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| Blue Plate Special Schmushed into a corner between the bar and a wall at Princeton's Triumph Brewing Company on Friday, July 22, the five members of Blue Plate Special managed to create a big sound and a solid presence in spite of limited space. Triumph, with its very intimate performance setting, is a great place to see music, but it is not the best place to hear music. The high ceilings, made to accommodate brewing vats, make for a real acoustical challenge, so it is hard to create solid sound levels among the different instruments and vocal mikes. Still, the band did its able best, and they were swinging and inviting the room along for the ride immediately. Sticking mostly to old blues standards, the members of the band, who hail from the Jackson area - including founding members Vinnie Roslin on bass and Robin Roselle on harp/vocals; Bobby D. DeCotiis on guitar and lead vocals; Roger Gorey on drums/vocals; and the band's newest member, Greg Lega on piano - swap vocals and share the spotlight with the ease of music business veterans. There is no "star" in this fivesome; they work as a team and let the music take the spotlight. Each member of the band boasts some impressive credits. Founding member Roslin's bio includes work with Springsteen and Charlie Musselwhite, as well as opening for blues greats Bobby Blue Bland and B.B. King. Dressed in a black, red, and white theme, the group has a bit of a hip, retro look. Roslin's sparkly red top added a bit of flash, and Lega's piano - with the directive, "talk nerdy to me," emblazoned on it - epitomized the full-on playfulness that infused much of their performance. The band started on time, which, to this reporter, gives them huge points. I can't remember the last time I went to hear a band in a club venue when they actually began playing on schedule. They started out with "Mississippi Here I Come," with Bobby D on lead vocals. Sadly, his mike level was low in comparison to the instruments, so it was hard to hear him. Still, the playful interactions between him and Roselle on harp got the energy up, in spite of sound levels. Drummer Gorey took on B.B. King's "The Thrill is Gone" with gravelly vocals reminiscent of Tom Waits, and although Roselle's vocals were wanting a bit in the melodic arena, she had a "been there/done that/survived it" feel that's right-on for the blues. Musically, the band was tight - it's clear that they have been working together for a long time and they are all pros. Bobby D's guitar was smooth, and he swapped well with Lega for leads on most songs. Roselle wailed on harp, providing solid lead fill, and Gorey seemed very relaxed, tucked back in the corner on his drums. Because bass is rarely flashy, it's easy to forget about it, but without a tight bass line holding things together, you'd notice it, and Roslin's bass was tight indeed. Most of the crowd at Triumph didn't seem like they'd come to hear the band. Instead, it seemed like they were there to mix and mingle, with the music as background - pleasant background, but background just the same. But on a few of songs where the band really let loose - Louis Jordan's "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" in particular - the normally quiet crowd at the bar was clapping to the music and bopping their heads. A week prior to my visit to Triumph, I went to the Bucks County Blues Society's 22nd Annual R&B picnic in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. Rather than watch Blue Plate Special try to make their big sound and playful vibe fit in Triumph's small venue, I would have loved to see them get a chance to strut their stuff at the festival. On a full-sized stage with great acoustics, I suspect that crowd would have been on their feet the entire time, rocking out to what Blue Plate Special was cooking. - Deb Cooperman Blue Plate Special , www.blueplatespecialbluesband.com |
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