Reprinted with permission from
The Blues Audience newsletter
Issue: Aug/Sept. 2007 # 165

Sugar Ray and the Bluetones:
My Life, My Friends, My Music - Severn Records
Sugar Ray Norcia and his old friends, “A list” top shelf musicians from several variations of Bluetones and Roomful of Blues alumni. They are some of the best musicians in the blues world. Duke Robillard, Mudcat Ward, Greg Piccolo, Doug James, Carl Querfurth, Anthony Geraci, Neil Gouvin, Bob Enos and Mike Welch each lend their “voices” to a well-crafted CD. Norcia is a world class song writer and his voice is that of a mature, professional singer, with control and fluidity.
Norcia’s signature vocals combine with the interplay of the brilliant swinging horn arrangements, on “Oh Babe,” definitely a keeper. All the horn parts on the original tunes were arranged by Carl Querfurth, trombone, The tale of the “Little Green Talking Frog” is a special, musically pleasing story, with a clever ending. It is singularly Norcia, his ease with writing and singing exhibits his personality and unique style of blues. Robillard, who handles the guitar on tracks 1 to 4 and 11 to 15, lays the groundwork for James’ deep baritone sax groove and with Norcia, builds the final delivery to a classic finish. There is something very powerful about the Big Band sound.
“I Want to be with Her,” is a sweet slow ballad, with some beautiful singing from Sugar Ray and a lovely sax solo from Greg Piccolo. “You Better Change Your Ways” is a classic 40s swing tune. On Norca’s original “Money Taking Mama,” it’s Geraci’s turn to shine on barrelhouse piano as Ray takes his first turn on harp.
“Shut Your Face” features a sparkling and brassy call and response from the horn section, these guys have been playing together for so many years, they work like a well oiled swing machine and each shines on a solo on this cut. Mike Welch sounds great on guitar, with some well-chosen phrasing, with Mudcat and Neil Gouvin in a tight groove driving the song along.
“I Don’t Know” is an old-time blues shuffle with Ray paying homage Sonny Boy
Williamson, a style he is so comfortable with, which he continues right into “No Sorrow No More,” a serious plea for peace around the world, a reminder that real life blues is with us all the time, oftentimes played on a bloody global stage. This song will definitely make you stop and think.
Two of the best songs on the disc come back-to-back on “Do You Remember?” and “Think it Over Again.” On “Remember,”Geraci and Norcia, who work so well together, play off one another’s work on piano and harp, while “Think it Over Again” puts you in a pianistic mellow blues mood with a some sweet trading on trombone and trumpet solos.
The last two songs are sterling classics with some very nice jazz infused guitar work from Robillard. Sugar Ray mentions in the liner notes that it is a “...long overdue collaboration with Duke Robillard.” “My Last Affair” is a tender duet, voice and guitar; “Until The Real Thing Comes Along” let’s all parties shine in a gently swinging love ballad.
Sugar Ray has it all – sweet vocals, excellent harp, he emenates charisma... and his band is damn good, too. –Art Simas
Art Simas is a blues enthusiast, reviewer and author of “Boston’s Blues”

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Another review of My Life, My Friends, My Music

This is Sugar Ray Norcia's big band album. Between 1994 and 1997 Sugar Ray Norcia was the lead singer and frontman for Roomful of Blues. This is also a re-union album as four/fifths of the original Roomful of Blues horn section: Greg Piccolo (tenor sax), Doug "Mr. Low" James (baritone sax), Carl Querfurth (trombone), and Bob Enos (trumpet), who are joined by founder Duke Robillard as guests on this recording. The core band is composed of The Bluetones: Sugar Ray (vocals and harmonica), Michael "Mudcat" Ward (acoustic bass), and Neil Gouvin (drums). Ex-Bluetones Anthony Geraci (piano) and "Monster" Mike Welch (guitar) are also along for the ride.
On half the tracks Norcia recreates R&B songs from the early 1950s. Opening with Louis Prima's "Oh Babe," he also covers Dave Bartholomew's "I Want To Be With Her," Buddy Johnson's "You Better Change Your Ways," Big Maceo Merriweather's "Do You Remember?" Wynonie Harris' "I Like My Baby's Pudding," and Nat King Cole's "Until The Real Thing Comes Along." Norcia also covers Ella Fitzgerald's "My Last Affair" from the early 1940s and Sonny Boy Williamson II's Blues standard "I Don't Know," originally recorded in 1959. Norcia is an ambassador to this bygone era, but his voice gives the songs the timelessness that they deserve.
Having fully absorbed the genre, Norcia has also written seven brand new tunes. The humorous "Little Green Talking Frog" is a story song reminiscent of "It Should Have Been Me." Other originals include "Money Taking Mama," "Shut Your Face," "No Sorry No More," "The Last Words of A Fool," "Oh, Oh, Oh Pretty Baby," and "Think It Over Again."
Blues singers do not necessarily have to have the best voice as long as they have the passion, but when singing with a big band a clear voice and annunciation become more important. Sugar Ray Norcia, named appropriately for his sweet-as-sugar voice, has all the intonation necessary to express the emotions within his material; for this reason Sugar Ray and The Bluetones, whether as a big band or as a smaller quartet, are one of the best bands performing today.

Richard Ludmerer is a contributing editor at BluesWax
click here to go to review on BluesWax web site.

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HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE- Severn Records

These reviews appeared in The Blues Audience newsletter-
above a live performance review, below a CD review.