By ASHLEY CENTERS
For Inland 360
Terry Robb -- a self-described acoustic, fingerstyle, blues and ragtime guitarist, singer and producer -- comes from a family of professional musicians and music aficionados. Hes spent his life carrying that love forward.
I got my first guitar when I was 8 years old, given to me by an uncle who toured with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, said Robb. And my parents were lifelong music enthusiasts. They exposed me to music from an early age, taking me to concerts, the symphony and always playing music around the house. When I was 10 years old I saw Louis Armstrong perform and the Beatles, both in Portland.
His introduction to guitar came from listening to blues artists like Charlie Patton and Mississippi John Hurt. According to Robb, these musicians helped him develop a style rooted in tradition but also contemporary and personal. Hes developed a fingerpicking style that sounds like a full band, he said. On a solo guitar he plays the bass line, rhythm chords and single-note leads simultaneously.
Through my collaborations with John Fahey, my music has been associated with the American primitive guitar style, which draws upon diverse musical influences while rooted in the blues, Robb said. I like to incorporate influences from other genres too, such as jazz, classical and world music, often utilizing odd time measures to personalize my music. And I continue to learn and listen to music, always pushing myself forward.
In between tour dates promoting his 2016 mostly instrumental album, Cool on the Bloom, Robb is recording a follow-up album to be released later this year. The Portland native has performed across the Northwest, including in Boise, Spokane and Pullman. He said hes looking forward to finally playing in Moscow.
Music is a form of self-expression, an art form, and is often referred to as the universal language. Its one of the oldest forms of storytelling. Its a gift, he said.
IF YOU GO
WHO: Terry Robb
WHEN: 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday
WHERE: One World Cafe, 533 S. Main St. Moscow
COST: $5