Regulars at Mumbaì’s Mahindra Blues Festival (MBF) would remember pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph for his appearances in the 2012 and 2013 editions of the festival. The first time, he accompanied blues legend Buddy Guy on the track ‘Long distance call’, and the following year, his performance with The Family Band received rave reviews. Robert returns to MBF this year with another line-up — The Robert Randolph Band.
The annual two-day festival to be held at Mehboob Studios, Bandra, on February 8 and 9, will also feature Australian acts Teskey Brothers and the prodigy Taj Farrant, American singer Ruthie Foster and Indian artistes Kanchan Daniel and Megan Murray. John Blue Ensemble, winners of the talent hunt competition, will play in the garden area.
“I am happy to be part of this collective of blues musicians to perform at this festival,” says Robert. He adds that his earlier visits have inspired him to listen to a lot of Indian music and even observe how the Indian slide guitar or sitar are used in collaborations with other genres. “It’s interesting how soulfully it’s all connected together. All these skills help us learn new things.”
Robert’s exposure to music happened in the church
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Robert’s exposure to music came through the church. He shares, “My church is a very blues, rock n’ roll kind of organisation based along the East Coast of the U.S. and the Midwest. We had three-four hour services, 90 per cent of which was musical. My mother’s family grew up on funk artistes like George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, so I got into that too.”
The pedal steel guitar was used prominently in his church and Robert was drawn to it. However, when he heard guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan around 1997, he wanted to use that approach in his playing. “That just kickstarted things, and I got more drawn to different kinds of blues,” he says.
Stevie, along with jazz guitarist Norman Brown, inspired Robert to try out new techniques. “Based on their style, I changed my sound, tried out new combinations and introduced new mechanics to create an innovative style,” he says.
Robert is looking forward to his new album Preacher Kids, which will release in May
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Robert considers himself fortunate to have worked with legendary artistes such as Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton. “Just sitting with them in the studio, you observe their mindset, how they write, create and record. They have both been inspired by the earliest of blues. They have also created songs and riffs that stand out. One just wants to follow them and create something that people will remember years later.”
An interesting project was when Robert joined guitarist Carlos Santana and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett on ‘Trinity’, a 2005 instrumental tune that paid tribute to Pakistani Sufi legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, based on the track ‘Tere bin nahin lagda’. He recalls, “We recorded at a studio in San Francisco with a 10-piece band. It was a great experience.”
Robert is now looking forward to his new album Preacher Kids, due for release in May. He says. “It’s got a whole lot of styles, from rock and blues to funk, and there are songs that people can dance to. It’s produced by the extremely talented Shooter Jennings.” He is also happy many young musicians have taken up the pedal steel or lap steel guitars.
MBF’s growing presence
While Robert Randolph will be the main draw at this year’s MBF, it’s also interesting to see two Australian acts Teskey Brothers and Taj Ferrant as part of the line-up. Says V.G. Jairam of Hyperlink Brand Solutions, which manages the festival, “We’ve always wanted to include acts from other parts of the world, and not just America. The Teskey Brothers attract huge audiences at their shows and Taj Farrant is someone to look out for.”
According to Jairam, MBF has grown tremendously since its launch in 2011, both in scale and influence. “What started as a niche festival for blues enthusiasts in India, has now become popular in Chicago and New York too, drawing a diverse audience that appreciates the blues and the rich history and storytelling that comes with it. MBF has become a platform for Indian blues musicians, allowing them to share the stage with global icons.”
Jairam points out that while the blues has traditionally been a niche genre in India, there is a growing appetite for it, especially among younger audiences who are discovering it through modern interpretations, collaborations and digital platforms. “The festival has consistently curated artistes who push the boundaries of the blues while staying true to its roots. There’s also been a noticeable rise in grassroots blues acts nationwide, which is a great sign for the genre’s future here,” he says.
Published – February 03, 2025 06:38 pm IST
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