Duke's news

• Duke's new CD Stomp the Blues Tonight! is here. Pre-order now and get it first! >>MORE
• Duke Robillard's Blues A Rama. Online Blues Guitar Lessons! >>MORE
• Duke presents this master class on DVD in playing blues guitar, Guitar Method Volume 1, which includes lessons for choosing chord voicings, experimenting with boogie and other rhythms, and using a variety of picking techniques! >>MORE
• Introducing Sunny and her Joy Boys: >>Duke's Store
• The production team of Producer Duke Robillard and recording engineer Jack Gauthier are available for productions in Roots music, Americana, Jazz, Blues, Acoustic Rock and more. >>MORE
• Duke's new soul jazz instrumental single of Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" is available as a download. >>MORE
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• Duke Robillard Band's drummer, Mark Teixeira, is now available for private drumming lessons! For info contact Mark at: mleedydrum@yahoo.com

Fall 2011

Hi Folks, It's been quite a while since my last news update.

I have been on the road most of the time and very busy working on various projects when I have been home.

Our August/September trip took the Duke Robillard Band all over the northern United States and Canada with appearances at the prestigious Edmonton Folk Festival which is always an amazing event that features all types of roots music from all over the world. As always is was a fun time both playing and listening.

We finished our tour in Nanaimo, BC and drove straight across the country home in time to hop the flight from Boston to Norway for the Blues in Hell (Norway) festival which also was great fun! From there we flew to Dublin to play at the Harvest Time Blues Festival in Monaghan, Ulster Ireland. Our first time in Ireland was fun and I was very impressed with how warm and friendly everyone is there. I felt right at home and I started feeling the little Irish in me come out.

Just a few short weeks after returning home from Ireland I made a trip to Argentina and Uruguay. Argentina is one my most favorite countries in the world. It's full of great guitarists and musicians of all sorts. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with traditional tango music. Both times I have been there I've returned with my suitcase full on tango CDs. There are so many wonderful guitarists and singers and I love the music enough that it makes me want to learn Spanish!

The group that I work with there is called Daniel Raffo and King Size and they are an extremely knowledgeable band of great blues players. Danny in particular is a very focused intense blues guitarist. I always love my time there and the audiences are very reverent. The music of Argentina is soulful and its people love the blues and jazz because they feel it so strongly.

Lowdown and Tore Up has been out about 4 weeks now and has risen to #1 on the blues radio airplay chart. The reviews ** have been more that favorable and people seem to be really digging the raw sound of it. We are all proud of it and believe it stands on its own as a real lowdown blues album like the ones that inspired me when I started playing blues in the '60s. We are expecting big things with this CD and good things are already falling into place.

Of course late fall and winter is always time for The Duke Robillard Band to record and besides a new secret project we may start working on soon, there are several other artists I will be producing this fall/winter season.

Veteran Connecticut blues guitarist Paul Gabriel will be joining us at Lakewest Recording for a new album. Work starts up again soon on Sunny Crownover's next CD of original blues and R&B material also. Al Basile is slated to start work with us on a new blues CD this January.

A young guitarist, singer, songwriter and singer named Andy Poxon will be starting a new CD most likely early next year. He opened for me in Annapolis, MD and I was immediately impressed with his talents. Between shows and recording projects, it looks like I will be up to my ears in work through the beginning of 2012 and beyond! That's good, cause I LOVE what I do ...

Oh yes, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention the beginning of guitar lessons on line with me at a site called Sonic Junction. It's going to be well done, informative and very reasonably priced. I will give 4 on line lessons a month for a very low price plus I will be answering your questions daily on a blog. More info coming soon. Look for it sometime in November! Adios Folks ...

