Duke Robillard & His All Star Band - Blast Off!

Album: Blast Off!
Size: 121,0 MB
Time: 52:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2026
Styles: Blues/R&B
Art: Front

1. When I Get Lucky (2:52)
2. I'll Be Glad When You're Dead (You Rascal You) (5:50)
3. Feel My Cares (4:46)
4. Lowdown (4:56)
5. Play Boy Hop (4:32)
6. Confusion (3:53)
7. Blast Off! (4:15)
8. Stand By Me (3:43)
9. The King (5:09)
10. Warm And Tender Love (4:35)
11. Galactic Grease (4:41)
12. Look A There Look A There (2:51)

Duke Robillard has spent a lifetime immersed in the deep currents of American roots music, and his newest release, finds the veteran guitarist and blues historian sounding as vital and assured as ever. This is not an album concerned with reinvention or trend-hopping. Instead, Robillard leans fully into his strengths, delivering a richly played set of blues, swing, R&B, and jazz that feels celebratory, seasoned, and utterly authentic. Across twelve tracks, this travels widely while never losing focus. The material ranges comfortably from hard-swinging instrumentals to soulful blues and rhythm-and-blues staples, unified by Robillard’s unmistakable touch and deep stylistic understanding. Three originals are included, two of them instrumental, with one composition dating back to his teenage years finally receiving its first recording.

It’s a telling detail, this music isn’t about nostalgia, but about continuity, ideas carried forward by someone who has lived them. Robillard is supported by a first-rate band that plays with looseness and intent, allowing the grooves to settle naturally. The rhythm section locks in with understated authority, while keyboards add colour and swing. Horn arrangements bring a sharp, classic edge, lifting the tunes without overwhelming them, and guest spots are used sparingly and tastefully. Highlights like the exuberant title track and the deep-pocket funk of Galactic Grease showcase Robillard’s guitar philosophy; economical, expressive, and perfectly timed. His solos speak rather than shout. Even when revisiting familiar material, he brings personality and respect in equal measure.

Blast Off! is another confident chapter in a remarkable career; a record made by an artist still fully connected to the roots of the music, and still capable of making it feel fresh simply by playing it right. /Colin Campbell, Blues Matters

Personnel: Duke Robillard (guitar, vocals); Chris Cote (guitar, vocals); Marty Ballou (bass); Mark Teixeira (drums, percussion); Bruce Bears (piano, organ); Doug James, Mark Earley (saxophone); Jeff "Doc" Chanonhouse (trumpet); Billy Novick (clarinet, saxophone).

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Chris Flory w. Duke Robillard & Friends - Blues In My Heart

Album: Blues In My Heart
Size: 108,8 MB
Time: 47:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Jazzy blues, jazz
Art: Full

1. Scam (6:46)
2. Willow Weep For Me (7:20)
3. Bernie's Tune (4:49)
4. I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues (5:01)
5. Shine (3:34)
6. Blue Bossa (4:51)
7. Please Send Me Someone To Love (5:09)
8. If Dreams Come True (4:26)
9. Blues In My Heart (5:10)

Celebrated jazz guitarist Chris Flory (formerly of the Scott Hamilton Quartet and longtime associate of pianist Judy Carmichael) is joined for his fifth album as a leader by members of the New England jump blues aristocracy: guitarist Duke Robillard (who produced the album and sings on its closing track), Roomful of Blues vocalist Sugar Ray Norcia, bassist Marty Ballou, and drummer Chuck Riggs. Flory's former boss, Scott Hamilton, sits in on two track as well. The result is a program of small-ensemble swing that comes across as genuinely joyful, but maybe just a bit too gentle.

Flory's tone is warm and soft, and Robillard seems to be holding back just a bit in response. The rhythm section keeps things moving along nicely but doesn't drive the proceedings as hard as they perhaps should have. But that's not to say that the album isn't thoroughly lovely and genuinely enjoyable - the group's rendition of "Shine" offers a perfect balance between light virtuosity and inexorable swing, Flory's graceful, tripping solos on "Bernie's Tune" are especially impressive, and Norcia's vocal appearances are all highlights on the program. It's just that if the players had let loose a bit more, this album could have been a real blast. As it is, it's just thoroughly lovely and genuinely enjoyable. /Rick Anderson, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Duke Robillard & His All-Star Combo - Blues Full Circle

Album: Blues Full Circle
Size: 119,9 MB
Time: 51:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. Lay A Little Lovin' On Me (3:15)
2. Rain Keeps Falling (2:43)
3. Mourning Dove (4:50)
4. No More Tears (3:03)
5. Last Night (Feat. Sugar Ray Norcia) (2:58)
6. Fool About My Money (3:39)
7. The Mood Room (Feat. Kelley Hunt) (2:57)
8. I've Got A Feelin' That You're Foolin' (4:27)
9. Shufflin' And Scufflin' (Feat. Jimmie Vaughan) (6:31)
10. Blues For Eddie Jones (3:46)
11. You Used To Be Sugar (3:07)
12. Worth Waitin' On (6:59)
13. Come With Me Baby (3:22)

Blues Full Circle, the new album from two-time Grammy nominee and multi Blues Music Award winning guitarist Duke Robillard, whose last CD, The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard, won Acoustic Album of the Year honors at the 37th Blues Music Awards in Memphis. Produced by Robillard and recorded at Lakewest Recording and Duke’s Mood Room, Blues Full Circle showcases his killer guitar tones in a small combo setting, which brings out the power and urgency of the songs. Besides Duke (guitars, vocals) the “all-star combo” includes Bruce Bears (piano, Hammond organ); Brad Hallen (acoustic and electric bass); and Mark Teixeira (drums).

