Si Cranstoun

Old School

Ruf Records

When Si Cranstoun refers to “Old School” he is referring to the golden era of rock and R n’ B. His primary influences are Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke and Big Joe Turner.

Cranstoun was born in Caterham, Surrey, England. Cranstoun’s father Bill promoted Ska and Reggae music and Cranstoun and his brother formed a Ska band The Dualers. The group began as buskers and became a favorite of Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Dualers played with The Skatalites, Toots and The Maytalls, Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Cliff and UB-40. They released a dozen albums and had several charting singles.

Cranstoun left the Dualers in 2010 and adapted a style closer to the rock and R n’ B that he loved. In 2009 he released the first of four independently produced albums. In 2013 he performed with Little Richard in Las Vegas and signed a recording contract with East West Records a Division of Warner Brothers. His first album for East West was 2014’s “Modern Life” and it contained the single “Caught in The Moonlight”.

This recording was released on September 30^th, 2016. The band includes Cranstoun, vocals, guitars, bass, and keys; Mez Clough, drums; Stewart Panaman, bass; Neil Casey or Paddy Milner, piano; Simon Picton or Jay Gipson, guitar; and the horn section of Dan Faulkner and Drew Davies, saxes; Jon Radford, trumpet; and Patrick Hayes, trombone. Cranstoun has written fourteen of the sixteen songs included.

The title track “Old School” opens the recording and one can’t help but be impressed with his Jackie Wilson type vocal timbre. The piano and horns might wake up the dead. “Vegas Baby” will remind you of Wilson’s “Reet Petite”. “Right Girl” will leave you yearning for some Doo Wop; while the “Thames River Song” will quench your thirst for something vintage.

The only covers included are “Lover Please” written by Billy Swan and a 1962 hit for Clyde McPhatter; and “Big Boss” written by Teddy McRae and Audrick Gladstone.

This is a wonderfully fun album which will have you dancin’ around the room.

Richard Ludmerer