By Paul Busch
Wheels Of Soul Tour-Tedeschi Trucks Band 2022
Westville Bowl-New Haven 6 July /Great South Bay Music Festival 10 July / Red Rocks Amphiteatre 29-30 July (2022 tour is 34 cities June 24 – September 3)
There is something beating at the heart of this Wheels Of Soul Tour. The collection of souls and hearts that have gathered to present us with music, old and new, seem to have drunk some magic elixir. This gathering of musical minstrels within the Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) seem to have captured a burning ember from some mystical, magical fire pit and brought it to us in the 21st century.
The brightness and heat of the fire is apparent each and every night over the course of the hours they play. The creativity that came about during the pandemic pause in touring has given up a bumper crop of new music, intuitive and imaginative playing and jamming and the cohesiveness of a band that can only come from a close intermingling that has led to exploration and synchronicity.
The music that was written during the pandemic is a sprawling collection of 4 albums and 4 films that have been released between June and August of 2022. The (TTB) were inspired by the tragic Persian Love Story of Layla and Manjun. A tale of star crossed lovers that encompasses many mystic, spiritual and philosophical themes, the TTB have ingested and digested and developed a musical odyssey of exceptional proportions.
The collections of music and images that have been released is just the tip of the iceberg. Taking a step into four shows of this tour revealed much more about the music and the band.
The Westville Music Bowl on July 6th was buzzing, along with me and my mate, when we arrived during Gabe Dixon’s opening set. Gabe is the keyboard player for the TTB and his somewhat funky pop was a tasty backdrop as the sun began to drop in the sky.
Los Lobos is also part of this travelling minstrel show and they proved they still have plenty of gas in the tank even after decades on the road. Hidalgo had said just prior to the pandemic that they were thinking of hanging up their rock and roll shoes. The break the virus gave them from touring has invigorated them and so we are still blessed with their presence for a bit more time.
But tonight we were missing Cesar Rosas, due to unforeseen circumstances, so the set was a tad understated but of course David, Steve Berlin, Louie Perez, Conrad Lonzano and Alfredo Ortiz stepped up to the plate and made it happen. From originals to covers by Cream (‘Politician’), The Grateful Dead (‘Not Fade Away/Bertha’), Johnny Thunders (‘Alone In A Crowd’) and more the throng was bopping and dancing from the onset.
TTB hit the stage and from the first note the crowd was in awe. It was an immersive musical event. With 12 stellar musicians on stage it was hard to know who to watch and listen to when they played as an ensemble, but was easy when someone within the group was given the chance to take a solo. Of course Trucks gave us some highlights that left your jaw down near your ankles, but the beauty of this outfit and their bandleader is that everyone got a bite of the cherry and each one got to shine.
Shine they did.
Derek always has a tip of the hat to Eric and they covered ‘Bell Bottom Blues’ and ‘Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad’ in a spectacular fashion. When he plays songs from that Clapton period he makes them his own and his slide work here and throughout the night is downright interplanetary.
The new song ‘Pasaquan’, which is played each and every night, is a showcase for him and the instrumental piece runs from 15-20 minutes depending on who has joined him on stage. There were to be twists and turns within the playing of this track each night. It also gave most of the band a break as it was only guitar, keys, bass and percussion.
Susan Tedeschi is filled with some sort of burning positive energy and love that comes out in her voice and her playing. Susan can get down and play a ferocious blues song like ‘Just Won’t Burn’ where she lets fly with her own solo guitar licks and she can just open up her mouth and preach and scream and wail like the goddess of soul that she is. Having seen her many times I found tonight and over the course of these 4 concerts that she has reached new heights in how she communicates with that dynamic voice of hers.
The partnership of Derek and Susan is something that we should cherish forever. How lucky us mere humans are!
‘Space Captain’ was the encore for tonight as it is many times on the tour and everyone left singing and humming the words of unity and love, “Learning to live together” as we levitated homeward bound.
July 10 found me on the banks of Patchogue Bay for another serving at The Great South Bay Music Festival that has run for 14 years on Long Island.
Los Lobos were back in full force and with Rosas back with his guitar and vocals they delivered almost a completely different set to the sunbaked crowd. Actually, after four days it looked like the festival gathering was baked in many other ways also and were keen to see the last act of the day. Los Lobos finished with a groovy ‘Good Lovin’’ (The Rascals) and it was not long until the soulful dozen were plugged in and ready to go.
Sunburnt and crispy fans were ready to close down the festival with the TTB. Even though the setlist was slightly different, it took one song for the crowd to be locked into the groove. Kebbi, Elizabeth and Ephraim took off with their saxophone, trombone and trumpet and filled the outdoors with their solos and jams. With 5 vocalists in the band, harmonies abounded ‘Fall In’ and ‘Bound For Glory’ and throughout the set.
Hidalgo and Rosas from Los Lobos came out to jam on ‘Key To The Highway’ and the spectacular Alfredo Ortiz came out for some amazing percussive skills on the ever evolving ‘Pasaquan’.
‘I Walk On Guilded Splinters’ proved to be a crowd pleaser and Dr. John would have loved the treatment it was given. Did I hear you say “Funky?”. Totally funky.
With a break of just under 3 weeks until the Red Rocks shows, I found myself listening to the new releases and just about anything else by the TTB to fill in my listening pleasure. Yes, it became and obsession, following the set lists, checking out the new releases and seeing what songs came about during the shows I missed. Covid must have hit Los Lobos hard because a number of gigs had them not playing at all. This was a disappointment to some, but for the TTB die hard fans it was simply a chance to hear TTB do 2 sets a night instead of one.