As writer A.J. Wachtel wrote in a review that appeared in The Noise of a recent Duke Robillard Band live show at the Regattabar in Cambridge, Mass., “Many, many moons ago Duke formed Roomful of Blues and tonight many of his jazz/swing/funk/blues melodies sound like his former band – without the horns. A really big sound and interesting approach for four artists onstage. And the thick sound of his guitar tone is simply marvelous. I also really enjoy the dynamics they employ – all of a sudden it gets so quiet you can hear a pin drop, and from being seated so close to the performance this adds a real dramatic and special feeling. It also makes tonight extraordinary and exceptional.”

Special guests on the new album include the legendary Jimmie Vaughan, who double-teams with Duke on the appropriately-titled guitar instrumental extravaganza, “Shufflin’ and Scufflin’.” Sugar Ray & the Bluetones lead singer Sugar Ray Norcia adds his trademark pleading vocals to the jumping “Last Night;” and the multi-talented Kelley Hunt sings and plays piano on the rollicking boogie, “The Mood Room.” Other guests include Sax Gordon Beadle (tenor and baritone sax on “Last Night”) and Doug James (baritone sax on “Shufflin’ and Scufflin’”).

“This album really does represent a full circle of blues for me,” says Robillard. “Eight of the tunes are new compositions and three tunes here represent songs I wrote as much as 30 to 45 years ago when I was leader and front man for the original Roomful of Blues in the 1970s. We hope you enjoy our back to the basics approach to the music here. Just straightforward small band, old school blues.”

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Duke Robillard - Roll With Me

Album: Roll With Me
Size: 109,3 MB
Time: 47:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Styles: Blues/R&B
Art: Front, back

1. Blue Coat Man (3:40)
2. Just Kiss Me (4:48)
3. Are You Going My Way (4:07)
4. I Know You Love Me (3:58)
5. Boogie Uproar (2:59)
6. Look What You Done (2:52)
7. Built For Comfort (3:36)
8. My Plea (4:00)
9. You Got Money (3:11)
10. Boogie Woogie Country Girl (3:10)
11. Give Me Back My Money (6:32)
12. Don't You Want To Roll With Me (4:11)

Back in 2005, Duke Robillard conceived a maximalist studio album based on jump, Chicago blues, and NOLA-styled R&B. Given commitments to appear alongside Ronnie Earl on The Duke Meets the Earl and to participate in the New Guitar Summit sessions with J. Geils and Gerry Beaudoin, he abandoned work on the date, but never forgot about the album. Robillard's Roll with Me is his 37th album and his final one on Canada's Stony Plain.

His rhythm section includes pianist Matt McCabe, bassists Marty Ballou and Brad Hallen (the latter appears on two tracks), and drummer Mark Teixeira. The horn section includes baritone and tenor saxophonist Doug James and Rich Lataille on alto and tenor; Doug Woolverton plays trumpet, Al Basile plays cornet, and Pam Murray and Carl Querfurth play trombones. Guests include harmonicist Sugar Ray Norcia on a track and vocalist Chris Cote on two. The program consists of four Robillard originals and eight covers of classic R&B and blues tunes associated with Fats Domino, Gatemouth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Howling Wolf, and Muddy Waters.

The set opens with Eddie Boyd's "Blue Coat Man," a familiar title in Robillard's live repertoire. Here it swings hard with horns and a smoking piano interacting freely with chunky chord shapes and single-string runs. Single "Just Kiss Me" is a sultry walking blues with glorious turnarounds, finger-popping horns, and a scorching six-string solo. Fats Domino's "Are You Going My Way" sounds more like an homage to Professor Longhair here. Murray shines on a reading of Big Joe Turner's blues stroller "I Know You Love Me." It and "My Plea" date back to Robillard's illustrious first band, Roomful of Blues, and offer Robillard's most soulful singing on the date. He delivers another nugget from Turner's songbook, the Doc Pomus-composed "Boogie Woogie Country Girl."

The guitarist pays righteous homage to Clarence Gatemouth Brown's swinging Texas jazz-blues on the set's lone instrumental, "Boogie Uproar," as well as "You Got Money" with vocals by Cote. Robillard's slow Chicago-style blues titled “Give Me Back My Money” recalls the '60s scene of Otis Rush, Magic Sam, and others. Over six minutes in length it's the set's longest cut and offers a killer showcase for Murray's trombone and several meaty solos by the guitarist. The closing track "Don't You Want to Roll with Me" also harkens back to the Roomful of Blues era and was originally recorded as a B-side. Led by McCabe and the rhythm section, it's a bouncy Chicago blues with driving horns, biting guitar fills, and a raucous vocal.

In sum, Robillard fans can be grateful that he waited nearly two decades to finish this album. While his playing sound and style are still instantly recognizable, his arranging, composing, and production skills have matured to a far higher level. As a result, Roll with Me is a true highpoint in Robillard's vast catalog. And while this is his final outing from Stony Plain, he isn't retiring and will continue touring and recording for the foreseeable future. /Thom Jurek, AllMusic

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Duke Robillard Band - Explorer

Album: Explorer
Size: 125,3 MB
Time: 53:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. Male Magnet (4:32)
2. Just Between Me And You (4:40)
3. Soulful (4:46)
4. Hang On (3:51)
5. You Mean Everything To Me (4:59)
6. Sayin' Don't Make It So (3:07)
7. Jumpin' With Duke (3:49)
8. Misunderstanding Blues (4:42)
9. You Dropped The Thing On Me (4:27)
10. Lonesome Old Town (4:17)
11. Brand New Fool (3:37)
12. Time Is Short (6:59)

No matter what musical turn singer/guitarist Duke Robillard chooses to incorporate, it is always steeped in the blues. Explorer is his second release on the Shanachie label and integrates jazz ("You Mean Everything to Me" and "Jumpin With Duke"), horn laden soul ("Male Magnet," "Just between Me and You"), New Orleans-style rumba ("Sayin Don't Make It So"), and even Celtic overtones ("Lonesome Old Town"). Explorer lives up to its title and finds Robillard and his band providing another eclectic blues/roots set in the process. /Al Campbell, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Duke Robillard Organ Trio - A Smooth One

