It's been over a year since G. Love & Special Sauce performed in Madison, but Garrett Dutton, a.k.a. G. Love is back Thursday at the Majestic Theatre on his first tour dedicated to the blues.
This comes on the heels of G. Love's latest record Fixin' to Die. Having already released 14 albums between his solo and group work, it might be hard to imagine how Dutton could come up with material that still hooks his fan's interest. However, his latest record, named after a song by the blues artist Bukka White, is on a fresh twist on the light-hearted music he and Special Sauce have put out in the past.
""A lot of people, when they think about G. Love, they think of more of our fun-loving hits like ‘Cold Beverage' and ‘My Baby's Got Sauce,'"" Dutton said. ""This record definitely has plenty of light hearted moments, but I think all in all it is a heavier record musically. It's a heavier record thematically, and we want to come and really portray a more serious side of the musicianship of what we do.""
Fixin' to Die is a compilation of songs written by Dutton over the past 20-plus years.
""This record was for me really going back to my roots as a blues player and as a coffee house musician,"" Dutton said.
Besides a new tone, Fixin to Die is unique for its producer: folk artists the Avett Brothers.
""They are just wonderful musicians,"" Dutton said.
But G. Love and Special Sauce classics will not be absent come Thursday night. The set list is intended to take the audience on a ""musical journey,"" venturing from the new blues album back to some old school tunes.
The Fixin' to Die tour will eventually take G. Love & Special Sauce down to Brazil to tour with Jack Johnson, but Dutton seems happy to perform wherever he can.
""Every region is a little different in the vibe you know. I think in the Midwest they really like to party,"" Dutton said.
""I really feel like when we're going to the smaller cities the people really genuinely appreciate the fact that you come through and they are real true fans,"" G. Love said. ""I could be in Brazil or Tokyo or Philly or Madison, I don't really care what city we're in just as long as the crowd's ready ‘cause I know we'll be ready.""