"The first thing to notice about this record is the devastatingly perfect sound of it. Robillard/Producer..engineer Jack Gauthier…. make a blues band explode out of the speakers."
Steve Pick - About.com

"The musicians are aiming at authenticity, to the extent of recording quickly and with instruments, amplifiers, and microphones that can replicate the original recordings. They succeed in bringing back to life a time and a sound that continue to serve as the bedrock of urban blues and other musical styles ..."
William Ruhlmann - All music guide review

"The guitar, as always, is the stand-out in this 14-spot of tunes, and Robillard proves to be one of those axemeisters upon whom age only imbues ever heightening integrity and continually solider chops. Not a cut goes by but that the guy trots out licks so damn authentic that any unaware of his name and stature will swear someone copped a hidden stash of vintage treasures and remastered 'em to a fare-thee-well for los listeners modernes."
Mark S. Tucker - Fame Reviews

"... on his new album, 'Low Down and Tore Up'…they recorded live in the studio, and it sounds like it. With raw energy matching musical virtuosity, it's hot, hot stuff."
Nick Cristano - Philadelphia Inquirer

"It's obvious, from the opening notes, that this is a labor of love for Robillard. His guitar work is as inspired as ever, and his vocals are just right for the material. These are songs that he enjoys as much today as when he first heard them as a youngster. Low Down and Tore Up ranks near the top on Duke Robillard's already impressive list of Stony Plain releases and will please fans of low down dirty blues and R&B, just like they used to do it."
Graham Clarke - Phoenix Blues Society

". . . the good feeling captured on Low Down and Tore Up would motivate even the most ardent wallflower to hit the floor and cut the rug. Being Low Down and Tore Up never felt or sounded so good."
Jim Kanavy - American Blues News

"...fourteen rousingly rocking renditions of mostly obscure titles by some of his earliest blues and r&b favorites…the hard-driving 'Quicksand' and frequent Robillard set-closer, 'Later For You Baby', along with four or five other retro gems and you have a Duke Robillard project with particular appeal for readers of this magazine. Art of the highest caliber."
Gary von Tersch - Blues and Rhythm (UK)

"This latest installment in the legacy of Duke Robillard affirms that it was no fluke he was Grammy Nominated for the album Stomp The Blues Tonight. It'll also give you a hint of why Duke has been a session player for more main stream artists like Bob Dylan, Dr. John, John Hammond.This is rousing and rocking roots music, at it's lowdown best."
Robert Carraher - Blogcritics

"Surrounding these highlights is a brilliant series of expert performances - "Quicksand" and "Mercy Mercy Mama," just two name to more… Many have tried but Duke Robillard succeeds on Low Down And Tore Up, keeping alive a sound, approach, style, and attitude."
Josh Hathaway - Blinded by Sound

"Low Down and Tore Up is a collection of inspired interpretations of some well known, and not so-well known blues songs that show another side of the incredibly talented Duke Robillard."
Eric Steiner - Blues Blast Magazine

"I could enthuse wildly about the rollicking "Let Me Play With Your Poodle", the lonesome and plaintive "Blues After Hours" or the manic "Tool Bag Boogie" - but there again I could say the same about every track on this superb set."
Mick Rainsford - Blues In Britain

"These cuts are a joy to listen to, folks… Duke Robillard takes traditional blues and gives them a fresh coat of paint on "Low Down And Tore Up," which is destined to be on everyone's "Best Of" list for 2011!!!"
Sheryl and Don Crow - Nashville Blues Society

FOR GUITAR PLAYERS ONLY

I would like to give a tip to all my guitar playing friends about an amplifier I am currently using. The the company is Louis Electric out of Bergenfield N.J. The owner, Louis Rosano makes amazing sounding custom amps based on the early Fender tweed 40 and 80 watt twins with several speaker configurations. Mine is called "The Duke" and its a killer!!! Its got an Eminence 12" Tonker and a 10" Delta Demon speaker and the amp produces tones as fat and sweet as you could ever dream up! Lots of sustain with warm yet bright tone that you just cant get out of most modern amps. Maybe its because they hand build and wind their own transformers.

Or maybe because they use only the best components available and hand wire each amp with care and precision. It could have something to do with the beautiful 100 year old solid pine cabinet with only a stain on it to increase its tonal potential. Or maybe its that Lou tweeks each amp to what you specificly want with exacting skill to get the sound you want at the volume you play at to give you just the right breakup when you want it.

Read more news about Duke Robillard and the Duke Robillard Band!

Contact the Rosebud Agency at 415-386-3456