Album: A Smooth One
Size: 139,1 MB
Time: 60:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2023
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front, back

1. 'Deed I Do (6:48)
2. Rhythm Willie (6:10)
3. Body And Fender Man (5:56)
4. A Smooth One (6:31)
5. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You? (5:51)
6. Red Top (7:08)
7. Jitterbug Waltz (4:40)
8. Jumpin' At The Woodside (6:48)
9. Exactly Like You (5:17)
10. Sweet Georgia Brown (5:18)

Duke Robillard was one of the founders of Roomful Of Blues in the early 1970s and replaced Jimmy Vaughan in the Fabulous Thunderbirds in the 1990s. He was a sideman for Robert Gordon and Bob Dylan, a core member of the New Guitar Summit with Jay Geils, Gerry Beaudoin and also Randy Bachmann in the 2000s, among others, and has now managed 37 (!) albums of his own.

Organist Alberto Marsico has no fixed style, whether soul, gospel, blues or jazz, he feels at home wherever he can effectively use the sound of his Hammond. In the course of his career, Alberto has worked with musicians such as Jimmy Witherspoon, Bobby Durham, Kenny Burrell, Ed Cherry and Lynwood Slim. The trio is completed by drummer Mark Teixeira, a longtime companion of Duke Robillard, who has also been in the service of blues greats and roots rock musicians such as Al Kooper, Kim Wilson, Toni Lynn Washington, Sugar Ray Norcia or Larry Campbell.

More or less the coincidence and the musical appreciation of each other brought the three musicians together to realize a joint studio project and record a classic organ trio album in Italy. Guitarist Duke Robillard on the album "A Smooth One" by The Duke Robilard Organ Trio: "This album shows what can happen when you bring three like-minded musicians together for a few hours in the studio. I hope the fun we had recording it now carries over to the listeners."

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David Maxwell & Friends - Max Attack

Size: 142.4 MB
Time: 60:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Full

01. Backseat Of A Greyhound (Feat. Ronnie Earl) (6:40)
02. Thanks For All The Women (Feat. Hubert Sumlin, James Cotton, Ronnie Earl) (6:13)
03. Twisted Tendons (3:44)
04. Long Distance Driver (Feat. Liane Carroll, Ronnie Earl) (4:57)
05. What's The Use (Of A Broken Heart) (Feat. Liane Carroll) (3:53)
06. Sticky Buns (Feat. Kim Wilson) (4:17)
07. Moving Out Of This World (Feat. Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl) (5:40)
08. Coming Home, Baby (Feat. Hubert Sumlin) (5:24)
09. Hip-House Rock (Feat. Duke Robillard) (4:27)
10. Handyman (Feat. Hubert Sumlin, Ronnie Earl) (6:08)
11. Thank You Pinetop Perkins (Feat. Pinetop Perkins) (5:04)
12. Max Attack (4:21)

David Maxwell has amassed an enormous resume throughout the years playing piano with some of the greatest and well- known musicians in the blues. David plays many styles of blues, jazz and improvised music, but he is best known for his soulful virtuosity and unmatched ability to reach the heart of post-war Chicago Blues. Through his work, he has gained the respect of artists, critics and fans and has established a reputation as one of the finest blues pianists alive. In the last decade , David has received over a half dozen WC Handy and Grammy nominations and a Grammy Award for recorded work, as well as Handy nominations for instrumental performance He has played with many of the greats including tours with Freddie King, Bonnie Raitt, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rodgers, Charley Musselwhite, Johnny Adams and Ronnie Earl; and gigs with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Levon Helm, Jimmy Witherspoon, Lowell Fulsom, Junior Wells and many others. He has been involved in well over fifty recording sessions and can be found playing keys on many blues albums that have been released over the last 25 years. (Recently, he backed up Keith Richards and Eric Clapton for a Hubert Sumlin project that will be out laterin 2005). David's music was used in the movie 'Fried Green Tomatoes' and in the TV series 'Touched By An Angel'. He has performed on 'Late Night With Conan O' Brien' and is on several videos playing with Freddie King in the early 70's. (Rounder). David's first CD as a leader 'Maximum Blues Piano'(1997, Tonecool) received high critical acclaim. His new album, 'Max Attack' (2005 95North Records), features guests James Cotton, Kim Wilson, Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Hubert Sumlin and Pinetop Perkins . David has performed in major festivals, theaters and clubs in North America, Europe, Scandinavia, Morocco, Israel, and Japan, and keeps busy today playing, recording, and teaching (and nurturing his interests in jazz, ethnic and improvised music). 'I don't think anybody could be tighter playing the blues on the piano than David Maxwell. He plays the blues like it should be played. He plays the low-down, dirty, funky blues.He's got it all together' ---John Lee Hooker 'Dave has always been one of the most amazing piano players I've ever heard. His command of a wide range of blues and jazz styles is remarkable. ~Bonnie Raitt.

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Duke Robillard - Six Strings Of Steel

Size: 104.1 MB
Time: 44:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2023
Styles: Blues Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front & Back

01. Git With It! (3:12)
02. Shame, Shame, Shame (2:13)
03. Lima Beans (3:06)
04. Love Struck (5:08)
05. In Perfect Harmony (4:47)
06. Watching The River Flow (3:46)
07. Billy In The Lion’s Den (Feat. Katie Shore) (4:43)
08. I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday (2:27)
09. Take Your Fine Frame Home (3:02)
10. Groovin’ In The Swamp (4:58)
11. Lovin’ You (4:10)
12. Rumble (2:51)

Inside the cover of Duke Robillard’s new CD is a photo of him wearing a shirt that cheekily proclaims, “Duke the King of Strings.” While never self-aggrandizing in his music, Robillard to be sure has long established himself as a guitarist’s guitarist. From his stints with Roomful of Blues (which he co-founded) and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, to his work with Dylan, Tom Waits, and many others, as well as his voluminous solo work, he has displayed a range and virtuosity that are as striking as they are seemingly effortless. Whether breathing new life into vintage material or presenting originals, he does so with a mix of earthiness and elegance.

