NYS Music 20​17

Tag: Tedeschi Trucks Band

  • Tedeschi Trucks Band Smokes the Highland Bowl

    The third edition of Tedeschi Trucks Band‘s summer bonanza known as the Wheels of Soul rolled through Rochester, a city that has been lucky enough to have hosted the tour all three years. This year, as last, Highland Bowl, the criminally underused natural amphitheater right in the city, served as the venue.

    tedeschi trucks highland bowl

    Classic blues rock trio, and Jefferson Airplane offshoot, Hot Tuna brought their “electric” version to kick things off. Running through a set of oldies but goodies, the band found plenty of room for rocking out. The crowd, near capacity at showtime, was raring to go from the start and these boys certainly satisfied. Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen played right to the local crowd’s hearts, “People say to me, Rochester? Isn’t it bleak up there? Not today it ain’t!” It was sunny and 72, quite literally, so he wasn’t lying. Kaukonen ground out some gritty guitar action on most every tune, but in the closing “Funky #7,” bassist Jack Casady took the reins blasting fuzzy bass bombs in a massive set sendoff. Legends in their own right, if they’re opening on a three-band bill it must be quite a bill. And, of course, it was!

    The Wood Brothers were up next. It started eerily with bassist Chris Wood bowing his upright while bending the strings with a stick, creating a cool Theremin-like sound. “You give me chills when you sing so sweet,” sang guitarist Oliver Wood on the opening “Stumbled In.” Their sweet tooth would continue to show throughout the set. “I just heard National Chocolate Day was yesterday. We have a song for that.” he exclaimed before kicking into “Chocolate On My Tongue.” Then later they were baking some “Shoofly Pie.” Then the band invited Susan Tedeschi to sing on “Never and Always.” Talk about sweet! It would  be the first of many sit-ins on the night. Chris Wood didn’t pick up his electric bass during their short set, but he did do some wild dancing, both with his acoustic bass, on “Snake Eyes,” and solo, all over the stage on the set closing “One More Day.” When Oliver introduced the band members, dancing was on his brother Chris’ list of instruments. Is dancing an instrument? One issue with such a fantastic lineup, the sets all felt too short. The Wood Brothers seemed to be leaving the stage just as they were getting going.

    tedeschi trucks highland bowl

    Tedeschi Trucks Band took the stage and immediately asked, “Are You Ready?” The crowd, fully up and dancing for the first time of the evening, answered with a resounding “Yes!” before the band quickly jumped into “Made Up Mind.” After two straight trios, the twelve-man rightly seemed enormous. They have amassed a monster of a band with enough talent to power multiple smaller bands. They are the Wall of Sound of bands. They are incredibly tight, stopping on a dime, morphing from song to song, jam to jam, following guitarist Derek Trucks through every masterful and adventurous solo, expanding and contracting through the setlist like a well-oiled machine.

    Somehow, in about 90 minutes time, they also managed to ensure every member got it’s day in the sun without it feeling like a round robin of solos. A free form fusion-y breakdown in “Don’t Know What It Means” featured incredible sax work by Kebbi Williams and low end wizardry by bassist Tim Lefebvre. Trumpeter Ephraim Owens got his turn in a funky jam during “I Wish I Knew,” which also featured Alecia Chakour and Mark Rivers trading vocal solos. Of course longtime Trucks vocalist Mike Mattison took the lead vocals from Susan Tedeschi on a few numbers, including a ripping take on the Derek and the Dominoes classic, “Anyday.”

    Toward the end of the show the band received even more players. All three Wood Brothers sat in for the band’s debut of the Rolling Stone’s “Sweet Virginia.” Oliver Wood and Tedeschi shared vocal duties while Chris Wood replaced Lefebvre on bass. Immediately following, Hot Tuna came on stage for their turn, this time to help on a cover of the blues classic “The Sky Is Crying.” Lefebvre and Casady shared bass duties, eyeing each other from across the stage, while Kaukonen and Trucks jawed with a tangle of blues licks.

