November 9, 2006
Colin James - The Little Big Band 3 (MapleMusic Recordings/Universal)

Bluesman Colin James, who was one of the first to jump on the swing craze bandwagon of the '90s, returns with another finger-poppin' collection of soul; R&B and swing/jive chestnuts. As in the past, James has enlisted the heavyweight talents of some well-known sidemen to give the disc a large dose of energy. Keyboard players Chuck Leavell (Rolling Stones) and Reese Wynans (Stevie Ray Vaughan), along with drummer Bob Ruggiero (Van Morrison/Eric Clapton) and Jeff Sarli on standup bass provide James with an airtight rhythm section that certainly knows its way around the material. The band's hefty horn section includes Greg Piccolo and Doug James from Roomful Of Blues, Steve Hilliam (tenor sax) and Wayne Jackson of the legendary Memphis Horns on trumpet. When you add all this musical talent to James' contagious enthusiasm, you get a recordings that's hard to resist. Jump, jive and wail, indeed! - John Sharpe