The title Six Strings of Steel puts the focus on Robillard’s instrument, but note that the set is co-billed to his All-Star Band. So, while the album does provide another showcase for his own mastery of blues, rock, and jazz, it also points up another hallmark of his work – exceptional ensemble playing. He easily shares the stage with his ace band mates – bassist Marty Ballou, drummer Mark Teixeira, saxophonist Doug James, piano and organ man Bruce Bears, and vocalist Chris Cote.

Working with these longtime accompanists, Robillard is able to confidently put his own stamp on numbers well-known and obscure without sounding simply retro. Dylan’s driving, bluesy “Watching the River Flow” is taken at a slower tempo, with the addition of baritone sax, an acoustic texture, and fiddle by Katie Shore of Asleep at the Wheel, giving the song a laid-back vibe that suits the reflective mood of the lyrics. Fats Domino’s “I’m Gonna Be a Wheel Someday” is also slowed down and transformed with a seductive ska groove, along with a tangy but typically brief solo by Robillard. Ike Turner’s “Take Your Fine Frame Home” is an R&B fireball – one of several numbers that highlight Cote’s robust vocal power – but Robillard delivers a solo with rockabilly echoes. As usual, it works.

The set cooks right from the start with the Barney Kessel instrumental “Git With It!,” as Robillard’s guitar and James’ baritone sax face off in a fun duel. The breakneck “Shame, Shame, Shame,” a Smiley Lewis hit, shows off Robillard’s love of old New Orleans rock-and-roll, while “Lima Beans,” a Chess chestnut from 1951, is insanely infectious, thanks to the way James’ burping sax gooses the groove. It’s one of two vocals by Robillard. The other is on Lowell Fulson’s “Lovin’ You,” a classic blues that Robillard gives his usual stylish veneer.

The album includes two Robillard originals. “In Perfect Harmony” (co-written by Ballou, Cote, and Teixeira), a sweet tribute to his wife, has an irresistible pop buoyancy and Crescent City overtones in the way James’ sax punctuates Cote’s vocal. “Groovin’ in the Swamp” (co-written by Ballou and Teixeira) is just that, a languid instrumental in which Robillard’s liquid lines practically make you feel the humidity.

Six Strings of Steel closes with Link Wray’s foreboding “Rumble,” the instrumental that launched who knows how many guitarists. Robillard keeps it faithful to the original. The King of Strings seems to know – another of his virtues – that it’s hard to improve on perfection. ~Nick Cristiano

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Duke Robillard - Duke's Mood (Live In Bremen 1985 & 2008)

Size: 142.7 MB
Time: 61:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front & Back

CD 1:
01. Anything It Takes (Live In Bremen, 1985) (4:31)
02. It's My Own Business (Live In Bremen, 1985) (4:16)
03. Duke's Mood (Live In Bremen, 1985) (7:27)
04. Too Hot To Handle (Live In Bremen, 1985) (4:49)
05. Someone (Live In Bremen, 1985) (2:38)
06. Long Gone Baby (Live In Bremen, 1985) (6:58)
07. Tore Up (Live In Bremen, 1985) (4:58)
08. T-Bone Boogie (Live In Bremen, 1985) (6:52)
09. Let Me Love You Baby (Live In Bremen, 1985) (5:54)
10. Tramp (Live In Bremen, 1985) (7:07)
11. Closing Theme (Live In Bremen, 1985) (5:48)

CD 2:
01. Jump The Blues For You (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 4:05)
02. My Tears (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 8:53)
03. Blue Coat Man (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 6:18)
04. Do The Memphis Grind (Live In Bremen, 2008) (11:32)
05. Gee I Wish (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 6:19)
06. Fishnet (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 9:23)
07. Just Because (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 7:53)

CD 3:
01. Swingin' With Lucy Mae (Live In Bremen, 2008) (11:09)
02. Gonna Get You Told (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 5:58)
03. Goodtime Charlie (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 8:42)
04. Honey Hush (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 6:35)
05. Glamour Girl (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 9:08)
06. Bounce For Billy (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 7:57)
07. Hard Way (Live In Bremen, 2008) ( 3:36)

Line-up 1985 (Duke Robillard & The Pleasure Kings):
Duke Robillard: Guitar, Vocals
Thomas Enright: Bass, vocals
Tom DeQuattro: Drums

Line-up 2008 (The Duke Robillard Band):
Duke Robillard: Guitar, Vocals
Doug James: Bass, Harmonica
Bruce Bears: Organ, Keyboard
John Ross: Bass
Mark Teixeira: Drums

Duke Robillard, a guitarist of sublime musicality, is a master of rhythm and blues, swing jazz, rock'n'roll and pretty much every blues style under the sun. His astonishing versatility is a consequence of how he experiences music. When I first heard Hank Williams as a kid, to me that was blues; when I heard Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, that was blues; when I heard Muddy Waters, that was blues; when I heard Count Basie, a lot of that was blues, he told me in 2011. To me it's all the same thing. With Roomful Of Blues Robillard accompanied Big Joe Turner (a version of whose Honey Hush' is on Live In Bremen). Robillard left Roomful Of Blues in 1980 and subsequently played with rockabilly revivalist Robert Gordon, The Legendary Blues Band, who featured ex-Muddy Waters sidemen, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Mainly, though, since the early 80s, he has led his own bands. Two of these, a 1985 trio (The Pleasure Kings) and a 2008 quintet (Duke Robillard Band), feature on Live At Bremen. On the two gigs represented on Live In Bremen both of Robillard's bands play with a deeply satisfying feel and sense of swing and with dazzling musicianship. And, truly, anyone in those 1985 and 2008 Bremen audiences will surely feel that Robillard and his bands really did give them something that moved them. And those of us listening fourteen or thirtyseven years later, can only be grateful to finally be able to share in that profound emotional experience.