    The set once again seemed to end way too early. But the final band had the advantage of coming out for an encore. And the Tedeschi Trucks Band saved the best for last. If you were there to see Derek Trucks play guitar, you got what you paid for in the encore alone, so hopefully you stayed until the end. Trucks fired off some impossibly quick notes and blazed onward and upward from there. Eventually he came back down to earth, only to arrive at heavy teases of the Allman Brothers “Les Brers,” which the rest of the band picked up for a short jam. A one-song near fifteen minute encore sated the excited crowd. As the show came to a close, a full moon emerged over the tree line to guide everyone home after a smoking night in the Highland Bowl.

    Set Lists

    Hot Tuna
    Living Just For You, Sea Child, I Can’t Be Satisfied, Come Back Baby, Water Song, Funky #7

    The Wood Brothers
    Stumbled In, Tried and Tempted, Chocolate On My Tongue, Snake Eyes, Keep Me Around, Shoofly Pie, Never and Always*, One More Day
    * with Susan Tedeschi on vocals

    Tedeschi Trucks Band
    Are You Ready > Made Up Mind, Don’t Know What It Means, Anyday, Midnight in Harlem, Get Outta My Life Woman, Let Me Get By, Sweet Virginia*, The Sky Is Crying**, I Wish I Knew E: I Want More
    *with Chris Wood on bass, Oliver Wood on guitar and vocals, Jano Rix on keys
    **with Jorma Kaukonen on guitar, Jack Casady on bass

  • Tedeschi Trucks Band Rocks SPAC with Hot Tuna and The Wood Brothers

    Tedeschi Trucks Band‘s Wheels of Soul tour rolled into Saratoga Springs on July 3 with rock legends of new and old, The Wood Brothers and Hot Tuna. Hot Tuna performed with their electric trio, featuring Justin Guip of Levon Helm Band on drums and two energized 70+ year old rock legends, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, strutting through classics and bouncing around the stage. The Wood Brothers brought a stripped down sound that was full of gusto, including spirited renditions of “Luckiest Man” and a set closing “Ophelia.”

    tedeschi trucks hot tuna wood brothersTedeschi Trucks Band stole the show and brought the audience to their feet numerous times throughout the show, sparking the crowd on this 4th of July weekend as though they had bought tickets for spiritual renewal. In many ways, that is what the night provided. TTB opened the night with a cover of Derek and the Dominoes’ “Anyday” with Mike Mattison providing ample vocal support to Susan Tedeschi. (Coincidentally, on June 16, Bobby Whitlock of Derek and the Dominoes opened his show at The Egg with the same track off Layla and Assorted Love Songs.)

    tedeschi trucks hot tuna wood brothers“Don’t Know What It Means” was one of the numerous times Susan showed off her powerful vocals, as well as Kebbi Williams’ jazz chops, during a breakdown at the end with drummers Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson. Susan didn’t let up by then belting out “Anyhow,” supercharging the venue with three big band numbers to kick the set off. Carey Frank, filling in for the recovering Kofi Burbridge, made his presence known on “Let Me Get By” and “Save Me,” adding to the big band sound as the show wound down. Rock goddess Susan and husband Derek put on a clinic of blues guitar, pounding out powerful chords and engaging the audience, eliciting cheers as peaks were reached, only to then be taken higher and higher. The final songs of the set bookended a monster rock ‘n’ roll show that had hardly a mellow moment.

    For the encore, a perfect tribute to the late Gregg Allman in “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” preceded Susan’s calm rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?,” one that made it feel like we were at a revival and ready to head out and preach her good word. To close the night, “Made Up Mind” allowed all vocalists, including Mattison, Mark Rivers and Alecia Chakour, to show off their vocal chops. Susan then asked the audience to offer birthday wishes to a member of the TTB crew, Bobby, by singing “Happy Birthday” to him, an exclamation point on a night of pure rock ‘n’ roll.

