Search - Little Charlie & The Nightcats :: That's Big

The stylish retro sensibilities of Little Charlie & the Nightcats set the band apart from the rest of the contemporary blues scene. This Sacramento sensation, one of the most entertaining live acts in modern blues, fuses the jazzy swing of jump blues with the hard-driving propulsion of the classic Chicago sound. It's a volatile mixture held together only by the powerful personalities, and even more potent playing, of harpist-singer Rick Estrin and guitarist Charlie Baty. The dynamic duo struts its stuff on That's Big, as Baty's fluid guitar excursions power a wide-ranging selection of original songs by Estrin, all reinforced with strong harmonica work by the singer. There's less of the band's trademark humor this time, as it seems more interested in hot licks than easy laughs. The instrumentals "Bayview Jump" and "Bluto's Back," the latter with guest guitarist Rusty Zinn providing extra firepower, showcase Baty's fretboard fluency to full effect. Estrin handles everything from the slow-moving, sax-reinforced "I'll Bet I Never Cross Your Mind" to the jaunty swing of "Money Must Think I'm Dead #2" with customary ease. The Nightcats' new rhythm section copes well with the demands of bouncing between times and styles. Drummer Joey Ventittelli is flexible but forceful, whichever direction the music moves, and he even contributes an original song, the album opener, "Real Love." Bassist Frankie Randall is featured in a duet with Ezrin on the standard "Steady Rollin' Man," but his acoustic walking bass lines on the hard-swinging "Bayview Jump" may be his best moments. A cameo appearance by James Harman on the title tune, a blues appreciation of full-figured females, rounds out the album. --Michael Point