DUKE ROBILLARD INTERVIEW
(Originally aired on March 5, 2009)
The contemporary master of swing blues, Duke Robillard founded Roomful of Blues and has toured or recorded with many greats, including Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jimmy Witherspoon, Dr. John and Maria Muldaur. The Blues Music Awards (formerly the W.C. Handy Awards) named Robillard "Best Blues Guitarist" four times in their annual poll. Robillard tours regularly, bringing blues to enthusiastic audiences in festivals and clubs around the world. He is also an active producer, specializing in the punchy sound of horn-driven bands.
In our exclusive interview, Robillard explains why he loves big-band blues, and reveals what it was like to record and play with the legendary jazz guitarist, Herb Ellis. Robillard punctuates his conversation with phrases played on his trusty archtop guitar, which remained close at hand throughout the interview. We'll hear cuts from three Robillard albums, including a duet with Herb Ellis.