The Rip-Roaring Music that is Bellevue Cadillac

It happened two years ago Christmas. My boss decided we should have a Christmas party at a local Chinese restaurant that had live music. Chan's is located in northwestern RI in the heart of downtown Woonsocket and is well known around the state and a good part of Massachusetts as the place to go to hear phenomenal blues acts. Their annual Christmas celebration is a step to the left of that though. For years now the band that gets them jumpin' and jivin' and wishing there was a dance floor has been Bellevue Cadillac.

The Cadillac as eclectic a musical experience as you can hope for. They bring musical styles from the 20's to the 50's to the islands and into Elvis' jungle room. They are unrivaled in their energy and showmanship. I defy the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, or dare I say The Red Hot Chili Peppers to try and keep up.

As I said they are not blues. But then again they are, a little. And they are not do-wop. But then again, they are a little. And they are not 50's rock 'n' roll, but then they are a little… So you're getting the picture right? They are often times pigeon holed as a swing group and I admit they do lean a bit that way but really what is swing? It's a little tribal beat, a little jazz horns, throw in some rocking guitar and soulful bass and maybe some classical piano playing to balance it out and well that's sort of who they are but then again not really.

So I was sitting there listening to the wildest, most energizing music I had ever heard, live or not. I mean these guys were giving the Brian Setzer orchestra a run for their money and taking The Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, and Stevie Ray Vaughan along for the ride. They opened with a song from their upcoming album and I swear to you I didn't stop tapping my toes or smiling for the rest of the night. Doug "The Professor" Bell expounds the wonders of the album and how it was going to hit every facet of love as if it were a Picasso.

The obsessive compulsive person I am I immediately logged on to their website when I got home. I was promised lots of cool stuff if I sent the professor a note. I meandered through their calendar and browsed their gallery while listening to the CD's they had available at the venue for purchase. I cruised over to the musical samples from the album that was not yet available. The picture was absolutely…boring. Their other covers were spectacular. A classic red and black stylized copy for Live At Chan's, a customized cartoon for Prozac Nation complete with a syringe and flying car, and a cover for Black And White that has made the list of top 100 album covers of all time. Yet here they were about to release what was quite possibly their defining album and the cover art on the web site was abysmal. Shadows of fuzzy people passing each other in a sea of white, that's the album cover for an album inspired by the way Picasso would paint the many facets of love? I don't think so.

Being slightly graphically inclined and greatly obsessive compulsive I took it on myself to spend a few hours creating my own version of the cover. I then attached it to the e-mail telling The Professor that I hated his cover and for someone who spoke with so much passion about this album that he really needed to reconsider the art. The reply? Well now that was unexpected. He said, "You've got the job."

What he meant by the job was almost a year, and over 20 art pieces later Love Allways found its way to press with the band's music, The Professors lyrics and my art. So I have to say I'm slightly biased to this particular piece but I was biased to it before I ever began work on it.

Too Much Sunshine is the song they had opened the set with that night and it is the first song on the album. Upbeat and contagious, it's about letting love in. It's about following your heart and not listening to every argument your head might have. The lyrics ring true no matter who you are or how old and is studded with fantastic horns and vocal rounds. It is an understatement to say it ends on high note. Sean "The Devil" Devlin is at his finest in carrying this song. I'm not alone in this however; here is a quote from T. Bone a previous member of the band. "My favorite Bellevue song is 'Too Much Sunshine.' It has the classic feel of vintage soul music while being unmistakably Bellevue Cadillac. It's so catchy that even audiences that have never heard it like it right away, and like all of the Professor's songs, it really says something lyrically. It's a tune I liked the first time I heard it, and one I never get tired of playing."

Can't Win For Losin' is the story of Bruce "The Mouse" Strauss who holds the world record for shortest fight at a whopping 11 seconds, including the ten count. Bruce and The Professor met on the set of 1997 film "The Mouse" about his life as an opponent in the ring. Enthralled with Bruce's love of money and the sport which he didn't honestly excel at The Professor wove the glamour of the rough and tumble life of a rugged character with the sorrow of a dream unfulfilled and created a masterpiece. The playful saxophones open the pathway for the gently upbeat tinkling piano of Tim "Miles" Long. Every big band had that full rich sound with the piano that carried you through and this song is no exception.

