International blues-rock outfit Voodoo Ramble has officially released its fifth full-length album, Voodoo Ramble – Live: Made in the UK. Capturing an energetic performance recorded before a live studio audience at The Media Department of Weston-Super-Mare College in the United Kingdom, the 11-track, 40-minute record highlights the band’s signature blend of 1970s British blues and American southern rock. Spearheaded by Croatian singer-songwriter and guitarist Boris Dugi-Novack Zamba, the new release bridges continental European blues sensibilities with classic UK rock traditions, offering a fresh showcase for an ensemble with a rich international performance history.
The Genesis of a Transatlantic Collaboration
The path to recording Voodoo Ramble – Live: Made in the UK began long before the microphones were set up at Weston-Super-Mare College. Voodoo Ramble was founded by Boris Dugi-Novack Zamba, whose distinct guitar work and songwriting have anchored the group through various iterations. The band’s critical turning point arrived when they triumphed at the Croatian Challenge contest. Winning the competition earned them the prestigious opportunity to represent Croatia on the global stage, leading to notable appearances at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2014, and the European Blues Challenge in Tuscany, Italy.
These high-profile festival and competition circuits exposed the band’s material to a broader international audience, drawing specific comparisons to the foundational sounds of the British blues explosion. Among those who took notice was Oz Cahill. Recognizing that Dugi-Novack Zamba’s compositional style and vocal delivery closely mirrored the gritty, guitar-driven ethos of 1970s British rock, Cahill reached out to the Croatian frontman with a proposition: record an authentic live album directly in the United Kingdom.
Upon securing Dugi-Novack Zamba’s agreement, Cahill took on the role of coordinator, organizing the complex logistics required to bring the continental musicians together with a UK-based backing band and a collegiate production crew. The resulting collaborative effort yielded a unique live-in-the-studio environment that prioritized raw energy over clinical studio perfection.
Live Production and Personnel
The recording sessions at Weston-Super-Mare College represented a unique intersection of professional artistry and educational outreach. The entire 11-track set was captured live by the staff and students of the college’s media department, working in front of an intimate, invited crowd. This setting infused the recording with a palpable urgency and organic warmth, capturing the spontaneous electricity of a traditional concert while maintaining the sonic fidelity of a professional release.
Alongside band leader Boris Dugi-Novack Zamba on lead vocals and guitar, the lineup for this special UK endeavor featured a tight-knit ensemble of seasoned players. Iain Ecclestone stepped in on guitar, providing dynamic counterpoints and rich harmonic textures to complement Zamba’s playing. The rhythm section was anchored by bassist Ed Gerlach and drummer Josh Armittage, whose steady grooves and driving tempos underpinned the diverse stylistic shifts of the setlist. Additionally, the vocal arrangements were significantly elevated by the soulful backing harmonies of Hannah Bartlett and Felicity Dickson Boardman, whose vocal interplay added depth and color to several key tracks across the album.
Track-by-Track Musical Breakdown
Voodoo Ramble – Live: Made in the UK spans 40 minutes of entirely original material, deliberately eschewing cover songs in favor of a cohesive narrative driven by Dugi-Novack Zamba’s songwriting.
The album opens with a surge of energy on "Baby, I’ve Been Loving You," establishing an immediate rapport with the audience. Zamba’s lyrics deliver a direct emotional plea—"Baby, I’ve Been Loving You since the day I was born"—balanced with accountability: "I know we can make it, I hope you do to. I told you I’m sorry. What else can I do?"
The momentum shifts slightly toward southern rock territory with "Midnight Ride." Driven by evocative storytelling, the song chronicles an urgent nocturnal escape: "Stumbled on your steps to knock on your door. Shiver and shaking all night long, sailing at the break of dawn. Look to the moon for a change in the tide. We made our escape on a midnight ride."
Following this is "Cold Hearted Woman," which features a prominent guitar lead that eventually resolves into a steady rock ’n’ roll rhythm characterized by a dynamic call-and-response dynamic with the backing vocalists. Lyrically, the track warns of psychological entrapment—"You are going to do time in a prison of your mind"—culminating in the sharp realization: "You are a cold-hearted woman, and you are making a fool out of me."