Duke's Mood (Live In Bremen 1985 & 2008) MP3
Duke's Mood (Live In Bremen 1985 & 2008) FLAC

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Duke Robillard Band - Duke's Blues

Album: Duke's Blues
Size: 160,6 MB
Time: 69:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. Midnight Cannon Ball (3:05)
2. Glamour Girl (4:51)
3. I Still Love You Baby (3:00)
4. Texas Hop (2:43)
5. Don't Leave Me Baby (3:29)
6. Tell Me Why (2:48)
7. Something To Remember You By (5:52)
8. Love Slipped In (3:50)
9. Information Blues (5:08)
10. Don't Treat Me Like That (3:24)
11. Never Let You Go (5:24)
12. Gee I Wish (3:20)
13. My Heart Is Cryin' (4:27)
14. Red's Riff (6:51)
15. Dyin' Flu (11:20)

With Duke's Blues, guitarist Duke Robillard pays tribute to his blues idols, such as Albert Collins, T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim, and Lowell Fulsom. As expected, it's an affectionate and professional tribute. Robillard works with an augmented blues combo, featuring a second guitarist, piano, and a small horn section. The band runs through the material precisely and efficiently. Although there's plenty of fine musicianship throughout Duke's Blues, it's the kind of record to admire, not love - it's expertly executed, but it never catches fire. /Thom Owens, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Duke Robillard Band - They Called It Rhythm & Blues

Album: They Called It Rhythm & Blues
Size: 157,1 MB
Time: 67:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Front, back

1. Here I'm Is (2:27)
2. No Good Lover (3:38)
3. Fools Are Getting Scarcer (3:09)
4. Tell Me Why (2:43)
5. Rambler Blues (3:38)
6. The Way You Do (2:51)
7. Champagne Mind (3:15)
8. Homeless Blues (5:00)
9. Outta Here (4:00)
10. In The Wee Wee Hours (2:55)
11. Someday After Awhile (5:08)
12. She's My Baby (3:30)
13. Trouble In Mind (4:16)
14. No Place To Go (3:54)
15. The Things I Forgot To Do (3:58)
16. I Can't Understand It (2:39)
17. Eat Where You Slept Last Night (3:57)
18. Swingin' For Four Bills (6:20)

In an interview promoting 2020's fine Blues Bash, guitarist Duke Robillard stated, "I want to make a straight vintage-style blues album ... danceable blues ... like the blues records I bought as a kid." This notion may have guided him in recording They Called It Rhythm and Blues, too. The majority of these 18 songs are beautifully crafted covers of vintage R&B, blues, and jazz tunes. Robillard's band - vocalist Chris Cote, pianist/organist Bruce Bears, bassist Marty Ballou, drummer Mark Teixeira, and saxophonist Doug James - are drenched in swinging earthiness playing these R&B, jump, and rowdy blues jams. Robillard appended them with fine guest singers and instrumentalists; everybody approaches the material with sophistication and spontaneity.

Cote sings six songs, including the opener, Chuck Higgins' gritty, fingerpopping, "Here I'm Is," atop Robillard's stinging fills and James' moaning tenor framing a piano and snare shuffle. He also delivers a riveting vocal on Joe "The Honeydripper" Liggins' piano-pumping, horn-drenched party anthem "In the Wee Wee Hours" and Freddie King's Big Joe Turner instrument "Someday After Awhile." Mickey & Sylvia's "No Good Lover" features a vocal-and-guitar duet between singer/axe slinger Sue Foley, as well as a choogling organ break by Texas bluesman Mike "The Drifter" Flanigin.

Kim Wilson joins his former Fabulous Thunderbirds bandmate on vocals and wailing harmonica in a raw, spirited, spiky revisit of "Tell Me Why," with pumping piano by Matt McCabe. Further, Wilson reprises his NOLA-inspired R&B stroller "The Things I Forgot to Do." Speaking of harmonica, Chicago's Sugar Ray Norcia lends his voice and snaky harp to a roiling tribute to Big Walter Horton on Tampa Red's "Rambler's Blues," and puts the party into overdrive with a version of a Louis Jordan-inspired read of Jimmy Nelson's "She's My Baby."

The W.C. Handy Award-winning Michelle Willson lends her resonant voice to Effie Smith's jump groover "Champagne Mind" and Richard M. Jones' immortal "Trouble in Mind." Robillard's gently swinging solo on the latter underscores her smoky performance, framing it with a muted trumpet - sounding like the ghost of Bix Biederbecke - and throaty baritone sax. John Hammond offers a scorching vocal on Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson's Bessie Smith vehicle "Homeless Blues, and Howlin' Wolf's lonely, sinister "No Place to Go." Robillard and Anita Suhanin duet on the guitarist's "Outta Here" amid greasy guitars, Stax-styled horns, and Bears' bumping B-3 grooves.

Robillard sings on what may be the first recorded cover of Texas bluesman Zuzu Bollin's R&B groover "Why Don't You Eat Where You Slept Last Night?" His instrumental set-closer "Swingin' for Four Bills" is a soulful exercise in bluesy soul-jazz with Flanigin's B-3 and Foley's guitar. It's Robillard's tribute to organists Bill Doggett and Wild Bill Davis, and guitarists Bill Jennings and Billy Butler. They Called It Rhythm and Blues showcases Robillard at a peak: We already appreciate him as a guitar giant and blues, jazz, and R&B scholar, but here he reveals himself as a generous accompanist, accommodating bandleader, and sympathetic producer to boot. /Thom Jurek, AllMusic

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VA - Blues Live From Mountain Stage

