D.D. Bastos in interview: “Roomful of Blues is a train at full speed!”

On October 10, 2025, Roomful of Blues will release Steppin’ Out! on Alligator Records, the band’s 20th album. For the first time in over sixty years of history, the legendary Rhode Island group welcomes a woman singer in the studio: D.D. Bastos. With her powerful voice, she brings fresh energy while preserving the famed “little big band” sound that has defined Roomful since 1967. Blending covers and forgotten gems, Steppin’ Out! offers 14 tracks driven by blazing horns and an irresistible groove. Blues Actu sat down with D.D. Bastos, the newest member of the lineup. An interview that swings!

How did you join the Roomful of Blues adventure? Can you tell us about the moment you were asked to join the band?

In 2015, I was asked to sing with The Sons of Providence, a group of local musicians I knew well and had already played with. Among them was Chris Vachon, who worked with me until the pandemic in 2020. In early 2024, I was contacted for a show scheduled in August with the SOP. While setting up a rehearsal with Chris, I learned that the singer of Roomful of Blues could no longer perform due to health reasons. It was a shock for everyone! Chris and Rich Lataille, the band’s leaders, needed to quickly find someone who could cover the dates. After an interim by Ed Peabody, I got the call: Chris was asking me to become the official singer. My heart was racing! I asked if it was temporary. His answer: “It’s permanent. No audition, you start in June.” I said yes… and I’ve been smiling ever since.

You’re the first woman to record with them in more than sixty years… Is that an honor?

It’s a tremendous honor to be the one marking this turning point in the history of Roomful of Blues. The band has a deep musical culture and an impressive discography, punctuated by collaborations with the greats. They’re opening a new era with a woman singer, and we chose to call the album Steppin’ Out! to symbolize that step forward. The repertoire is delivered from a woman’s point of view, with confidence and power. The cover art illustrates the idea: a woman in the driver’s seat of a powerful, perfectly tuned machine.

It’s exhilarating, and that energy is contagious!

In May 2024, what impressed you most: their energy, their sound, or the way they work together?

After a few rehearsals, I played my first show with them on June 7, 2024. That’s when I felt their intense energy, the power of their sound, and their perfect cohesion hit me full force. With Roomful, it’s like boarding a locomotive: once it’s rolling, it charges ahead at full speed. It’s exhilarating, and that energy is contagious!

How did you find your place within such a strongly defined sound?

I brought in songs I’d been performing for years with my own band, D.D. and The Road Kings, tunes rooted in the same traditional blues that Roomful loves. Years of study and stage work had prepared me to hold my ground alongside musicians who learned directly from the masters of this style.

Steppin’ Out! is your first recording with them. How did the sessions go?

The two days of recording were pure joy! It was my first time at the New England Power Station in Waterford (CT), a gorgeous studio with exceptional sound. We cooked and ate on site so we wouldn’t lose any time. Most of the tracks were cut in two takes, over half of them on day one. The vibe swung between laughter, deep listening, and musical conversations. A rich experience—and I can’t wait to go back there with them.

The setlist includes songs by Big Mama Thornton, Etta James, Big Maybelle… How did you approach these monuments?

These women artists left a mark on me from my very beginnings in blues. Trained in classical singing, I had learned technical perfection, but the blues taught me vulnerability. Here, there’s no hiding your emotions: you open your soul, you tell a story, you live each song so the audience can feel it deeply.

“You Were Wrong” is a song that’s especially close to your heart. How does it feel to sing it with Roomful?

It’s a song that’s been with me for a long time. With Roomful, it takes on an incredible dimension thanks to the horn section and the band’s energy. On stage, seeing the audience react, tapping their feet, vibing to the guitar solo… it’s pure joy.

Roomful of Blues is famous for shows where the audience dances from start to finish. How do you experience that energy?

It’s electrifying! When the room is dancing from the first song to the last, I feel light, carried by an almost supernatural energy. That back-and-forth between the audience and us raises the temperature and bonds the band even more tightly.

Have you had a “magic” moment when you thought: “That’s it, I’m part of the family”?

Yes—after a slow blues where Chris Vachon and I traded musical phrases, the band built an epic finale. The entire room stood up, applauding and cheering for what felt like an eternity. I had tears in my eyes, and seeing my bandmates just as moved, I knew I was home.

You’ve also been a music teacher and choir director for over twenty years. Does that influence how you interact with the band?

Yes, because I teach my students the importance of synergy: the whole matters more than the sum of the parts. I apply that philosophy to Roomful, and I always stay open to learning from others while sharing my own experience.

What are your dreams for the future with Roomful?

I see myself recording new original albums with Roomful of Blues, traveling the world, playing major festivals… and, why not, becoming a household name for blues lovers. But I also believe in the importance of living in the moment—because that’s how you open the door to your dreams.