Midway through the set, the band showcases its instrumental prowess with "Good Mood," a straightforward homage to old-school rock ’n’ roll structures that allows the twin-guitar attack of Zamba and Ecclestone to take center stage. This leads seamlessly into the more introspective "Home." On this track, the narrative adopts a reflective tone as the protagonist encounters an elder by the roadside: "Approached an old man sitting by the side of the road, so many stories he’s been told. So, I ask him, mister, tell me what you saw. He said, son, home is in your heart. That is the only place where you belong. And if you look deep down in your heart, you will find a place that you call home."
Returning to high-octane southern rock grooves, "Little Blues Queen" transports the listener across the Atlantic in spirit: "I’m driving down to Memphis town. Going to play me some music when the sun goes down. Going to find me a woman when I get the chance. Spin it for a late romance."
The latter half of the record maintains the high energy with "Bye, Bye Baby," where the band drops into an assertive rock pocket as Zamba declares independence: "I don’t really need you anymore. You used to make me feel crazy, but now I’m okay. So, bye-bye baby." The track also looks forward to a hopeful reunion set against the rhythm of a locomotive: "My baby gonna jump that Midnight Train. So good to know she is finally coming home," bolstered by the rich harmonies of Bartlett and Dickson Boardman.
Urban fatigue takes center stage on "Street Livin’", a gritty reflection on the hardships of modern existence that laments how daily survival is "Breaking my soul. Street livin’ is having a toll. Easy women, easy money, always cloudy, never sunny."
Themes of temptation and regret surface on "The Smell of Money," which explores the fleeting nature of allure and excess: "What drove her far away. She’s the queen of the rally, always smells so good. One smell of her perfume and you’re down the road. She poured me a whiskey, I felt so strong. I kept on drinking, but then she was gone."
The album reaches its climax with "Too Bad for Heaven, Too Good for Hell," an energetic closer that commences with an explosive solo drum intro from Josh Armittage before locking into a relentless blues-rock groove.
Stylistic Analysis and 1970s British Rock Influences
Musically, Voodoo Ramble – Live: Made in the UK occupies a fascinating space where the Delta-infused stomp of American southern rock meets the heavy, melodic blues-rock that dominated the British Isles during the 1970s. While tracks like "Midnight Ride" and "Little Blues Queen" nod appreciatively to the American roadhouse tradition, the bulk of the album is firmly rooted in the classic UK rock idiom.
Reviewers and genre purists will find clear stylistic echoes of legendary 1970s acts. The soaring guitar leads, coupled with a robust rhythm section, bear structural similarities to the works of Deep Purple, the vocal grit of David Coverdale, and the earthy, swaggering blues-rock of Free. Boris Dugi-Novack Zamba’s vocal delivery is notably clear and unpretentious, allowing him to navigate the demanding terrain of hard rock without losing the emotional vulnerability essential to the blues. Rather than relying on modern production trickery, the album succeeds by leaning into the raw capabilities of its musicianship, offering a deliberate and well-executed throwback to an era defined by amplifier stack wattage and live-band cohesion.
Broader Implications and Future Outlook
The release of Voodoo Ramble – Live: Made in the UK marks a significant milestone for Boris Dugi-Novack Zamba and his collaborators. By stepping outside their Eastern European base to record directly within the historical cradle of the British blues movement, the band has successfully validated the international reach of their sound.
Furthermore, the collaborative production model involving Weston-Super-Mare College highlights a growing trend of bridging professional touring acts with educational institutions, providing hands-on experiential learning for media production students while giving established artists a distinctive, organic recording environment.
As Voodoo Ramble promotes their fifth studio/live release, Voodoo Ramble – Live: Made in the UK stands as a testament to the enduring global appeal of blues-rock. By honoring the blueprints laid down by 1970s British icons while injecting their own distinct continental perspective, Dugi-Novack Zamba and his crew have delivered a compelling addition to their catalog that will resonate with both longtime fans of the genre and newcomers discovering the timeless appeal of unvarnished rock ’n’ roll.
