Guitarist Duke Robillard first came to prominence with Roomful of Blues, the band that he formed with pianist Al Copley in 1967. Duke's deft fretwork helped define Roomful's big band blues sound for better than 12 years, when Robillard left to pursue a solo career. Although he briefly brought his exquisite tones to bear on the Fabulous Thunderbirds' trademark blues-rock sound, Robillard has released nearly two-dozen solo albums over the past 25+ years, stylistically ranging across the entire jazz and blues spectrums.
A Swingin' Session With
A spin through A Swingin' Session with Duke Robillard is kind of like taking a trip through time. Robillard and his band of fellow travelers, which includes Bruce Katz, the keyboard wizard of Ronnie Earl's Broadcasters; former Roomful bandmate, saxophonist Doug James; and noted jazz artist "Sax" Gordon Beadle, tackle the great American songbook of old-school jazz, big band, swing, R&B, and jump-blues. The resulting collection may be more laid-back than fans of Robillard's more-energetic blues work have come to expect, but once you've delved into the album's depths, you'll be won over by its charms.
Jazz & Jump Blues
Robillard brings his dynamic tone and elegant fretwork to the Walter Hirsch/Fred Rose song "Deed I Do," which has been recorded by everybody from Earl Hines and Sophie Tucker to Benny Goodman and Mose Allison. With Katz adding subdued, albeit delightful organ flourishes behind the Duke's spry vocals, the song takes on a contemporary edge. The often-overlooked Ray Charles' gem, "Them That Got," is a classic down-and-out tale of envy, with some swinging ivory-bashing, delicate six-string work, Robillard's dry period-perfect patois, bumpin' baritone sax, and an overall vintage 1940s-era vibe.
"Just Because" rocks with an old-old-school Duke Ellington flavor, an infectious dancefloor beat and busy, exotic rhythms matched by Robillard's upbeat vocals and Katz's nimble-fingered ivory-tickling. The original instrumental "Red Dog" offers up some fine Robillard fretwork, the guitarist mixing jazzy licks with bluesy, percussive rhythms atop a shuffling backbeat replete with cymbal brushes and walking bass lines. "They Raided The Joint" sounds like the sort of jump-blues show-stopper that one might have heard in a 125th Street Harlem club back in the day, with smoky vocals and hepcat instrumentation.
The sax-driven "When Your Lover Has Gone" is a soulful, Spartan song with a gentle groove and tasteful instrumental breaks to showcase the piano and horns alongside Robillard's lighthearted vocals. Another original instrumental ends the album, an up-tempo thriller that rocks back and forth between Robillard's rich, effusive guitar tones and Katz's barrelhouse organ riffing. Throw in Mark Teixeira's subtle drum fills and cymbal brushing, a deep, swaying bass line, and some well-placed horn blasts and, well, you're "Swinging With Lucy Mae," kid!
The Reverend's Bottom Line
Fans of Robillard's blues albums may not be able to connect with the material on this fine collection of stylized originals and reverent covers of classic vintage material. Robillard downplays his considerable six-string skills to instead focus on the band as a whole. As he states in the liner notes, he's using the entire band as an instrument to bring a certain feel to the music. To that end, Robillard has wildly succeeded - A Swinging Session with Duke Robillard presents a band-fueled vision of finely-crafted, golden-era jazz. (Stony Plain Records)
