Derek Truck's Roadsongs, CD Review - by J. Blake

(New York, NY)

I recently observed an interesting thing while attending Fathom Event’s “one-night-only” screening of Eric Clapton’s 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Of all the magnificent talented featured in the “film”, the only one to elicit applause was Derek Trucks (and his band). Watching a concert in a movie theater is an odd experience. It is like being there, but at the same time it is far from it. On July 27th, 2010 an NYC audience sat quietly, watching a 2hour+ HD presentation that included a whole lot of blues and even more guitar. Proper movie theater etiquette was being observed until the Derek Trucks-Susan Tedeschi Band took the stage (with guests that included Warren Haynes). It was only then that the audience, collectively, forgot where they were and lost themselves in the music. It was actually an amazing thing to witness and I’m pleased to say that The Derek Trucks Band’s latest CD captures at least some of that magic and energy.

ROADSONGS marks The Derek Trucks Band’s first live album since 2004’s LIVE AT GEORGIE THEATRE and is by far, Trucks’ most sonically satisfying live recording to date. The slide-guitar virtuoso and his group of talented collaborators are in fine form here, delivering 14 tracks (on 2 discs) that span the entirety of his career; with a definite bias toward 2009’s Grammy-winning ALREADY FREE.

Recorded over two nights at Chicago’s Park West, ROADSONGS exhibits the band’s proclivity for brilliant dynamics and their amazing ability to straddle the line between complete control and raw, spontaneous live energy; things that are never more present than on the album’s 14 and a half minute version of "Afro Blue" and its 13 minute (blues turned funk) medley of "Get Out My Life Woman/Who Knows”. Other highlights include the blues standard “Key to the Highway”, covers of Bob Dylan’s "Down in the Flood", Bob Marley’s "Rastaman Chant" and Eric Clapton’s "Anyday" as well bluesy DTB originals "Get What You Deserve" and "Don’t Miss Me".

Derek Trucks continues to shine as a compelling live performer and as a (somewhat) recently crowned “Guitar God”. His specific way of melding blues, jazz, rock and soul creates a sound that is uniquely his and ROADSONGS captures it and his (and his band’s) talent beautifully. This particular lineup of the band may be currently on hiatus as Trucks tours North America with his wife Susan Tedeschi, but this latest live release gives us something exciting to cherish until the DTB is touring again.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy: ALREADY FREE CD Review

Thanks and keep reading American Blues News and also check out Media Wah Wah for more of this writer’s thoughts and opinions about Movies, Music, TV & More.

NYC blues fans, make sure you check out Al Green live at B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill on September 2nd!!!

Copyright © 2010 - J. Blake. All Rights Reserved

NEW YORK: Derek Trucks' Already Free CD Review - by J. Blake

I’ve been attempting to keep my recent CD reviews as current as possible, but when an album has been a staple of Billboard’s Blues Music Top 10 for 44 weeks, it really needs to be mentioned. ALREADY FREE marks The Derek Trucks Band’s 6th studio effort and reflects a maturity that can only come from experience and life lessons learned. The blonde pony-tailed guitar prodigy is now 30 years-old, the husband of fellow seasoned blues performer Susan Tedeschi and a father of two. He’s played with everybody from Buddy Guy to Eric Clapton, has been a member of The Allman Brothers Band for a decade and has led his own self-titled group since 1994. He’s a guy that has packed a lot of living and performing into a relatively short lifetime and if ALREADY FREE is the fruit of all the labor it was certainly all worth it.

The album runs 12 tracks (with Best Buy and iTunes editions reportedly featuring “bonus tracks”), features guests like Susan Tedeschi, Doyle Bramhall II and Oteil Burbridge and finds Trucks and his band fusing blues and soul with a touch of rock. With the exception of the rollicking roadhouse-style blues number, Get What You Deserve, Trucks doesn’t seem to restrict himself to basic 12-bar blues formulas, but manages to never stray too far from that all-important roots music sound.

Truck’s guitar playing is as always controlled, precise and soulful and with ALREADY FREE, he lives up to his reputation as one of music’s “New Guitar Gods”; delivering a tastefully executed album that manages to transcend the common notion of “the blues”, while undoubtedly being able to satisfy even the most skeptic of blues purists.

Standout "blues" tracks include Down In The Flood, Don’t Miss Me, Get What You Deserve and the album’s title track, Already Free.

*If you enjoyed this article, you may get furiously angered by: Doyle Bramhall II...Mediocre At Best

Copyright © 2009 - J. Blake. All Rights Reserved