Duke Robillard - Blue Mood (2004) [CD Rip]

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