Mark, who’s shown an increasingly sure hand with each release (this is his third recording), here reveals a fully-realized talent and a thoroughly entertaining approach.  Mark’s music isn’t meant to plumb the darkness; it’s as celebratory as it gets, mining the timeless territory when a hot horn section was just as important as fleet fretwork, much in the vein of Colin James’ Little Big Band outings.  Mark, however, wrote most of the material here, with help from long-time associates Rob Marcheterre (drums) and Costas Zafiropolous (bass) helping out on a few.  It’s a testament to his compositional abilities that one can’t tell the originals from the covers without liner notes; he’s adding to rather than simply covering the classics, and some of the tunes here could well become standards of tomorrow. 

Mark kickstarts the party with a blast via “Goin’ To Vegas,” a rollicking romp that could easily have come from the Leiber and Stoller songbook.  It’s original, but Mark does indeed dip into the L&S canon a little further down the playlist with the relatively rare “One Bad Stud,” treated with appropriate irreverence and energy.  “If Your Phone Don’t Ring” jumps thanks to a big beat and great horn work, with guest vocalist Tina Dee doing duet duties to give the tune a Buddy and Ella Johnson feel.  Other guests include Michael Fonfara, surely Canada’s finest (and arguably busiest) ringer when it comes to keyboard contributions. 

The title tune give Mark a chance to stretch out with some fine, B.B. King-inspired licks that show he’s also learned Mr. King’s lessons regarding restraint – while Mark can definitely dazzle, he never overplays, instead taking the time to make every note count.  Covers include “Seven Nights To Rock” (first made famous by Moon Mullican) and a killer take on “Saint James Infirmary” that would sound right at home on Bourbon Street, complete with Dixieland-style outro.  Elsewhere Mark and company may well have crafted the instrumental of the year with “You’re Fat,” featuring an insanely catchy riff that just won’t let go, though “King Albert” (guess who it’s a tribute to!) is just as accomplished and shows Mark the equal of any when it comes to serious string-bending. 

Throughout, Mark’s vocals are confident and assured; he’s blessed with a big voice, at times reminiscent of the classic blues shouters who could fill halls without trying, allowing him to deliver lines with commanding authority without the need to reach for the rafters. His band is absolutely top-notch, playing with just the right combination of crisp precision and relaxed abandon.  And above all, the disc swings from beginning to end. 

A stellar outing all the way!