Bob "Bubba" Enos, 1947 - 2008, RIP

A sad day for Roomful of Blues fans, here is a press release from Alligator Records.
(link to original)

BOB ENOS, ROOMFUL OF BLUES TRUMPET PLAYER, 1947 - 2008
[01/14/2008]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 14, 2008

CONTACT: Marc Lipkin / Alligator Records / 773-973-7736 x235
EMAIL: publicity@allig.com

Color Photograph available upon request

BOB ENOS, ROOMFUL OF BLUES TRUMPET PLAYER --- JULY 4, 1947 – JANUARY 11, 2008

Bob Enos, longtime trumpet player for Roomful of Blues, died in his sleep in his hotel room in Douglas, Georgia, early Friday morning, January 11, 2008 of suspected heart failure. He was 60. Roomful had played the Douglas Country Club the previous night. The band was on its way to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday to perform on The Legendary Blues Cruise. Roomful is continuing its current tour with former band member John Wolfe taking Enos’s place.

Enos joined Roomful Of Blues in September, 1981. Only saxophonist Rich Lataille had been with the band longer. He appeared on every album that Roomful made apart from its first three releases, including a new CD, “Raisin’ A Ruckus,” set to be released on January 15, 2008. Enos can also be heard with the Roomful horn section on recordings by Pat Benatar, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Colin James, Jimmy “T99” Nelson and others. Influenced by Louis Armstrong and Roy Eldridge, Enos’ driving delivery and punching high notes put a sparkle atop the Roomful horn section and frequently drew gasps from the audience.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 4, 1947, Bob took up the trumpet at age 14, studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music, and spent the late sixties and early seventies playing in R&B and soul bands. After studying with John Coffee and Ray Copeland, he spent two of years working with the legendary Platters (led by Herb Reed) before joining Jack Radcliffe and the New Viper Revue. He then founded the award-winning band Channel One and was with this jazz fusion group for three years. After a period of freelance work he joined Roomful, literally on the eve of the band’s first coast-to-coast tour.

“Bob was one of a kind,” said Roomful bandleader Chris Vachon, “a unique talent. The band obviously feels devastated. When you work as closely together as a band like Roomful does, each person is family – we’re like brothers. It makes this kind of thing hard, very hard indeed.”

“He could always hit those high notes,” said Roomful’s former bandleader Greg Piccolo. “It was an amazing thing – I had never worked with a trumpet player who was so consistent. It didn’t matter how tired the band was, how long the drive to the job had been. He was always there, right on the money. He was a bull.”

“He was a pro through and through,” commented Bob Bell who managed Roomful for over 20 years. “He loved the music and he loved the band. Outside of his family, it was his life. He brought a lot of joy to an awful lot of folks. And he was a really sweet guy.”

He is survived by his wife Jill, sons Louis, Jude and Joseph, and daughter Elizabeth.

Contributions for Bob Enos’ son’s education may be sent to:

Bob Enos memorial Scholarship Fund

c/o TD Bank North

127 South Street

Wrentham, MA 02093

January-February Local Blues Music Scene

Hello TMB Fans -

January & February are great months for Blues. What could be better to hold off "cabin fever" then getting out of the house and listening to some great live blues music.

• Monday, January 21, 2008, Left Eye Jump Blues Band, Red Square, Burlington, 9pm-1pm
• Thursday, January 31, 2008, Blues Union, Backstage Pub, Essex Junction, 7:30pm-11pm
  

As I get more infomation, I will get put on this page.

Cheers,

John

Sunday Morning Meditation with The Blues

Hello TMB Fans -

A huge shoutout (belated, but sincere) to Jim Branca and Tom Buckley for their tremendous live performance on "Those Monday Blues" back on August 20th. Jim, Tom and Marnie were wonderful guests and the music was great. Next time, I will take pictures so you can see the studio filled with musicians including a full upright bass, brought to life by Tommy. The acoustic upright bass, along with Jim's guitar and vocals made for a uniquely intimate musical experience. It is always great to be in the same room with the musicians as they are playing. Blues, Jazz, nearly all kinds of music is best when heard performed live. We are so fortunate to live in Burlington where we have a host of venues to listen to live music from dedicated passionate musicians.

Speaking of live music venues, right now, as I type this, I am listen to a wonderful acoustic/acoustic blues performance by Jerry Craft at the New Moon Cafe/Espresso Bar on Cherry Street in downtown Burlington. I was wondering around downtown about 8:40am lamenting the fact that I would have to wait until at least 9am to patronize a locally owned coffee establishment. As I was walking down Cherry street, just down from the First Congregational Church, I noticed that the usually broaded-up Knight of Columbus hall was replace with a new eatery, New Moon Cafe...and...it was open. I just had to go in. Eatery, esspresso bar, or hangout, call it what you will, it could very well become my new place for my Sunday Morning Meditation. Of course, the free wifi and leather couches have a lot to do with that. The spacious cosmoplitian ambience, varied & interesting menu, friendly & helpful staff and excellent coffee was enough to seal the deal. What sealed and tied up this deal with a glorious bow was the unexpected surprise of live music. As I reclining deep into one of the leather couches, Jerry Craft came in and start setting up. I was delighted to hear that he was a fan of Robert Johnson and the "Old School" of acoustic blues. His masterful smooth playing displayed not only the best of the old influences but his own own originality. I look forward to hearing Jerry play around town. Maybe, he will honor my show in the future with a live, in-studio performance...hint, hint.

