Duke Robillard brings his style of blues to Galesburg -...

Duke Robillard brings his style of blues to Galesburg

Duke Robillard brings his style of blues to Galesburg
November 18, 2010
By RYAN SWEIKERT
Galesburg.com

GALESBURG —
With only three tour dates planned in Illinois, blues legend Duke Robillard will make the drive down from a performance at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago to play a show this Sunday at Galesburg’s Fat Fish Pub.

Robillard, who was named the Blues Music Awards’ Blues Guitarist of the Year for four years in a row, from 2000-2004, said there is a certain appeal in playing small venues in small towns.

“A lot of times, small towns have the audiences that are most starved for the music and really love the music,” said Robillard.

“I like playing small places as far as the communication with the audience is better than in a large place. Often it sounds better in a small room and very often the audience appreciates it more.”

In 2007, Robillard received a Grammy nomination for his album, “Guitar Groove-a-rama.” Blues legend B.B. King has called Robillard “one of the great players.” He has recorded and cut albums with a plethora of blues musicians, from co-founding the group Roomful of Blues with pianist Al Copley to recording with the Legendary Blues Band (comprised of former members of Muddy Water’s Band) to studio work on Bob Dylan’s “Time out of Mind.”

“I’ve been influenced by every blues and every early jazz guitarist there is,” Robillard said. “My influences are very wide, but some of the most important are T-Bone Walker, B.B. King. Chuck Berry was a big influence on me when I started.”

Robillard’s love for music has caused him to explore and incorporate musical genres from outside the realm of straight blues, from 1930’s swing music to rock ’n’ roll.

“Some of it is influence from Chicago-style blues, and some of it is a little more contemporary influence from the original music,” Robillard said of his repertoire. “Influence of early rock ’n’ roll, blues, R&B. I would just categorize my music as being extremely American music; it’s the roots of American music.”

Robillard has played and collaborated on 50 studio albums since 1978.

“They all are genuinely part of me,” he said. “I don’t mix things up stylistically to make a hit record; I do it for an honest love of the music. In my performance live I tend to play material from all different facets of my career.”

In an attempt to explain what he perceives as a return of blues music in America, Robillard cited economic strife and the tough times of the day.

“Blues is the best form of musical therapy for sure,” Robillard said. “It’s all about letting out pain and creating joy through music. It’s supposed to be a release and fun and intense. I think the economic conditions could somewhat play into the blues having a bit of a resurgence.”

Doors open Sunday at 4 p.m. with the show beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the show. For more information, visit Fat Fish Pub, 158 N. Broad St., or call 343-1200 after 2:30 p.m.