Size: 139.3 MB
Time: 58:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01 The Nighthawks - Leave My Woman Alone (Live) (2:42)
02 Tracy Nelson - It Hurts Me Too (Live) (4:26)
03 Paul Geremia - Slidell Blues (Live) (3:40)
04 Snooky Pryor - That's The Way To Do It (Live) (2:57)
05 John Hammond - My Daddy Was A Jockey (Live) (3:23)
06 Charlie Musselwhite - Blues Why Do You Worry Me (Live) (5:13)
07 Chris Smither - The Devil's Real (Live) (4:22)
08 Cephas & Wiggins - Black Cat On The Line (Live) (5:06)
09 William Clarke - Lonesome Bedroom Blues (Live) (4:04)
10 John Jackson - Louisiana Blues (Live) (2:26)
11 The Legendary Blues Band - Got Love If You Want It (Live) (3:55)
12 Johnnie Johnson - That'll Work (Live) (5:23)
13 Charles Brown - Quicksand Blues (Live) (5:09)
14 Duke Robillard - Gee I Wish (Live) (5:52)

The Blues Live from Mountain Stage series continues documenting contemporary roots music's finest performers with this fine collection of blues performances, featuring artists including Charles Brown ("Quicksand Blues"), Charlie Musselwhite ("Blues Why Do You Worry Me?"), and Tracy Nelson ("It Hurts Me Too"). ~by Jason Ankeny

Blues Live From Mountain Stage MP3
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Duke Robillard - The Unheard Duke Robillard Tapes: Outtakes & Oddities Vol. 1

Size: 158.1 MB
Time: 67:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Pony Blues (Outtake No Horns) (6:15)
02. I'm Stickin With You Baby (Outtake Trio Version) (4:32)
03. Gypsy Woman (Unreleased) (3:22)
04. World Radio Theme (Unreleased Radio Theme) (2:09)
05. The Change Is On (Unreleased TV Theme) (2:33)
06. The Return Of Duke's Mood (Unreleased Demo) (7:21)
07. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water (Outtake) (3:28)
08. Minor For McDonough (Unreleased Demo) (4:06)
09. Minor For McDonough (Alternate Take) (Unreleased Demo) (4:31)
10. I'm In Cahoots With You (Unreleased Outtake) (3:09)
11. I Live The Life I Love (Unreleased Outtake) (4:48)
12. Exallted Lover (Work In Progress) (4:09)
13. Something To Remember You By (Unreleased Outtake) (7:11)
14. I Tried (Outtake from Duke's Blues) (4:00)
15. Pony Blues (Demo) (5:47)

Michael John “Duke” Robillard is a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, bandleader, studio sideman, producer, label operator and educator. The Blues Music Awards (formerly W.C.Handy Awards) named Duke Robillard Best Blues Guitarist four years out of five (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004) making him the second most honored guitarist for that award! He was also nominated in that category in 2005, 2007 and 2008. In 2007 Duke received a Grammy nomination for his Guitar Groove-a-rama CD and was also honored with the prestigious Rhode Island Pell Award for excellence in the arts. Other awards over the last decade include three Canadian Maple Blues Awards in 2001, 2002, and 2003 for Best International Blues Artist, The Blues Foundation’s Producer of the Year award in 2004, The French Blues Association Album of the Year award in 2002 and Guitarist of the Year awards in 1999 and 2002.

The Unheard Duke Robillard Tapes: Outtakes & Oddities Vol. 1 MP3
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Duke Robillard - Blue Mood

Size: 228 MB
Time: 82:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Electric/Acoustic Blues
Art: Full

CD 1:
01. Lonesome Woman Blues (4:08)
02. T-Bone Shuffle (5:07)
03. Love Is A Gamble (4:38)
04. Alimony Blues (3:29)
05. You Don't Love Me (4:13)
06. T-Bone Boogie (5:25)
07. Blue Mood (3:11)
08. Pony Tail (3:07)
09. I'm Still In Love With You (8:59)
10. Hard Way (2:46)
11. Born To Be No Good (5:40)
12. Tell Me What's The Reason (2:49)

CD 2:
01. Left Handed (3:09)
02. I Miss My Baby In My Arms (3:18)
03. Someday Baby (3:18)
04. Jimmie's Texas Blues (3:10)
05. Big Bill's Blues (3:38)
06. Take A Little Walk With Me (5:11)
07. What Is That Tastes Like Gravy? (3:06)
08. You Ain't Nothin' But A Cheater (3:37)

Duke Robillard pays homage to T-Bone Walker with this collection of swing, big-band, and blues songs. The bubbly and bouncy "Lonesome Woman Blues" has a bebop Count Basie feeling as his supporting musicians, particularly the horn section, are given brief solos to shine. There is far more substance and style to this approach than a rehashed run-through à la Brian Setzer. This fluidity continues, albeit a bit slower in tempo, with the swinging "T-Bone Shuffle," which carries the same head-bobbing groove. Here the horns lead the way, but Robillard makes his presence felt on guitar near the home stretch and throughout the stellar "Pony Tail." The barroom blues and drum brushes on "Love Is a Gamble" take things down to a creeping crawl, bringing to mind Dr. John or Delbert McClinton. An early favorite has to be the rousing and toe-tapping "Alimony Blues," an indication that Robillard wants to pay tribute in the right way by nailing each song beautifully. The same can be said for the finger-snapping "T-Bone Boogie," which just touches the guitar style of Chuck Berry in its introduction and also near the closing rave-up. The album's greatest strength probably lies in its ebb and flow, as "Blue Mood" has Robillard up to his waist in the blues. The lengthy nine-minute epic "I'm Still in Love With You" seems to sag in parts, partly because the momentum isn't consistent for the song; also, it often brings Fats Domino to mind. "Born to Be No Good" has a better fate, especially with Robillard evoking the styles of B.B. King and Clapton circa "From the Cradle" on this number -- meticulous and deliberate but quite engaging. "This has been an inspirational project of the highest order for me," Robillard says in the liner notes. The end result is another charming record. [The Dixiefrog version featured alternate cover art and a bonus disc of acoustic material.] ~Jason MacNeil

