Terry Robb, Laurence Juber share Minor 7th spotlight
Minor 7th, a publication devoted to acoustic guitar music, reviewed Terry’s latest album, Confessin’ My Dues, and highlighted the album in its July/August Podcast alongside acoustic picker Laurence Juber. Listen to the podcast - featuring tracks “Butch Holler Stomp” and “Death of Blind Arthur” - and read the full review below.
Terry Robb, Confessin’ My Dues, 2019
“Terry Robb enthusiastically takes on just about every genre of the blues in his 13-track collection, Confessin' My Dues. He gives the Chicago blues a workout with "Heart Made of Steel," classic country blues with "Darkest Road I'm Told," folk blues with "Butch Holler Stomp," rockabilly blues with "Keep Your Judgment," plus a sampling of Southern-fried blues and metal blues. It's a tall order, but Robb, equally adept on acoustic guitar or resonator, keeps his fingers flying. He finds a nice balance between instrumental tracks and those that feature his agreeable vocals. Perhaps what is most surprising is that Robb displays such an ease with both fingerstyle and flatpick lead style. And Robb seems to especially get a kick from playing fast, like crazy fast. It can get a little overwhelming at times as he moves quickly from genre to genre, sometimes all within the parameters of one song, as with "Three Times the Blues." Though much of the album, in which Robb had a hand in all of the compositions, is solo, two sidemen round out several cuts: Dave Captein on standup bass and Gary Hobbs on drums. Born in British Columbia, the veteran guitarist — with more than a dozen albums to his credit — makes his home in Portland, Oregon, where he was won just about every blues guitar competition in existence. His notes cite that he has been inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame as well as the Cascade Blues Association Hall of Fame. After garnering the Muddy Award for Best Acoustic Guitar from 1992 to 2011, the honor was renamed the Terry Robb Acoustic Guitar Muddy Award. A master technician and educator, Robb shares his skill through workshops and master classes, breathing life and longevity into roots and blues music.” - Fred Kraus, Minor 7th, July/August 2019
Confessin’ My Dues is available now on Apple Music - Pandora - Spotify - Amazon - Google Play