John's rock-solid bottom is the essential element of the swing groove for which Roomful is beloved worldwide.

Jeff Ceasrine - Piano/Organ:
Originally from New York, Jeff is a multi-instrumentalist who has performed throughout the New England area on keyboards, rhythm guitar, percussion, and background vocals for over 25 years. He has worked with several long-standing blues, jazz and swing acts in Rhode Island and has played many gigs with various bands throughout the region. A frequent guest and on-call keyboard player with Roomful of Blues since 2008 (appearing on their recent In A Roomful Of Blues album), Jeff is a master of many different blues stylings. His influences include Pinetop Perkins, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Lonnie Smith, Otis Spann and Jimmy Smith.

Mike Coffey - Drums:
Mike Coffey, from Newport, Rhode Island, spent 20 years performing with the U.S. Navy band. Upon retirement, he played with local blues artist Chris Stoval Brown and other well-known musicians in the Boston area. As part of a weekly jazz series, he has performed with Mike Renzi and Grey Sargent--both members of Tony Bennett's band--as well as other renowned jazz artists and has studied with famed drum instructors Alan Dawson and Gary Chaffee. He also performs with the 1950s doo-wop group The Diamonds when they play in New England. Known for his versatility and ability to enhance any group he performs with, Coffey has become a welcome member of Roomful of Blues.

Rich Lataille - Tenor and Alto Sax:
Rich Lataille joined Roomful in 1970, where he formed and helped create the trademark Roomful of Blues horn section. Lataille is a man who can play both sides of the fence--lyrically tender or blisteringly hot. He has a big, warm tone that is always packed with feeling. His melodic inventiveness reflects the depth and breadth of his wide-ranging influences, including Lester Young, Johnny Hodges and Gene Ammons. Rich worked with various local and high school bands before beginning his long-term relationship with Roomful.

Craig Thomas - Baritone and Tenor Sax:
Craig was born in Washington, DC and grew up in Maryland. At a young age Craig heard an early rock 'n' roll instrumental Wild Weekend by the Rockin' Rebels. This inspired him to take up the saxophone. He moved to LA in his early 20s and played with the likes of Jim Messina of Loggins & Messina, Les McCann, Aretha Franklin, the Stylistics, Freda Payne, Jermaine Jackson, among many others. "Craig's rich musical background is a welcome asset to the Roomful of Blues horn section," notes Vachon.

Christopher Pratt - Trumpet:
Chris is a native of Rhode Island and has performed throughout the New England area with various local and national acts for over 40 years. Chris recently retired as a music teacher of 37 years from the Warwick, Rhode Island school system and continues to actively teach music at Roger Williams University. Chris's pure melodic style, infectious energy, and love of the blues can be heard every time Roomful of Blues takes the stage.