Wearing a pin striped suit that resembled a hip gangster, Raoul took to the stage dancing just to let everyone know, we were here to have a good time and party. After all we were at his 28th anniversary of being in the Big Time. Who else was in the big time with him?
We had his guitar partner who has ridden these rails for all those years- Darren Gallen
Jake Williamson- Trumpet
Alison Young- Sax
Pat Carey-Sax
Justine Fisher- bass
Tom Bona- Drums
Jesse Whitley- Piano
By the time they got to the 3rd song- “You My People”, the audience knew this was a party just for them and began to participate. They were even more inspired when he sang, “I’m Moving out”. The pace was moving beautifully through the room. This room was swinging with Raoul’s swagger and charm. It was like he slipped you a hundred dollar bill into your pocket, so he could grab a table at a fancy restaurant.
The concert changed gears when Raoul let his guitarist sing a song and let him just rip through a great solo. In fact, this was a strong feature of the show. He also let pianist, Jesse bash out a tune for himself. It didn’t end there. Alison Young was also given the spotlight so she could sing Aretha Franklin. I has seen this women play, but I didn’t know she has a great voice as well.
As the show proceeded, Raoul brought out a very cool looking pastel blue guitar. It brought along a lot of retro imagery of the 1950’s. That is his style of playing. It is like a time travelling trip into the mid-century.
One of the cool stories to come out of this show was when he went to New Orleans to compete in a Blues Festival in New Orleans. I have heard stories about this competition and it is both fun and deadly fierce at the same time. It is very difficult to get noticed amongst a city full of talented Blues artists from around the world.
Well, it turns out that they came back to Canada in Second Place! That is very impressive.
They performed a song called Menthol Mama. This was both swanky and sexy, as you hacked up a lung while ingesting the minty smoke all around you. This was a good choice for a band that came home with the Silver medal.
What makes this band so good? Well if I were a food critic, I would say that this band provides a well rounded meal that is completely complimented by how well it is spiced. All the nuances are subtle and but deliver a burst of flavour just at the right and critical moments. It is gourmet dining at its finest.
The last 3 songs were like a perfect dessert for this gourmet show. “I ain’t got time”, almost got you swinging and twirling out the door. He didn’t leave you there, because he got us spiritually drunk with the slippery libation he called, “Tequila and Lime”.
Don’t worry, he didn’t send us out stumbling; he took us home by train. We finished with the deep and delicious sounds of Leadbelly who help us board his train and then we left the station satisfied.
A big congratulation to Raoul and the Big Time, this band can really bring the party and I hope this goes on for a very long time. For those who haven’t been charmed by this band, here is his website so you can begin your journey with this hip and expressive band that just love to celebrate retro sounds and keep them sounding cool.
Instagram- www.instagram.com/raoulbhaneja
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This is Raoul and the Big Time:
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