“Exalted Love” has the virtue of being a typical Robillard album, or, rather, typical of Robillard when he cuts an album that is pretty much straight blues. The sophisticated blues of “Double X Daddy,” with a solid second line horn section, has been a favored Robillard groove since he co-founded Roomful of Blues in the late ’60s. Check the Memphis variation on this theme with “Down Home Country Girl.” His duet with Pam Tillis, “I’ll Never Be Free,” is basically hipster rockabilly, while the title track has the spooky, funkified feel of New Orleans R&B. A second duet—this one with guitarist Debbie Davis—is a lively jump blues. “Live Wire” is a down-and-dirty three-chord blues. Typical Robillard blues, in other words, is whatever Duke wants to do, because he can do it all. “Exalted Love” is oak-solid work from a master bluesman.—PVV