  • Digging Up the Roots: An Interview with Oliver Wood

    NYS Music had the chance to sit down and interview with Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers just days before they embarked on their 2017 Winter Tour, which is currently under way. Due to their familial connection, the Woods come from the same musical roots, but their talents grew in all different directions over the years prior to forming the soulful folk band that now has a worldwide following. Some dates on this tour are already sold out, so if the spirit of their music moves you, purchase your tickets today!

    Ben Boivin: Let’s start from the very beginning…The Wood Brothers connection with the state of New York.  Your first ever show was at Tonic in NYC and two of the first five shows were at Savannah’s in Albany. How did the Capital District wind up as your first stomping grounds?

    Oliver Wood: Well, part of it was a matter of convenience because my brother [Chris Wood] used to live in Saugerties and in the early days of The Wood Brothers we were trying to find little gigs and do things that were realistic and convenient. I was living in Atlanta at the time so I would just go up there and hang out for a few days and work on music and then get a few gigs in the area. We played gigs nearby Atlanta for the same reason. My brother would come down and that just made the most sense. Sort of how we cut out teeth and started to figure out what The Wood Brothers was all about.

    BB: What do you feel is different about playing in New York State compared to other parts of the country?

    OW: Every region has its own unique vibe and certainly New York State has that. The first thing that comes to mind for me is obviously New York City. That’s where we got our record deal and where our management company is located and where we played our first gig. There’s a sentimental connection to it. Also, we played several times at Levon’s [Helm] barn, his rambles, while he was still alive. Besides Chris living in that part of the country, it certainly has some sentimental value to me as well. There is such a rich tradition there.

    BB: Is there one band member that chooses the set lists or is it a group effort?

    OW: We definitely tweak it as a group, but I would say Chris is the master set writer. He is the guy that masterminds it and really thinks it through. I don’t know why, it is just something he started doing and was really good at. I guess he is a better decision maker than me? We certainly consult each other and as a group make a list of songs, but Chris is really good at putting them all together.

    BB: Do you ever consider cutting songs based on the crowd?

    OW: Oh, absolutely. If the crowd is rowdy, we add some rowdier songs. Sometimes we try to tone it down for people and they might be rowdy, but what they don’t know is that they actually want to shut up for a minute and really be in the moment and that’s cool too because it brings them in.  It gives them something they didn’t expect.

    BB: I read something you said about touring with the Zac Brown Band in front of 20,000 people and how that is a much different level than the normal tours you do as a trio. What makes that different from the theaters and bars where you primarily play?

    OW: In a large venue, it is more consistent, there is this one gear. But, I like the variety of small and medium places because they are all unique and you can play them in different ways. It is very satisfying to not just do the same thing every night.

    BB: How does playing music with your brother help or hurt what it is you are trying to do?

    OW: It is definitely a different dynamic. I mean when you play in a band for years and years with people they become brothers. It’s like a family. It’s like a marriage even. There are those kind of brothers and then something different and deeper with a real brother because you’re family and because you have a more shared experience. Your childhood and your growing up and your parents are all formidable things that you both have. I think also, there is that innate, intangible, yet genetic thing that Chris and I noticed right away. After years apart, being able to comfortably play together and have this telepathy that usually takes years to develop, we were kind of like,“Wow, we have it built in!”

    BB: In recent tours you guys have been taking different versions of the same songs on the road.  Does Jano Rix help you dissect and resurrect new versions of the same song?

    OW: It’s very much a group effort. Part of that is for us. By rethinking a song it is keeping it fresh for us. If we have been playing a song for a couple of years, we may think people love this song but maybe we are getting kind of tired of it. Let’s do something different with it. There is a big rocking number, like the song “Shoefly Pie,” that’s a full electric one, but we made it more porch-y the next time around. We made it all acoustic and Jano was on percussion instead of drum kit, and that’s an example of how we can deconstruct a tune and put it back together in a completely different way. It keeps it fresh for us and for the audience too. We have had a lot of comments where people appreciate and enjoy that.