Havana Moon takes a decidedly Latin twist in its tempo and musical feeling. It creates a steamy and provocative sexual innuendo with lyrics that are actually a metaphor for the Cuban missile crisis and the wooing of Cuba by Italy, the US and even Russia. It is a favorite of a few band members. "If I had to pick a favorite of all the songs I would choose Havana Moon. I think I enjoy it because It's truly a tour de force for everyone in the band. The story line in the lyric is strong, the melody flows like water and has some very dramatic moments for me to shine, the rhythm section grooves along nicely Latin lines, the horn arrangement especially the tutti section in the middle is dense with information while free flowing, fiery and intense, the guitar work at the outset and on the end is beautiful and classic. There are no holes for boredom here." This is courtesy of Charlie "The Count" Sorrento, lead vocals, sometimes keyboard player, sometime tambourine man, always showman. Charlie hits the stage in full on zoot suit regalia and lends his own vocal instrument to the already stunning orchestral arrangement of the band. A long time professor at the renowned Berklee College of Music The Count originally caught The Professor's attention in a 70's band by the name of Colwell Winfield Blues band that just happened to open for Led Zepplin's first American tour in 1969. Not only were they good enough for Led Zepplin but they also, to the chagrin of The Count, became the band on the Van Morrison's Moondance album. At the tender age of…let's say twenty something for the sake of law enforcement…The Count was out of a band and decided to move on in another direction. That was all well and good until The Professor set his sights on getting him to join Bellevue Cadillac.

Soul Stir It is about finding love again after being heart broken and much like Too Much Sunshine and Can't Win for Losin' the tune is catchy and enthralling. From the first time you hear it you can't help but hum the refrain. It's all about love taking the broken hearted by surprise and bringing them back to life by setting their soul on fire. It's about true love and lust and the roller coaster that speeds between the peeks and valleys they create. Bruce "Mr. Memphis" Cummings picks this as one of his favorites to listen to, "the Count has such a soulful delivery, catch the chorus with
the guys backup vocals, infectious." A huge presence in every sense of the word Mr. Memphis adds bass and body with his big horns. A small gray hat with the brim turned up exposing a jovial face that would be fitting any Santa Clause dispels any intimidation his overwhelming 6'5" frame may insight.

Ships is another of The Professors genius metaphors. A pearl in a locket and a broken rocket in a pocket without a wind up key…the play on words is beyond intelligent and thought provoking. This is about pure unadulterated lust, the lust of first love the giving up of innocence and toys and pearls. A microphone-heavy vocal give a forties bent over an Indian inspired arrangement accented with the hauntingly melodic clarinet c of Jimmy "Two Suits" Capone. He is absolutely, without question, the biggest character you will ever have the pleasure of seeing. The Soprano's have nothing on him, and if they did I'm sure he could take care of it. A highlight of the show is when he uses his saxophone to blow in the ear of the woman nearest the stage. Usually after playing his way across their table stepping gingerly over the PuPu platter and Moo Goo Gai Pan. It's hard to resist…

Three Rules is the next offering and talk about amazing. Lyrically, vocally, musically, this song is phenomenal in every way. If you don't believe me maybe you will believe the Grammy nominating committee. Three Rules is nominated for…get the irony of this…three Grammy ballot nominations. It's up for Record of the year, song of the year, and best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal. And yes you read that correctly, best POP performance. Because as I stated earlier this is not a band that can be classified in any one genre of music.

I Know She Knows addresses the more sinister stalker side of love and backs up the feeling with a Peter Gunn/Spy Hunter style bass line. "Andy B" Bergsten hits the front of the stage next to The Professor and they wield their guitars like the dreaded Tommy guns of a gangster ruled Chicago circa 1920.

Takes A Little Time is all about the journey of being in love for the long haul. Again The Count delivers a vocal that is beyond belief. The singsong quality is catchy in the same way every song you can remember from your childhood has stuck with you for all your life. The lyric cleverly wraps around itself in a riddle capturing the forgotten youth that lies dormant in your heart as you try to unwrap it and commit it to memory.

Try Try Try plays the heartstrings of anyone and everyone who has ever been in a relationship where they were more in love than the other person. Joey "Stix" Cincotta shines through the tremendous arrangement of this piece with a piercing heartbeat and magical cymbal. He brings you to the smoky restaurant with the wine and the roses and you feel the clench of the hero as his heart beats out of his chest begging to be seen by the careless high maintenance emotional wreck of a woman with no self esteem across the table from him.

You Just Know boasts clean blues inspired guitar that blends seamlessly with the rest of the ensemble. This is a testament to the amazing talent that is Doug "The Professor" Bell. It is also on the Grammy ballot in the song of the year category. I guess you'll have to get the album and decide for yourself if you think it should be this one or Three Rules.

Ja Ja Opobo over flows with the sound of the islands. Rich with ukulele and inspired by the story of a king overrun with the weight of England's religion and financial exploitation this song transports you to a tropical island where you can envision the indigenous people in customary tribal wear perpetuating their own traditions along side the impositions of colonization by the "civilized" world.

There is a hidden track as well. If you go to www.bellevuecadillac.com you can check out a little snippet of it for yourself. But I have taken enough of your time extolling the virtues of what I think is the greatest band in the world. If you're not chomping at the bit by now I don't know what else I could possibly do to make you want to go to their site and order your copy of Love Allways immediately if not sooner.