Terry Robb Confessin' My Dues

Terry Robb
Confessin' My Dues
Nia Sounds

"Confessin' My Dues" is the new album by Terry Robb, hailed as one of the finest fingerstyle blues guitarists. Robb draws on his deep knowledge of Delta blues, ragtime and swing in 13 original songs ranging from blistering instrumental blues and stunning fingerpicking to soulful singing backed by renowned jazz musicians Gary Hobbs and Dave Captein on drums and upright bass throughout the album. Adam Scramstad makes a guest appearance on electric rhythm guitar. The press release for this recording states, "Drawing from the well of country blues to Coltrane, ragtime to Hendrix, Americana to American Primitivism, "Confessin' My Dues" represents a lifetime of musical experiences and influences for Robb. Robb himself is quoted about being excited about recording with Hobbs and Captein, feeling they "they would bring a fresh and unique approach to what I was after."

Robb is a spectacular fingerstyle guitarist as is evident on the opening "Butch Holler Stomp," a performance with several musical strains centered on a Blind Blake-like main strain. Blake's spirit is also detected on the initially wistful, "Death of Blind Arthur," which has a segment with breakneck playing. Both of these tracks display not merely technical proficiency but his relaxed fluid attack. He also handles a classic blues shuffle groove with ease and aplomb on "Still on 101." He has a definite presence as a vocalist, if not as engaging as he is a guitarist.

Vocals serve to add variety thought such as on "How a Free Man Feels," with some dazzling breaks, or "Darkest Road I'm Told," a performance that instrumentally evokes John Lee Hooker, but his vocal about the 61st Highway is not as compelling as his playing. The fascinating "Now Vestapol" is a free-floating instrumental in the vein of American Primitivist guitarists with strains from "Mystery Train" and Robert Wilkins "That's No Way To Get Along" hinted at. "High Desert Everywhere" sounds rooted in Bukka White's slide guitar style while Robb's own picking goes beyond Whites driving bottleneck playing.

As noted, Robb makes much about the presence of Hobbs and Captein, but they seemed superfluous on several of the tracks they play on. Despite this, and his vocal limitations, Terry Robb is a superb guitarist whose facility and invention make for gripping listening.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Terry Robb from earlier in 2019 performing