After last Thursday night’s high energy, contemporary performances at the Old Main Music Festival, Mississippi State University students can relax and explore modern music’s roots Tuesday night at Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern with Jesse Robinson and the Hip Waders Blues Band. Mississippi native Jesse Robinson said he has been playing blues for more than 50 years. In that time he has performed with superstars like B. B. King, Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor. Robinson’s music career began with his church and family when he was very young.
“I’ve been playing guitar basically all my life,” Robinson said. “My family was singing gospel. Guitar was a part of my life and family. It was like a piece of furniture around the house.”
Richard Damm, MSU music professor and drummer in the Hip Waders Blues Band, said Robinson’s brand of the blues is especially unique because of his jazz influences.
“The basis of his style is delta blues, but he went a step further than most blues guitarists and got into jazz,” Damm said.
Robinson’s study of jazz chords and textures allows the musician to create a unique and impressive style of blues, Damm said.
“He can play the kinds of things you would hear from a jazz guitarist, but within the style. This makes it a little bit more complex and more amazing to see him get around the guitar.”
Robinson began playing in Starkville several years ago and when Damm heard that he could use a band, he gathered some musicians directly from MSU.
In addition to Robinson and Damm, the band’s current lineup includes entomology professor Richard Brown on harmonica and junior education major Drew Dieckmann on bass guitar.
“[Robinson] has got a good band backing him up,” Damm said of the group. “It’s enjoyable to hear a band of musicians that are having that much fun.”
In addition to his show at the tavern, Robinson leads educational programs about the blues at local schools and performs in university classes during his visits to Starkville.
Robinson said he feels its important for people to be aware of blues music’s far reaching influence.
“We use blues structure in a lot of songs. Gospel, jazz and even country and western [are influenced by the blues],” Robinson said. “If you’re a musician you’ll always hear blues changes somewhere in the songs that you like. It could be a rock and roll song, but it arrived from the blues.”
Beyond the educational aspects of the event, Damm said he feels students should come check out the show because of Robinson’s extreme talent.
“Jesse Robinson is a blues guitar legend. He’s played with the top names in blues. He’s fun to watch and he’s amazing to hear,” Damm said. “Almost everybody that checks him out is really impressed with his improvisational skills. He’s an emotional player. He really burns it up.”
Damm said the band’s performances at the tavern usually receive little publicity, but Robinson’s reputation ensures that word of mouth gets around.
“People know that he can play,” Damm said.
Robinson said he enjoys playing in Starkville and is looking forward to the show.
“Starkville is a very good musical town. People turn out to support the musicians, ” he said.
“It’s been good for me down through the years. The key is to come out and hear some blues. We’re going to pop some blues out there and mix it up.