Bobby Caldwell: Come Rain or Come Shine

Backed by a sixty-piece big band belting powerful, downright swanky arrangements, vocalist Bobby Caldwell pulls no punches on Come Rain or Come Shine (Sin-drome SD-8932; 48:30), a rousing delight for any admirer of the Bobby Darin school of croon. Although most of the songs are familiar, arrangements by the likes of Ray Ellis sparkle and pop to bring out Caldwell’s unique reads. For example, the old crooner quality of “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry” is accentuated by the swirling strings and slow tempo, whereas “Old Devil Moon” is played as an up-tempo, bluesy strut, giving Caldwell’s vocal a rapturously mesmerized quality. Throughout, the singer emulates Darin, but adds even more power and punch-evidenced on the album’s title track, with its swaggering horns, to a hard-bopping take on Darin’s signature tune “Beyond the Sea.” Caldwell’s all-out approach also shines through on originals like “April Moon,” a big old-fashioned ballad complete with quivering strings, which is given a dramatic read by the singer. His towering presence makes Come Rain or Come Shine a punchy, raucous blast to the past.

Originally Published January 1, 2000