DUKE ROBILLARD,What to expect.

[TELE_BLUES]

I,saw he'll be at boulder station in vegas when i'll be there.What kind of show is he doing these days?

[JimmyZ]

I was playing with Johnny Ray in Louisville, KY and Duke and his band opened up for us. I tried to make conversation with him during sound check in the afternoon but he wouldn't speak to anyone and we all took it like he thought he was above us all. Of course, he opened for us..... His show was good but way too long. His stand up bass player was the real star of the show. Hope he has gotten a little more friendly......

[chipl]

was at a Guitar Summit type show in NJ with J Geils (a terrific archtop jazz player btw), John Pizzarelli and Duke, and another guitar player whose name escapes me. All I can say is the guy has tremendous, enviable command of the instrument, a lot of different styles and sounds. A great player for sure.

[Glen W]

Duke is one of the best - expect a great show! I haven't seen him in 8 or 10 years, but I don't think he's changed all that much. If you like blues, swing, & jazzy stuff, you'll be glad you went. Tell us what you think after the show.

[Kilt]

I saw him about a year ago at the same venue when we were through Vegas. He is one tasty player. Don't expect any flash, smoke or mirrors. He just came out with his guitar, sat on a stool and played. His band was tops: bass, drums, keys and a sax player. Never got totally wild but did do a bit of improv which was cool. He might have changed his band. Don't know.


He played for about 55 minutes, took a break and then did about an hour five. The venue has good sound/acoustics.

Enjoy the jazz-blues-shuffle-funk. He can lay it down.

[Paul G.]

One of those guys who never forces it, whether ripping some wicked blues, or just loping some great swing, his playing is always comfortable and natural.

As far as personality, he's not a bad person, but isn't real outgoing. First time I sorta met him in person I was in the back room of a music store testing out an old Gibson. He came into the doorway and stared at me playing. It felt a little creepy. He left, then came back. I figured I should introduce myself, or something and put down the guitar and got up, but he had left.

Later I was introduced by mutual acquaintances and found him quite nice, but not a real talker. Don't mistake his reticence for snobbery, he's just not a people person.

You should enjoy the show, I usually steal something from Duke (musically) every time I see him.

P.

[Charlie Bernstein]

...he's really not mr. type-a extrovert - he's all guitar. an okay singer, but just uses his voice to fill in between solos. used to see him in bars in rhode island and maine. guy really doesn't talk with the audience. just plays. comes across like the guy behind the deli counter - until he hits the first string. (his old roomful buddy ronnie earl is kinda the same school: play it, don't say it.)

saw duke a few months ago at a workshop at colby college, then later that night on stage with g.e. smith. the duke just has it. don't expect a gabby guy - just one of the most eloquent, persuasive, stone-cold cool guitarists you could ever hope to hear. have guitar, will travel. continues to have a totally spontaneous style - kinda like all the improvisational guitar greats, whether you're a fan of joe pas, jerry garcia, or jimi hendrix - the music just flows. phrasing, dynamics - just what he's always done, but still making it sound fresh...

check your guitar-player ego at the door (otherwise you'll go home and burn all your guitars), go on in, and enjoy the ride.

[sirtwang]

The last time I saw him he was trying out a "jazzbox" in the "quiet room" at the local Guitar Center(Warwick, Rhode Island). He seemed to be enjoying the fact that most of the customers didn't even know who he was.

[Tremo]

Last time I saw him was at a freebie outdoor concert in old town Sacramento, put on by the local NPR station. It was 2 sets of straight ahead jump blues and swing. he does about the best T-Bone covers of anyone. It was a typical summer evening here (hottern'hell), so Duke, like the rest of us, was wearing a big loose floppy shirt, shorts, sandals and a big floppy hat. His backup band was excellent, Duke played a Tele through a rented RI Twin. It was a great show. (Yes, the RI Twin did sound like you would expect a Twin to sound.)

Since it was "Duke" playing, all the heavy hitter blues locals were there to check it out, including Rusty Zinn, Rick Estrin, Ronnie James, Joey Venitelli and Robert Sidwell. Duke came out and chatted with us all during the break between sets. He's not a big conversationalist, as is indicated in the above posts. I spoke with him briefly and he was polite, but really not talkative. He doesn't chat up the audience, he just plays, and he plays real good. Most of the chit chatting we did was with Rusty, Ronnie, Rick and Joey, who are always up for a good chew of the fat.

