Blues Matters on Robb's Cool on the Bloom

One of the UK’s leading blues music publications, Blues Matters, offers critical acclaim for Robb's latest album, Cool on the Bloom. Below is the full review from critic Pete Innes. 

February 2017 issue #94

Terry Robb, Cool on the Bloom

“Born in British Columbia, Robb was raised in the United States and resides in Portland, Oregon. He has paid his dues and is now showing artistic payback after long years of associations that include Ramblin; Rex, Henry Vestine John Fahey, Eddy Clearwater, Maria Muldaur, Ike Willis, Curtis Salgado and Glen Moore. The full bifta is, of course, there on his website, so here we go with our Blues Matters critique of Cool On The Bloom. No better way to start than with Soc Hop, a nifty-fingered jazz-country tune that show he’s master of what he does, this simply rocks along, in a funky style.

On the title track Cool On The Bloom, he picks the hell out of his pleasure-bringing guitar ragga, it’s in-your-face undeniable that the fella knows the hell out of what he does, and my oh my, he sure knows. Christmas In Istanbul (what an image!) well this is a joyous, spacious and deliberately paced vaguely country ramble, where Terry is all over these sweet angel-watched chords with a delicate masterful touch. You Showed Me gets us into a late-nite skanky blues scene where this man’s articulate playing is perfect, and I really do mean… perfect, this music is addictive. I reckon that guitar players everywhere will just love this, but it must be said that on So Glad and the rolling blues Ham Hound Crave, Terry has a beguiling smoky, warm vocal too. This relaxes the hell out of me, I dig this, big style, and you will too."

- Pete Innes

Cool on the Bloom is available on iTunes  -  Amazon  -  Google Play