Red Rocks. If you have not been, and let me tell you I was a Red Rocks virgin, make sure you go to see a gig by one of your favourite artists on a warm summer evening. You have seen pictures, you have seen videos, until you go you have no idea of the beauty of that space. The Ute Indians used it for ceremonies and the like now we get modern music filling the space.
Besides the excitement of the Red Rocks scene, these last 2 gigs were just before the band shut down for 2 weeks. To top it off, these gigs were on Friday and Saturday night, and we all know that the best gigs take place on Saturday night.
Friday night was once again a fabulous mix of new and covers and old. Out of the gate TTB delivered 7 new songs in a row and everyone was involved and to use a word I heard over and over again, they were immersed in the wall of sound.
Los Lobos members came out for ‘The World Is A Ghetto’ and ‘Key To The Highway and of course the added percussion of Alfredo Ortiz during Pasaquan with Isaac and Tyler on drums was something to get lost in. I did not think that Pasaquan could ever be done any better than that.
Susan was wailing and preaching on the Bobby Bland number ‘I Pity The Fool’ and she had the crowd screaming and moving along with her. The breeze had picked up but that did not lower the heat nor the crowd as night one in Morrison, Colorado finished with a tip of the hat to Colorado legislation with ‘Let’s Go Get Stoned’.
Saturday found a group of us tailgating outside the Rocks with some cold tequila drinks and beer and salami that went from elk to was it Moose? You could hear a wailing soundcheck taking place and the excitement and the heat from the sun kept building all afternoon.
Gabe Dixon kicked off the evening with his short setlist but you knew there was going to be magic in the air. Gabe’s trio was joined by the TTB Horns and you could sense there was a party atmosphere happening within their ranks.
With a short break, Los Lobos came out and gave us a ½ dozen songs including a funky ‘The Neighbourhood’ and a Beach Boys cover (‘Sail On, Sailor’). After a few more numbers we found out something was happening when Susan came out to sing Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Goin’ On’ (alongside Gabe Dixon on keys and Isaac Eady on drums).
The show then went into overdrive as we entered Allman Brothers Band territory with Derek adding his slide to ‘Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’’. The Red Rocks crowd exploded and the number of dancers exponentially multiplied. Hidalgo and Trucks traded licks we were in guitar ecstasy.
Los Lobos closed their offering with ‘Mas y Mas’ and with the entire TTB on stage to jam out with them. Steve Berlin made it a 4 piece horn section and hats off to Kebbi Williams as he wailed and bounced around under the summer sky.
Everyone took a deep breath and inhaled that sweet Colorado air flavoured with items from the dispensary and prepared themselves for more magical music. The TTB did not disappoint and they proved once again that Saturday night is quite possibly the best night to see a gig.
Susan and the band came out Saturday with a remarkable ‘Anyhow’ which had people following and singing along with the biggest smiles imaginable. Those smiles did not stop for 2 hours. We did not have goosebumps, as someone said, we had “TTB Bumps”.
Only ‘Pasaquan’ and ‘Yes We Will’ were repeated from the previous night. After the Derek and The Dominoes song ‘Keep On Growing’ drifted to the mountains, a special guest was announced. The dobro meister, Jerry Douglas, joined the TTB for the next 4 songs.
We were treated once again to more Allman Brothers infused jamming on Elmore James’s ‘Done Somebody Wrong’. Jerry Douglas with the band and Derek playing those slide breaks that sound like Duane and the interplay between all band members was seamless. Did I mention Susan’s singing and how she has brought it to another level on this tour? Boom!
‘Pasaquan’ with Trucks and Douglas sliding along took that number to outer space and the drum solo portion with Ortiz from Los Lobos went beyond space. Is that possible? At close to 19 minutes I did not think the evening could improve from there.
They pulled Jerry back up for the ‘Angel From Montgomery/Sugaree’ combo which had some people in tears as they brought Prine and Garcia into the magical space that is Red Rocks. Jerry split and Derek pulled out a masterpiece from the Allman Brothers catalogue and showed off his chops on ‘Les Brers In A Minor’. Stunning. You can find it on You Tube, go check it out.
‘Space Captain’ brought it to a close one more time and Susan thanked everyone and the band and her Mom and Dad watching back home. It was over and although we could have listened and danced for hours, no one left dissatisfied.
Derek Trucks is one kick ass amazing band leader. He built the Derek Trucks Band to suit his needs and musical dreams and he and Susan have surpassed anyone with the musicians they have gathered and the tribe they have built around them. I truly believe this is more than just a band. This is a family and a unit that will be looked after and members may come and go, but they will always be part of this amazing familial troupe.
Everyone was given a chance to shine and solo each night. No one was left out. Derek and Susan may be the bright suns in the sky but each and every member of this band is stellar and brings a unique sound to the songs they have created. The songs they have crafted together. I did not see any ego on that stage. I saw and felt joy and love. I do believe that is what the Tedeschi Trucks Band is all about. They are at the top of their game and the most amazing group of musicians I have seen in one band in my long lifetime of seeing live concerts.
Don’t miss them and if you can see them more than once do it….immerse yourself in beauty and love and the best slide guitar player on the planet.
Don’t forget their names. The TTB Is:
Derek Trucks / Guitar
Susan Tedeschi / Guitar & Vocals
Tyler Greenwell / Drums & Percussion
Isaac Eady / Drums & Percussion
Mike Mattison / Harmony Vocals
Mark Rivers / Harmony Vocals
Alecia Chakour / Harmony Vocals
Kebbi Williams / Saxophone
Elizabeth Lea / Trombone
Ephraim Owens / Trumpet
Brandon Boone / Bass Guitar