Blue Mood MP3
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VA - (Almost) Everybody Slides

Size: 161.2 MB
Time: 69:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1990
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

01 Sonny Landreth - Zydeco Shuffle (3:07)
02 Roy Rogers - Crawfish City (3:46)
03 Anson Funderburgh - Red Hot Mama (3:09)
04 Danny Gatton - Notcho Blues (7:40)
05 Chris Holzhaus - Long Sad Letters (6:24)
06 Duke Robillard - You're The One That I Adore (5:31)
07 Ronnie Earl - Linda (4:53)
08 Lenny Carlson & Ry Cooder - Mood Indigo (4:51)
09 Denny Freeman - Blues Island (4:03)
10 Tinsley Ellis - Cool On It (4:34)
11 Tom Principato - Congo Square (5:53)
12 Joanna Connor - Doctor Feelgood (5:06)
13 Johnny Winter - Going Down Slow (5:58)
14 Michael Bloomfield & Woody Harris - Gonna Need Somebody On My Bond (4:03)

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(Almost) Everybody Slides FLAC

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Duke Robillard & Friends - Blues Bash!

Size: 96,7 MB
Time: 41:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, R&B
Art: Front

01. Do You Mean It (Feat. Chris Cote) (2:42)
02. No Time (4:21)
03. What Can I Do (Feat. Chris Cote) (3:01)
04. Everybody Ain't Your Friend (4:29)
05. Rock Alley (3:25)
06. You Played On My Piano (Feat. Michelle Willson) (4:08)
07. Ain't Gonna Do It (3:31)
08. You Don't Know What You're Doin' (Feat. Chris Cote) (1:57)
09. Give Me All The Love You Got (3:40)
10. Just Chillin' (9:58)

“Nothing Fancy?” Nah … This is The Rhythm & Blues Supreme!

Michael John Robillard recently turned 72 years of age and shows no signs of slowing down. Being the co-founder (with Al Copley) of Roomful of Blues back in 1967, ‘Duke’ has consistently produced a lifetime of great blues music. With well over 30 albums as leader or co-leader of bands and then another 30+ with various other bands and individuals, delivering great guitar and vocals on each and everyone.

Blues Bash is his latest studio offering, and another undoubted, sure-fire winner, with a total of 10 tracks flying through 42 minutes. Two instrumentals, three songs with Chris Cote on vocals and one with Michelle ‘Evil Gal’ Willson; leaving Duke to sing the other couple.
Backed by some stellar musicians, including some of the original Roomful of Blues brass section, this is a glorious vintage style, danceable blues party album.

Straight out of the Ike Turner catalogue, “Do You Mean It” gets the party started, genuine rockin’ and swingin’ R&B with Chris Cotes at the microphone and Duke replicating some of Ike’s stinging Fender licks. Chris’s next singing has him covering a Roy Milton classic “What Can I Do” originally released on the Speciality Label in 1953, here not just featuring Dukes clean guitar but some terrific piano from Bruce Bears; and as you’d expect, very solid and tight horns.
The third and final vocal input from Cotes is a real lively rendition of T-Bone Walker’s 1953 R&B song “You Don’t Know What You’re Doing”, with the punchy triple saxes complementing Dukes marvellous, understated guitar.

Of the two instrumentals I particularly liked the cover of Lefty Bates’ “Rock Alley” with the sharp guitar picking and honking saxes, all guaranteed to get the rug rolled up and everyone out on the kitchen floor. “Just Chillin’ concludes the entire set and is a Robillard original tune that verges into slow, smooth jazz, opening with swinging bass and drums, then some mellow tasty Sax and subtle Hammond, before the main man’s magic fingers stride along with his beautiful touch and tone.

Returning to the remaining vocal tracks, Dukes’ Smiley Lewis impersonation on the Dave Bartholomew song “I Ain’t Gonna Do It” is a real N’Awlins floor shaker with Mark ‘Mr. B.’ Braun” the main feature on a lively piano intro, plus the further addition of the middle solo. Bob Walsh takes over the 88’s, with Duke covering the vocals on his own composition “No Time” plus Mark Hummel providing West-side of Chicago sounding harmonica. The boss also does a very credible vocal on Al Kings’ slow blues from 1966 “Everybody Ain’t Your Friend” and then again, likewise on his own song “Give Me All The Love You Got”, which has a wonderful 24 second blistering Texas Blues type introduction to a jumping shuffle.
Ironically, my favourite track though has ‘Evil Gal’ Wilson performing a cracking job on the cover of Helen Humes 1952 hit “You Played On My Piano,” another bouncy, jump-jive with trademark horns and further exquisite jazz guitar from Duke.

Despite the world-wide pandemic and all it’s restrictions, there have still been some excellent new releases these last few months. Take my word for it, this is right up there with the best of them, Duke Robillard might bashfully tell you “It’s nothing fancy, just good old blues,” well it’s certainly that, but also refreshingly neoteric, all at the same time.

Blues Bash! MP3
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Al Basile - B's Hot House

Year: 2019
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:27
Size: 135,3 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Scans: Front, back

1. So-Called Storyteller (4:47)
2. Five Roads (3:48)
3. Razor Wire (4:28)
4. Try One (2:52)
5. Don't Fool With The Truth (3:38)
6. Give Me That Look (3:50)
7. Looking for A Cookie (4:52)
8. Can't Keep Me From Dreaming (4:00)
9. I See You There (5:15)
10. I Ain't Changing (4:09)
11. You Don't Know Lonesome (3:32)
12. What Dogs Wanna Do (3:54)
13. Talking In A Room (3:21)
14. Time Has Made A Fool Of Me (5:55)

Al Basile sings with a voice like Eddie Floyd, plays muted trumpet like Miles Davis and leads a band like Booker T Jones on this swampy collection of STAXY originals. He teams with guitar legend Duke Robillard along with Mark Teixeira (drums), Brad Hallen (bass), Bruce Bears (keyboards)and a horn section of Doug James (tenor sax) and Jeff Chanonhouse (trumpet). The songs sound like they come out of the nightclubs of Memphis' Beale Street, with smoky horns framing Basile's solo and singing on "So-Called Storyteller" and the boogalooing "Looking For A Cookie".

