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Robert Randolph and the Family Band– Robert Randolph has made the trip so many musicians (especially from the African-American community) have made–from the church to the secular world. His background is in the House of God church’s “sacred steel” tradition, which features lap or pedal steel guitarists accompanying preachers, accenting and augmenting their testifying. He was the first of several such players who now play for the wider world, and most have paid the steep price of banishment from playing in (but not attending) church. (Check out Robert Randolph Presents the Slide Brothers for a fine sampling of his and other modern sacred steel masters playing glorious sacred-flavored secular blues, funk, jazz and R&B).
Randolph says his exposure to Stevie Ray Vaughn’s catalog provided his reverse-road-to-Damascus moment and he’s since immersed himself in the oeuvres of as many blues, funk and rock masters as he could squeeze in between incessant touring and recording.
The church’s loss being our gain, Randolph and his band have become favorites on the jam band and festival scenes. Their energy and spirit are directly descended from their church lineage, while their whomping rhythms are culled from less high-minded, but no-less-colorful environs. While each band member is a virtuoso, Randolph was honored to be named to Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. He counts among his fans Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Trombone Shorty and the countless throngs who’ve seen him–to include the fortunate future fans present at the close of Saturday’s BoB. It’s no sin to get ecstatic here, for no doubt there’s some funk on heaven’s jukebox.
Anders Osborne– Anders Osborne was born in Sweden. His dad exposed him to jazz and other American musical forms, but it wasn’t until the blues burrowed its way into his soul that true inspiration took hold. You can hear Van Morrison and Lowell George (Little Feat’s doomed genius) in his output, you can see the improvisation of jazz in his soloing, but it’s the burning intensity of the blues that informs the entirety of his being.
Osborne plays guitar, more often than not with a slide attached. He’s blessed with a clear, ringing voice not that far removed from Jackson Browne or Gram Parsons. He’s publicly battled his demons (of the self-inflicted sort all-too-common with musicians) and let his humanity shine through his highs and lows. He can rock out with a pummeling purpose, and then melt your heart with a bittersweet love song.
A citizen of New Orleans for close to 30 years now, Osborne is a genuinely nice guy and a mainstay of that city’s musical community. He’s played with Galactic’s Stanton Moore, Keb Mo, Tommy Malone (subdudes) and just about every musician of note in the area, including Houma’s own Tab Benoit. His touring has found him at many a festival where he formed a mutual admiration with BoB Fest headliner, Robert Randolph, with whom he’ll be sitting in for several songs. Expect more of the raucous side of his arsenal as he and Randolph trade slide runs that threaten to combust the September night air.
