STLBlues Reviews :: Bob Door & the Blue Band New Year's Eve 2008/9

By Gator

Bob Door & the Blue Band New Year's Eve 2008/09

Recorded live at the Hotel Ft. Des Moines this rocking rhythm and blues CD was just released from Hot Fudge Music and features many Iowa Music Hall of Fame/All-Stars like Joe Price, Rob Lumbard, Matt Woods. Lynn Rothrock, Paul Rothenberg, The Thunderbolts, and more in addition to the biographical talk, listen for the contributing artists on this amazing 15 song CD.

The Core of the Band -
Bob Dorr Dorr' s legacy with the Blue Band began in June 1981. Although Dorr is talented on various instruments including the harmonica and percussion, his voice is his best instrument

Jeff Petersen is one of the Eastern Iowa Region' s best guitar players and a founding member of The Blue Band. He has performed for over 35 years, playing a customized 1968 Gibson Flying V Guitar

Steve Hayes, "The Chief" has been eastern Iowa' s first call drummer for over 25 years. Born in Cedar Rapids, Hayes started playing professionally at age 16 with Leo and the Hilltoppers.
Davis Michaelsen is "the new guy" bringing his bass playing and vocal talents to The Blue Band in the fall of 2007, having previously been part of The Don Boyle Band and rock favorites Stable Daze.
Heath Alan, tenor and alto sax and vocals and became a member of The Blue Band in 1997. Heath captured a few local and national classical performance competitions including awards from the National Association of Jazz Educators and the Iowa Bandmasters Association. Heath' s influences range from John Lennon, Roy Orbison, and Bob Dylan.

Al Naylor is a born and raised Iowa music educator and trumpet player and was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in1999. He also had the opportunity to play with the rock legends The Temptations, Englebert Humperdink, and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. "Uncle" Al played on a few Blue Band records in the early 80s and will be playing nearly all the Blue Band shows in 2009.

Sam Salomone, on Hammond B3 organ, has contributed to the Blue Band sound since 1996 Sam was inducted to the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame in January of 2002 as well as the Iowa Rock' n' Roll Hall of Fame with The Blue Band in 2007

The songs are:

1. Good Legs - Good mojo to start this CD with a solid groove up tempo song
2. Madness on Main Street - An old easy beat Blue Band song
3. Don' t Sting Bite or Bug Me - Great blues shuffle sound with a nice B3 in here
4. I Dig Your Wig - Here' s a funky blues with a hint of James Brown Nice horn replies and solos, there' s even a little “Booker T” organ sound Great easy song
5. Tear Drops From My Eyes - A little clean rock blues sound with Rob Lumbard on vocals with kick ass horn solos by Al and Heath
6. This Old Fool - Paul Rothenberg plays guitar on this venerable Buddy Guy lick. It rocks smooth
7. The Mess Around - The classic southern sound of the old standard but a little up tempo with great sax and horn licks in here. It' s a bit of a brass lesson - Very cool!
8. He' s Back In Town - Heath Allan puts out this subtle and sultry cut with a funk beat and good mojo
9. Honey Hush - Listen in on the Thunderbolts on this groove with a smooth bluesy beat
10. Room with A View - Jeff Peterson' s original with a catchy arrangement and nice counters
11. Merry Christmas Baby - Blues in the New Orleans - Live from the Hotel Orleans style of the 60' s. It' s a nice ballad with very solid horn licks that are very hot
12. Million Dollar Secret - Lynn Rothrock kicks out this bluesy shuffle with a lady' s theme
13. Runnin' Wild - Hall of Famer Joe Price shows his classic blues talent on this Delta sounding lick. The slide guitar (man this slide is great), B3, horns, and generally well put together groove
14. New Orleans - The old R&R song with a Cajun/Zydaco sound Metal washboard for rhythm. It has nice drivin' drums keep this classic song going strong and ya' gotta love the horns and B3 again.. Well done boys
15. Dance, Dance, Dance - Rock out with this swing blues number Great ending to a solid CD

Gator gives this CD a 4.5 on the STLBluesometer. Not a bad cut in it and solid, solid musicians. You can tell why most of them are Hall of Fame material, thanks Band!