Bears' organ hums through the shuffling "Razor Wire", and Robillard's guitar cries through the stomping "Don’t Fool With The Truth" while Teixeira delivers a stroll beat with the cymbals on "Give Me That Look". A few slower ballads and sepia moods come to the fore with Basile relaxed on "Can't Keep Me From Dreaming" and baring his noir'd soul for "I See You There". Some gospel has Basile preaching on "You Don't Know Lonesome" and the team smokes like baby back ribs on "What Dogs Wanna Do". If you can’t make it to Memphis anytime soon, get some take out dry rub and dig these tunes at home. /George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

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Duke Robillard's Jumpin' Blues Review - Stomp! The Blues Tonight

Size: 156,3 MB
Time: 66:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Jazz
Art: Full

01. Stomp The Blues Tonight (3:25)
02. Do Me Right (3:34)
03. Three Hours Past Midnight (4:41)
04. Baby You Don't Know (2:56)
05. I Wanna Hug You, Kiss You, Squeeze You (5:02)
06. Frankie And Johnny (3:15)
07. Look But Don't Touch (3:51)
08. Playful Baby (3:36)
09. Million Dollar Secret (7:50)
10. Jumpin' The Bone (5:39)
11. Hands Off! (4:20)
12. Money's Gettin' Cheaper (3:52)
13. For You My Love (2:21)
14. Tore Up (4:02)
15. Ain't Nobody's Business (3:26)
16. Early In The Morning (4:36)

Since joining the Stony Plain roster in 1993, Duke Robillard has released an average of one album per year with the Canadian roots and blues label, and his sixteenth is a little bit of a departure: where his previous efforts have focused mainly on jazz and blues, this one is a celebration of the jump blues and R&B of the '40s and '50s, and Robillard sounds just as natural and is clearly having just as good a time with this repertoire as he always has on his previous projects. Highlights include a wonderful jump blues instrumental arrangement of the traditional song "Frankie and Johnny," an equally great vocal duet between Robillard and Sunny Crownover on "I Wanna Hug You, Kiss You, Squeeze You" and an absolutely brilliant rendition of the Ike Turner R&B classic "Tore Up." Slightly less essential is a rather mannered take on the old Wynonie Harris song "Playful Baby," on which Robillard sounds like he's trying to channel Harris rather than interpret the song on his own, but everything else here is really top-notch -- and part of what makes it great is that Robillard (an excellent guitarist but only a good singer) has the good sense to step aside several times to make room for the much more exciting vocals of Sunny Crownover. And on several of the album's best tracks, no one is singing at all. ~Rick Anderson

Stomp! The Blues Tonight MP3
Stomp! The Blues Tonight FLAC

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Shirley King - Blues For A King

Size: 85,9 MB
Time: 36:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. All Of My Lovin' (Feat. Joe Louis Walker) (2:42)
02. Feelin' Alright? (Feat. Duke Robillard) (4:15)
03. I Did You Wrong (Feat. Elvin Bishop) (3:11)
04. That's All Right Mama (Feat. Pat Travers) (2:47)
05. Can't Find My Way Home (Feat. Martin Barre) (3:12)
06. Johnny Porter (Feat. Arthur Adams) (2:50)
07. Feeling Good (Feat. Robben Ford) (2:31)
08. Give It All Up (Feat. Kirk Fletcher) (2:20)
09. Gallows Pole (Feat. Harvey Mandel) (4:06)
10. Hoodoo Man (Feat. Junior Wells & Joe Louis Walker) (5:28)
11. At Last (Feat. Steve Cropper) (3:16)

Being the blues-singing daughter of B.B. King has earned Shirley King the title “Daughter of the Blues,” but she is an outstanding singer and performer in her own right and capable of singing any kind of music that comes her way. Just witness her newest full-length album, Blues For A King, which crosses musical genres from blues to rock to soul and back again. Even next to such high wattage guests as Joe Louis Walker, Robben Ford, Junior Wells, Pat Travers & Elvin Bishop, King absolutely shines as she performs spectacular version of the blues classics “Gallows Pole” and “Hoodoo Blues Man” as well as the soul hit “Johnny Porter” (originally by The Temptations) plus two songs by British rock band Traffic, “Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Feelin’ Alright?.” The album closes with a powerful version of Etta James’s unforgettable “At Last,” which signals that, at long last, Shirley King is finally getting the attention and recognition she so richly deserves.

You Make Me Feel MP3
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VA - Notodden Blues Festival: Bluestown

Size: 142,5 MB
Time: 61:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front, Back, CD

01 Sista Monica - The Sista Don't Play (5:02)
02 Mighty Sam McClain - A New Man In Town (6:05)
03 Kim Wilson's Blues Express - Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You (7:38)
04 Marcia Ball - Louisiana 1927 (7:03)
05 Jimmie Vaughan - Six Strings Down (3:28)
06 Roomful Of Blues - Left My Baby (5:35)
07 Rory Block - If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day (2:49)
08 Duke Robillard - Fishnet (5:58)
09 Kim Wilson's Blues Express - Black Cat Bone (5:08)
10 Omar & The Howlers - Mystery Walk (3:24)
11 Alex Schultz - To Late To Turn Back Now (4:29)
12 Larry McCray - I Feel So Damn Good (4:20)

Notodden Blues Festival (NBF) is one of the largest blues music festivals in Europe and the largest in Scandinavia. The festival is held in Notodden, Norway, usually in early August. It has been running annually since 1988.

The festival does not aim to be the biggest of its type, but to become Europe's "largest blues experience", which is reflected in their emphasis on quality over quantity.

Notodden Blues Festival MP3
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