DUKE ROBILLARD
Duke Robillard and his Dames of
Rhythm
M.C. Records
As I mentioned in my 2009 review of an album by Sunny and her JoyBoys, “I’ve been listening to bandleader, guitarist and producer Duke Robillard since he fronted the
first Roomful of Blues album in
1977. I was very happy to have Duke as a guest a couple of times on the Folk
Roots/Folk Branches radio show; once in the company of Kansas City legend Jay McShann, the late, great swing and
blues pianist and singer. Of all of Duke’s many and varied recordings, my
favorites are his swing and jazz albums. And this is one of his best swing and
jazz albums.”
And the constantly delightful
Duke Robillard and his Dames of Rhythm
may well be his best swing and jazz album yet. Duke plays acoustic archtop guitar
throughout the 15 tracks and sings lead on three songs – and duets with Sunny Crownover (of Sunny and her Joy
Boys fame) on another. There are absolutely fantastic rhythm and horn sections
(including my old friend Billy Novick
on clarinet and alto sax) and most of the lead vocals are handled by rotating
cast of extraordinary Dames of Rhythm: the aforementioned Sunny Crownover, Maria Muldaur, Kelley Hunt, Madeleine
Peyroux, Catherine Russell, and Elizabeth McGovern.
These songs – all, I
believe date from the first half of the 20th century – swing hard in the hands
of Duke and the band. The interplay between the musicians is always a delight
and each of the singers more than rises to the occasion.
Even though these songs
are all familiar, they all sound terrific. Some of my favorites include Maria
Muldaur’s versions of “Got the South in My Soul” and “Was That the Human Thing
to Do,” two more of the several Boswell
Sisters numbers she’s done over the years; Madeleine Peyroux’s versions of Fats Waller’s “Squeeze Me,” and “Easy
Living,” a Billie Holiday standard
(she has the perfect voice to sing Billie Holiday songs); Kelley Hunt’s
versions of “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone”; Sunny Crownover’s duet
with Duke on “From Monday On”; and “Blues in My Heart,” sung by Catherine
Russell, one of my favorite jazz singers.
The album ends with the
band blazing through a hot version of “Call of the Freaks,” a great old New
Orleans tune composed by Paul Barbarin
and Luis Russell (Catherine’s
father).
From beginning to end Duke Robillard and his Dames of Rhythm
is filled with nothing but great stuff.
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--Mike Regenstreif
Sold, i'll have to look for it on our next trip to Minneapolis.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mike!
ReplyDelete