    BB: I have seen you guys a lot and must have heard “Luckiest Man” about 100 times.

    OW: Yeah me too, tell me about it.

    BB: In the Winter 2016 tour, Jano came out and did a long piano intro before a very jazzy version of “Luckiest Man” and it was really special to hear a familiar song played differently for the first time.

    OW: I think people like to get surprised and challenged a little bit and there’s nothing wrong with that on either side.

    BB: Going back to the topic of New York, your most recent release, Live from the Barn, was recorded right in the heart of the Catskill music scene in Woodstock, NY.  Why did you choose that spot and why is it so special to you?

    OW: It’s a very sentimental place for us and Levon is a serious influence and indirectly like a mentor to us. We hadn’t been there in years. Since he passed away we have done stuff with Amy, his daughter, and felt that family connection with their family. When we made the plan to go back there to play, it felt like a special occasion and we wanted to record it all. You never know how it will turn out. Maybe that was okay or that was horrible, but as it turned out, if felt like a real special night. We were really happy and excited that we captured it. We were sort of tripping on being there. It was magical and brought back all these memories. I mean, we were there watching Levon play and standing two feet from his drum set. By the end of the night, we were singing songs with him and sitting around in his kitchen after the show. There are spirits there that you just don’t get anywhere else.

    BB: What is the best piece of advice Levon gave you?

    OW: He never really gave us any specific advice. I think we just learned by example. I will tell you the thing I get from him is to just be yourself. Just be real and be yourself. That’s what he was and sometimes it is hard to do that and remember that in this business. Sometimes you think, what can we do to survive and to sell more tickets? It’s not about that. If you can be yourself, that’s going to be the best art you can make.

    BB: I am sure you are aware that “Big Pink,” the house that The Band rented to create their debut album, is located about 10 minutes outside of Woodstock.  Do you, Chris and Jano have your own “Big Pink”?  Is there a place that makes writing and creating music easier for you as a group?

    OW: Not necessarily. We’ve had several spots, but it has been a challenge since Chris and I lived in different parts of the country for the first six or seven years of The Wood Brothers. I would go up to him and we would write and then he would come down to my place. We would write on the road, backstage, in dressing rooms and at sound checks. He would send me e-mails and we would go back and forth. I will say, since we all moved to Nashville a few years ago, it has been awesomeness because we have been able to hole up in someone’s basement or living room or even rehearsal space. Nashville has been a good place to gel in that regard and relax with our writing. It makes it fun.

    BB: What was it about Nashville that drove you guys there?

    OW: It was a combination of things. For one, it was somewhat in between New York and Atlanta. We wanted to stay on the east side of the country and I was in the South so long and I like the South, a lot! Part of it too is that we had a lot of great experiences before we lived here. Really cool times where we came to town and recorded with people and collaborated with people and had some shows we really enjoyed. At random, we got to know some good friends and we had kids in school and Nashville is a nice place to raise a family. The music industry here has a stigma that it is just a country music town but there is all sorts of stuff happening with great writers and great music. It is really inspiring just to be here. You can sit in your house and think, “Maybe my neighbors are writing great songs and making great music.” I love that part too.

    BB: You will be returning to the Empire State this summer, hitting SPAC in Saratoga and the Highland Bowl in Rochester as well as over a dozen other cities with the Tedeschi Trucks Band & Hot Tuna for the 2017 “Wheels Of Soul” Tour. What’s it like touring with other well-known bands compared to being on the road as a trio?

    OW: It’s real special because usually when you’re on the road alone you are crossing like ships in the night and you don’t get to hang out with your contemporaries and they’re all playing at the same time as you are in some other city or state.  It is a real treat even at summer festivals to get to cross paths with some of our friends and to get to hang out for a few minutes if we’re lucky. To do a tour with Tedeschi Trucks and be with them every day for a month or two is a real privilege because not only do we get to hear them play every night, but we also get to play with them, eat meals with them and be close.

    BB: Well, we are definitely looking forward to that tour.

    OW: Yeah, me too!

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