It's true that at a big music festival like the Peach Festival, you cannot see each and every act. That would be impossible, especially, because the Peach Fest, had three different stages. But, yours truly saw some great gigs on Friday night. Started off by seeing virtuoso jazz bassist Victor Wooten. He and his brother Regi, who plays guitar, are the core of the band. The set list for this one, on the Mushroom Stage, was a little tricky to figure out. But, the grooves were fantastic. Wooten has a lot of wisdom in his songwriting, too.
Yours truly learned a lot about life, just from hearing what Wooten had to say in the lyrics of his songs. Not to intentionally start with the finale. But, Wooten played "Me And My Bass Guitar" from his "A Show of Hands 15" recording, and that got the crowd pumped. The other big highlight was a song called "My Life", and this one, had the deepest impact on me. It comes from the record entitled "What Did He Say?" Also in the set was the tune "Victa" from the "2005 "Soul Circus" record. Wooten really kept the inspiration flowing throughout the set, with a tune called "I Saw God" off his 2008 release, "Palmystery", and "Love To Hear You Laugh" from his 2012 vocal CD entitled "Words And Tones".
"Love Is My Favorite Word" was probably the other tune in the set that was inspiring to me. This one, came from another of Wooten's 2012 releases, called "Sword & Stone". Regi Wooten offered some fabulous guitar pyrotechnics throughout the show as well. A great set.
Now we get down to business. The serious stuff started happening at the Peach Stage, at oh, 7:00 P.M. or so, when a ragtag bunch of musicians gathered to play a Grateful Dead tribute set, in the absence of Bob Weir & Ratdog who were supposed to have had that time slot. Now, traveling between the Mushroom and Peach stages, was quite a hike. So, yours truly only caught the last few minutes of the Dead set. But, they were the most pivotal, as the band including Jackie Greene, Joan Osborne, Joe Russo, Jeff Chimenti, Tom Hamilton, and Reed Mathis, launched into some familiar songs.
They played "Sugaree" and the Grateful Dead's cover of Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Turn On Your Lovelight". Those are the two I remember most vividly. After the Dead set, Tedeschi Trucks Band hit the stage and they absolutely burned the place down. The first song I was unfamiliar with. Now, I have discovered, it was "Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring", originally performed by Traffic. From there, the brilliant set continued to be a blend of originals and covers. Susan Tedeschi's voice was in fine form this evening and, well, nothing really has to be said of Derek Trucks' guitar work. It speaks for itself. The man is just a powerhouse guitar player.
Much of the early portion of the set was culled from the band's two studio albums, (2011's "Revelator", and 2013's "Made Up Mind"). including "Made Up Mind", "Idle Wind", and "Do I Look Worried", from the new record. A surprise was thrown in next, with TTB backup singer, and Derek Trucks Band lead vocalist, Mike Mattison, singing the tune "Don't Miss Me", from Derek Trucks Band's 2009 record, "Already Free", which was a precursor to the modern Tedeschi Trucks Band, when Derek and Susan officially joined forces to create a band, after being a happily married couple for some years, as they also have two children.
A hauntingly beautiful rendition of "Midnight In Harlem" from "Revelator" was next, and then, a complete 180, into a cover tune. Little Milton's "More & More". The great choices of cover songs continued, with Susan absolutely soaring on Blind Willie Johnson's gospel number, "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning", which segued into another Derek Trucks Band tune, ("Back Where I Started"). This number, from "Already Free", featured Susan's amazing vocals, and, comes from the pen of Warren Haynes. More about him in his role with Gov't Mule and The Allman Brothers, later on. Stay tuned.
The band then launched into what had to be the ultra jam of their set, tackling "Keep On Growing" from Derek & The Dominoes and the "Layla" record. This one, was the epic... the peak, of the whole set. Susan and Derek let loose with the guitar pyrotechnics. Susan Tedeschi does have very good chops as a guitar player and not just as a singer. She can definitely keep it real, and there is a synergy between the two of them when it comes to their guitar work. It was an ultimate jam and very well done.
Drummers Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson, bassist Tim Lefebvre (the newest member of the band), veteran keyboardist and flautist Kofi Burbridge (older brother of Allman Brothers bassist Oteil Burbridge), and horn players, (Kebbi Williams: saxophone, Maurice Brown: trumpet, and Saunders Sermons: trombone), back up and drive the Tedeschi Trucks Band for rhythm, and horns, very, very well, and they were thoroughly showcased in the set. Burbridge's lines on Hammond B3 and Clavinet, and the work by the horn section, were particularly memorable. Much like The Allman Brothers Band, (who will be highlighted in the next two reviews), TTB has taken to the two drummer arrangement very, very well, and that was an intent, in creating the band.
The final three songs of the set came from both albums, once more. The groovy funk of "Misunderstood", was followed by the triumphant anthem from "Revelator", entitled "Bound For Glory", and to close the set, was the monstrous tune, "The Storm". Crank up the amp, lay down a groove, and combine that force, with lyrics that convey urgency and uncertainty, desperation, and ultimately, transformation, in somebody's life. A wild storm rages, that will change how you live, and how you approach your life. There's that overarching theme again.
The instrumental break is very intense, and ties the theme together, perfectly, with Derek's guitar soaring above the rhythm section. What a phenomenal set!
Tedeschi Trucks Band Peach Music Festival set list.
1. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring (Traffic cover)
2. Made Up Mind
3. Idle Wind
4. Do I Look Worried
5. Don't Miss Me (The Derek Turcks Band cover, feat. Mike Mattison: lead vocals)
6. Midnight In Harlem
7. More & More (Little Milton cover)
8. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning (Willie Johnson cover)
9. Back Where I Started (written by Warren Haynes & first performed by The Derek Trucks Band w/Susan Tedeschi on vocals)
10. Keep On Growing (Derek & The Dominos cover)
11. Misunderstood
12. Bound For Glory
13. The Storm
Next up, the first of two sets by the Trey Anastasio Band. Unfortunately, on the first night of Anastasio playing the festival, not much was gleaned from it for me. Anastasio and the band were definitely in more of a Byrds, Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia kind of vibe. It was definitely centered more on the singer/songwriter aspect. Didn't see the whole show. Wait until tomorrow, for the report on day three, to find out what happened. It gets better, folks.
Meanwhile, here's the list from Trey's first set.
1. Sometime After Sunset
2. Money, Love And Change
3. Ooh Child (The Five Stairsteps cover)
4. Magilla
5. Sand (Phish cover)
6. Flying Machine
7. Frost
8. Traveler
9. Shine
10. Dark And Down
11. Architect
12. Push On 'Til The Day
Encore:
13. Black Dog (Led Zeppelin cover)
That's a wrap of day two at The Peach. Much more to come, tomorrow, and the following day. Still lots of music to ruminate on.
No comments:
Post a Comment