Ben Racine Band

Live A Montreal

Independent

Canadian guitarist Ben Racine formed The Ben Racine Band in 2009. Their debut album “One of a Kind” received a 2013 Maple Blues Award nomination. Racine followed up with his sophomore recording “Grand New Brew” in 2015. The Ben Racine Band began touring with Dawn Tyler Watson, and backed her up on her 2016 album “Jawbreaker”; that album took them to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis where they won the band competition in 2017. Racine was also crowned guitar player of the year and took home the competition’s Albert King Award. The Ben Racine Band appeared again on Watson’s 2019 follow up “Mad Love”.

The award winning band includes Racine, guitar and vocals; Charles Trudel, keyboards; the horn section of Kavin Jalbert, tenor sax, and Mathieu “Moose” Mousseau, baritone sax; Francois Dube, bass; and Nicky Estor, drums. This album was recorded live in Montreal.

“Live A Montreal” celebrates the band’s 10^th anniversary. Five of the eleven originals are reprised from the band’s debut, the title track “One of a Kind” featuring the rhythm section of Dube and producer Estor, “Modus Operandi”, “Mighty Good Time”; and “Snap Jab”. “Too Busy Being Pretty” includes the lyric “she’s sublime but nothin’ much on her mind”. Racine’s soulful voice is reminiscent of the R n’ B singers of the 1950’s and ‘60’s.

Four more songs are from 2015’s “Grand New Brew” including the title track; “Bootprint”; “Can’t Wait To See You Again”, and “Southbound Girl” with a great intro and guitar solo from Racine. These live versions are a welcome opportunity to hear Racine’s songs again with this Maple Blues nominated horn section. Two new, never previously recorded, originals are also included. “Don’t you dance so close to me your Contagious”; and “Move On”.

Selected covers include “The Pleasure’s All Mine” written and first recorded by Billy “The Kid” Emerson in 1957; Johnny Guitar Watson’s “Cuttin’ In” from 1961; James Hunter’s “No Smoke Without Fire” recorded in 2006; and 1999’s “Addiction” written by Michael John “Duke” Robillard featuring Racine singing “your kiss is my drug” with a tenor solo from Mousseau.

The nod to Robillard is no accident as this fully mature R n’ B band is similarly styled to the original “Roomful of Blues”, a T-Bone Walker tribute band. This Blues, R n’ B, and Soul band continues the tradition.

Richard Ludmerer