Roll With Me

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. Robillards Roll with Me is his 37th album and his final one on Canadas 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 Boyds "Blue Coat Man," a familiar title in Robillards 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 Dominos "Are You Going My Way" sounds more like an homage to Professor Longhair here. Murray shines on a reading of Big Joe Turners blues stroller "I Know You Love Me." It and "My Plea" date back to Robillards illustrious first band, Roomful of Blues, and offer Robillards most soulful singing on the date. He delivers another nugget from Turners songbook, the Doc Pomus-composed "Boogie Woogie Country Girl." The guitarist pays righteous homage to Clarence Gatemouth Browns swinging Texas jazz-blues on the sets lone instrumental, "Boogie Uproar," as well as "You Got Money" with vocals by Cote. Robillards 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 its the sets longest cut and offers a killer showcase for Murrays trombone and several meaty solos by the guitarist. The closing track "Dont 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, its 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 Robillards vast catalog. And while this is his final outing from Stony Plain, he isnt retiring and will continue touring and recording for the foreseeable future. ~ Thom Jurek