Before I go, I wanted to mention that I caught another live performance of the Left Eye Jump Blues Band at the Backstage Restaurant in Essex Junction. As per Left Eye's tradition, Denny Willmott was out front with his big guitar, big as life and bringing honest live Blues to Vermont. (thank you) "Harmonica" Bob MacKenzie was sitting in again bring that "West Coast Harp" we all know and love. Left Eye is great to watch especially as they loosen up and have fun. At the beginning of the last set, they fell into this huge great groove, deep in the pocket, they just hang out there having fun. It was a huge treat. This is the best thing about live performance with great musicians who are comfortable with their audience, the unexpected ad hoc innovations and "aw hell, let's go with it" improvisations. These are moments, rarely caught in a recording, of musical inspirations and just plain fun where the only thing you can honestly say is "You Just Had to Be There".

Well, gotta run, just wanted to say again, make the time to get out of the house, find a comfy place to sit, order a beverage of your choice, and enjoy some live music. All you have to do is show up.

Cheers!

OneChord

Another Live Broadcast : Jim Branca & Tom Buckley

Another Live Broadcast of two real Vermont musicians!!! Woo Hoo!!

Jim Branca & Tom Buckley will be performing live in the WWPV studio on August 20. Jim, Tom and the rest of their gang were playing at the Lincoln Inn a few weeks back. My son and I loved Jim's connection with the audience and the music. Jim also has great musical friends who came to visit the show as well, notably, Greg Izor and Bob McKenzie. Both lending their blues harp talents to Jim's excellent guitar work and Tom's rock-solid bass lines.

New Tracks & Sweepers for Today's Show

Hello again TMB and Local Blues Fans -

Just a quick review, My two youngest daughters and I saw the Lefteye Jump Blues Band at the 1820 Coffeehouse & Wine Bar two weekends ago after the Green Mountain Chew-Chew. Recently, My son and I had a chance to go to the Blues Night at the Lincoln Inn and hear Jim Branca with special guest, Greg Izor along with special secret guest appearance of "Harmonica" Bob McKenzie. (I loved watching Jim and Bob tossing musical lines back and forth during their great cover of "Flip, Flip or Fly"). Let me tell you that Lefteye Jump, Jim Branca, Greg Izor, Bob McKenzie, Joe Moore, Nobby Reed, Bill Darrow, Jason Corbiere, Tom Buckley and other great local blues artists are creating a live Blues music scene on this side of the Winooski river. Venues like, 1820 Coffee House and Wine Bar, Lincoln Inn, and Backstage Restaurant are making a serious effort to have live music, including blues music here in Essex-Colchester-Williston corner of Chittenden County. What is a little appreciated fact, these shows all have started at 7pm or 8pm which makes it so easier to bring your kids to a live music performance where you can sit down and enjoy the musicians interacting with the audience, the bandmates and the music. Again, I am not knocking the Burlington music at all. I have seen great shows at Nectars, Parimas, Radio Bean, and other venues. I have even taken my high schoolers to Higher Ground to hear a couple of groups. Sorry for the rambling, I just wanted to share my appreciation to the musicians and venues in Essex for supporting a live Blues music scene where there was no cover charge and all you had to do was show up. Each time I went to a show, I also stayed longer than the hour I allotted myself because it was that much fun.

Today's show will feature some tracks from Jim Branca's CD, "Live" including one of my favorite tunes which I heard live last week, an original song by Jim, "Life's Been Living Me". Also, I will be playing a few more tracks from Dave Howard & The High Rollers' "Sure Bet". I already have some favorite tracks but my middle daughter has a favorite track too. (...but different than mine) All in all, it is a great collection of roots music. As I have mentioned before, Dave Howard is the new lead singer for Roomful of Blues. I have heard Dave Howard live with Roomful at the Champlain Valley Balloon & Music festival a few weeks ago and will anxiously await the release Roomful of Blues' lastest studio effort in the fall. Until then, unless you go to a Roomful of Blues show (...and you should), you will just have to tune into the show to heard Dave's whiskey-soaked baritone on "Sure Bet" and his solo effort "I Tried to Tell You", a collection of country tunes. Now...listen, I am the first to say that if you want to know if someone can sing, have them sing a country tune. It will be obvious, Dave can sing.


Lastly, today will be the premiere of a new radio sweeper that the Ty Curtis Band did for me. (Aw schucks) I love the Ty Curtis Band's debut CD, "Stubborn Mind" but this sweepers also tells me that they have a sense of humor and have fun. My good friend, BoogieKingSteve, the "Tzar of West Coast Blues Programming", tells me that the TCB is as good or better live than their CD. (Isn't that always the case for a great blues band?)

Gotta run and do a show,

OneChord