A living, breathing Guitar Hero came to town on Sunday night. For legendary blues guitarist Duke Robillard, the show at London’s Music Hall was just one stop on a long list of tour dates. But his professionalism, and genuine love of sharing the music, made you believe that he and the band had trekked up from Rhode Island just to show Londoners a good time.
Sunday night’s show opened with a set by some of London’s own Blues Masters: Tim Woodcock, Rick Taylor and Sam Hurrie. The room didn’t really need warming up, but if it had these were the players to do it. With more than a few decades of experience between them, they worked through an eclectic set of blues tunes with skill and personality.
The headliner, four-time winner of the W.C. Handy Award (now known as the Blues Music Awards), and numerous other accolades, Robillard’s style embraces jazz, blues and swing. A lot of people would describe him as a unique musician, a one-off. In a self-deprecating tone, though, he says, “I don’t claim to do anything original. What I have that’s original is [the] way that I put together what I’ve learned from other people. That’s what traditional music is about. Pick it up and make it your own. Which is what my job on earth is to do. I work very hard at it, and I believe in it. Really that’s it, that’s what I’m all about.”
I first saw Duke Robillard in the ‘70’s, when he played with Roomful of Blues, and later when he performed with The Fabulous Thunderbirds (replacing guitarist Jimmie Vaughn). Since those days he’s been on stage, or in the studio, with musicians as various as Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Jay McShann, John Hammond, Jimmy Witherspoon, Dr. John and Maria Muldaur.
As he has during all those years, in performance with musicians of so many stripes, Duke brings out the best in an audience. And it’s the audience, not the awards, that he plays for – heart and soul. “I love playing in Canada because the audiences seem to be genuinely into the music, and I’ve been into playing genuine since the seventies… The audiences are great and really respond to the music. And that’s what it’s all about.”
This tour is in part to promote Duke Robillard’s latest disc, Stomp! The Blues Tonight. The audience was treated to some of those early R&B tunes, but, effortlessly versatile, Robillard and his band segued through a variety of melodies. One was a moving homage to Les Paul and Mary Ford, from the soon-to-be released Tales from the Tiki Lounge. (This disc, the first on Robillard’s own Blue Duchess label, is a collaboration with vocalist Sunny Crownover, and was conceived as a tribute to Paul and Ford). That’s the Reason I love You is “a tune from the ‘50’s. I learned it from Les Paul but I play it my own way.” Later, Just Because got the audience sitting up and tapping their toes, with it’s inspired Latin-flavoured intro and ending that showed off drummer Mark Teixeira’s chops. “It’s one of my favourite tunes,” declared Duke. “There was nothing on any [earlier] recording that was Latin, but I thought it was the perfect tune to set up.” On all the pieces Bruce Bears’ keyboard playing was energetic and inspired. Doug “Mr. Low” James has been contributing his tenor and baritone sax stylings to Duke’s music for years, providing a strong anchor whatever the genre and pace. The newest band member, bassist Brad Hallen, is “perfect for this band. He brings in something that I’m happy for” Duke enthuses. Playing both electric and upright, Hallen adds some funk to the group. “Oh, I love it! If it’s the right style, the old style.”
Robillard’s not slowing down anytime soon. “I figure I’m getting old…older! And I have a lot to say. I gotta say it before I check out. I’m really on a mission to do everything I ever wanted to do and get it on record before I leave this earth. Not that I’m planning on checking out anytime soon, but [I have to do it] while my hands still work.” This is a reference to the arthritis that has started to affect Robillard in the past few years, along with bursitis, which is showing up in his left shoulder. “I fight against it,” he admits. “There’s certainly things I used to do that I can’t do anymore.”
While the physical travails of age are moving in, Robillard finds that there are compensations. “I think I’m much more musical…I know so much more as a musician, there’s so much more in the music that I value, than the chops. Everybody in the world goes deeper. It’s typical of any musician… I feel so much deeper than I was when I had all my chops totally together.”
Besides touring, which usually involves upwards of a hundred gigs a year, Robillard spends lots of time in the studio recording, producing and arranging his own music, as well as working with other musicians. Where does the energy come from? “What I believe in gives me my strength. And what I’ve accomplished with other artists that have been my idols, who have believed in me…gives me my strength. The feeling that I know what I want, and that I know what I want is good, that’s what my strength is.”
The evening ended too soon. Responding, as always, to an appreciative and enthusiastic audience the band went overtime, and came back for an encore, before packing up and heading home to Rhode Island. “I did my job if I made people see and feel the music.. and I feel very satisfied about this gig.” So do we, Mr. Robillard, so do we.
If you missed this show, don’t make the same mistake next time Duke Robillard’s in town, sharing the music, and the good times.