I recommend you go see him, you will enjoy it if you like serious, no BS blues.

[Charlie Bernstein]

- yeah, he had it at the workshop and concert i went to. a single-cut es-something. he'd added a humbucker.

good workshop - though, as i said, he was all business. one of the guys in the audience refused to believe he can't read music. (sure can talk chord theory, though. my poor head!)

[DennisMc]

Ive seen Duke play twice, most recently Aug 04 in Norwich, NY. I got there early, and saw him warm up. He played blues numbers, I really like his Jazz style. He put on a great show. I have a few pictures of him playing a telecaster. After the show was over, I saw him carying his amp to his van. I said to him "great show Duke", and he replied "thanks". I was too shy to start a conversation with him. His music does the talking for him. I am looking forward to seeing him again. his new album w/ Ronnie Earl is very good

[Durtdog]

I saw Duke a few years back playing guitar for Kim Wilson. He was playing through what looked like a cheap Peavey pa head and some sort of cabinet. His tone was great all night and his playing was TASTY. Great show.

[beez]

Originally Posted by Durtdog

I saw Duke a few years back playing guitar for Kim Wilson. He was playing through what looked like a cheap Peavey pa head and some sort of cabinet. His tone was great all night and his playing was TASTY. Great show.

You are correct about the Peavey P.A....I saw him years ago at the Ace of Clubs in Nashville, and he was plugging directly into the p.a. Got a great sound, too. Don't know if he does that on a regular basis or not.

[AJ Love]

He's a great one! Definitely well worth seeing

[Tremo]

Yeah, I once saw him use that PA rig. It was a ss PV PA head, sitting on top of a 2x12 cab loaded with EVs. He also used a bunch of pedals.

Last time I saw him it was just the TRRI and no pedals.

[TDPRI]

I saw him two years ago in Wyoming at a Blues Festival. He didn't really play what I'd call "blues" more Jazz-like stuff. I'm sure he's super talented, but it wasn't my cup o'tea. The other blues players, i.e. Robbin Ford, Indiginous and some others that escape me right now were more on the Blues track that I expected on the show.

Paul Green

[Doug 54]

He talks about the PV PA thing in an old GP interview.... maybe the early 90's......??

[rocksteady Max]

(time travel from 2005 to 2009)
I saw Duke Robillard yesterday night here in Montreal. I had read the comments here before getting there. Was expecting a quiet man but he talked, told stories and sang a lot. He even sang a full song without playing his guitar. He very very good. Very inspiring !

[Tonemaster]

I got tix to see him tomorrow night right here in Cobourg. Looking forward to it. TDPRI, Duke is more blues than the other guys you mentioned, so I think you got it backwards. As for Indigeousbeing blues!?!? I think thats a stretch. They're more blues/rock, like say, Arc Angels.

T.

[68thinline]

I saw him for the first time a couple weeks ago. He played a beautiful goldtop LP with bigsby tremelo through a newer Fender princeton amp: beautiful tone! Mostly jazzy blues from the 30's and 40's but he also had some variety. The band were all great players in their own right! And yes, he was very quiet between songs, often for what seemed like a long time.

[DaBender]

We were fortunate to have a new music school that opened in town recently host a workshop with him last Saturday for $10. His whole trio was there, so it was essentially a concert in a small room for the 3 dozen or so of us attending. Charlie, were you there?
I think he pretty well blew everyone away, his command of the instrument is unsurpassed.

I don't understand the "grouch" comments above, as there was food at this thing and he, his wife and band all sat down and shot the breeze with anyone that stuck around.

There was a concert at a local club the following evening, but I didn't attend that.

[cycler]

If you like T-Bone Walker, you will like Duke..

[Ben Harmless]

Originally Posted by cycler

If you like T-Bone Walker, you will like Duke..

No lie. Duke channels Mr. Bone.

We had him come through at work about six months ago. Absolutely top notch music. Not just guitar playing, but the whole package. I agree that he's a man of few words, but I found him very polite, and about as professional as they come. The same goes for his band. A more efficient soundcheck I've rarely had.

On a side note, we had Ronnie Earl come through about a month later. He's a great player, but the show was three hours of blues guitar, and compared to the musical experience that Duke brought, it bored the bejeezuz out of me.

[Dana]

I hear he's jammed with some cool people...