February
2003-CD Reviews
 Derek
Trucks Band-Joyful Noise-Columbia
Derek Trucks is the nephew of long-time Allman Brothers
drummer Butch Trucks, so it should come as no surprise
that he chose the blues as his primary inspiration. However,
to label Trucks as "blues" musician would be
too restrictive as his slide guitar wizardry takes him
into limitless musical genres. If you listen to Derek
Trucks, you can hear influences ranging from Elmore James,
Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and Wes Montgomery. Said Trucks
of the wide-reaching influences that helped shape his
diverse style: "Early on people like Bobby Bland,
Howlin' Wolf, and a lot of the early blues masters. Later
on it was the jazz greats like John Coltrane, Miles, Wayne
Shorter, and Sun Ra".
Derek Trucks picked up the guitar at age 9 and by age
12 the young guitar player was touring with the Allman
Brothers. "When I was twelve I just sat in with the
Allman Brothers, I joined the band in 1999. But it was
listening to their records early on that was the biggest
influence on me," explains Derek. In addition, under
the watchful eye of his uncle, the youngster was sharing
the stage with such blues greats as Buddy Guy. After forming
his own band in high school, Trucks went on to jam with
Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, and Stephen Stills-all before his
20th birthday. Since 1994, Derek has been a welcome guest
on projects ranging from Cendell Davis's debut and Tinsley
Ellis's Storm Warnings to two recordings with Gov't Mule.
In 1997, Derek Trucks released his self-titled debut for
Landslide Records, which received critical acclaim for
pushing the boundaries of conventional blues. He quickly
followed up this album with 1998's Out Of The Madness
for House of Blues, on which Trucks again fused musical
genres giving him a distinctly original sound. It would
take another four years before Derek and his band release
their third album, Joyful Noise, which critics are calling
his best work to date. "The long length of time between
our 2nd and 3rd releases was because of issues with our
old record label. This band records pretty quickly; there
is not a lot of wasted time in the studio. As far as the
growth of the band, it just seems to be the natural evolution
of a searching musical ensemble." During this period
between releases, Derek met and married his musical muse
and life partner, Susan Tedeschi, and the couple now have
1 child.
Joyful Noise, Trucks' third release (and debut for Columbia)
finds the young virtuoso straying away from traditional
blues and toward uncharted territory. Alongside the heavy
Fusion and Jazz for which he has become known, Derek incorporates
World music this time out. "World music of all kinds
has really influenced me and the band." In the company
of Panamanian singer Rubén Blades, a Salsa vibe
comes through on the track "Kam-ma-lay". Trucks
expands his repertoire even further with the help of Pakistani
vocalist Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's chanting on Middle Eastern-flavored
"Maki Madni". "I have listened to Rahat
and his uncle's music for years. As far as hooking up
with them it's just a matter of getting up the nerve to
ask them." Despite his refreshing departures, Derek
Trucks always returns to the blues. Solomon Burke lends
his soulful voice to two cuts - "Home In Your Heart"
and "Like Anyone Else". "Solomon is such
an amazing person and talent. He was such a positive energy
to have at the session," explains Derek. Trucks produced
and played on his wife Susan Tedeschi's new CD Wait For
Me. Tedeschi lends her powerful vocals and fierce guitar
work to Joyful Noise as she rips through the mid-tempo
shuffle "Baby, You're Right". "When we
play or record together it really seems like an extension
of the day. It is really a relaxed and laid-back process."
Though Derek Trucks has yet to capture an extensive audience
in comparison to other young blues guitarists such as
Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, or even wife Susan Tedeschi
(whose hit "Alone" from Wait For Me garnered
her a second Grammy Nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal
Performance), his talent, range, and style prove we'll
be hearing about him for a long time to come.
Tony Engelhart
 Little
Bill Engelhart & The Blue Notes featuring Dick Powell:
One Night Only - Monkey Hat
One Night Only is a fitting marquee for this CD, as it
certainly is a performance that would demand immediate
attention, in a live setting, before the magic disappears.
Washington's Ambassador of Bass Guitar, Bill ("Little
Bill") Engelhart, has again offered up an immensely
enjoyable, high-class collection of music. Whereas his
previous CD, Naked Blues, was comprised of earthier, gutsy
slide guitar pieces (care of Mark Riley) in that country-blues
vein that is near and dear to my heart, One Night Only
is more romantically sophisticated but still retains its
blues-based sincerity. The long-running musical entity
known as Little Bill & The Blue Notes has been performing
since 1956 and has seen as many personnel changes over
the years as Canada's Powerhouse. The CD is, in fact,
dedicated to a Mister Jenkins, the original 1955 Tacoma
"Blue Notes" and the Washington Carver American
Legion. The current line-up includes the spectacular talents
of Dick Powell on B-3, electric piano and harmonica, Billy
Stapleton on guitars, and drummer Tommy Morgan, all players
at the top of their game here. Tommy is obviously one
of the more professional drummers around, displaying his
rhythmic versatility on standards as diverse as Henderson-Dixson's
"Bye, Bye, Blackbird" and Titus Turner's "Grits
Ain't Groceries".
Although Bill has contributed only three of his own superb
originals here, he has a knack for filling out his repertoire
with well-chosen covers that do justice to his snake-charming
vocals. Little Bill's shuffling version of Fats Waller's
"Ain't Misbehavin'" has a great little piano
noodle finale, and the slow and sensual renditions of
Ray Charles' "Losing Hand" and B.B. King's "Guess
Who" are understated pieces of excellence featuring
exquisite electric guitar and absolutely chilling B-3.
These tracks just beg to be listened to, not talked about.
"Cherry Red", not to be confused with Luther
Allison's song of the same name, is a catchy little harmonica
and slide guitar-based country-rocker that will get your
toes tapping. Bill's second original, "Down Town
Rhumba Girl" is self-explanatory where musical style
is concerned and stands out with Dick Powell's contributions
on some very exciting boogie-woogie piano and harmonica.
My favorite original track, "Lincoln Continental
Blues", addresses the subject of retaining a genuine
sense of the blues upon achieving financial success. No
problem there, Bill - rich (and white) people get the
blues, too. Bill's deserved reputation as a master of
bass guitar shines through in his disciplined, dynamic
approach, at times maintaining a subtle but interesting
background rhythm and then filling in more prominently
when the reinforcement is called for, especially on the
excellent CD closer, Arthur Conley's "Shake, Rattle
& Roll". This track was dedicated to Guitar Shorty
(a.k.a. David William Kearney), an acrobat and musician
who, in the '60s, toured frequently in Canada (with Ray
Charles and Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones) and settled
for a while in Seattle, marrying Jimi Hendrix's stepsister,
Marcia. Now based in Los Angeles, Guitar Shorty is currently
on tour across America, with scheduled December/02 dates
in New York City and Memphis, Tennessee.
If Little Bill should ever become physically incapable
of playing/singing, he could certainly continue in the
business as a producer, as he and Dick Powell have done
a splendid job here and should be highly recommended for
anyone requiring this service.
It took 46 years for me to discover the magical Blue Notes,
but as the saying goes, "better late than never"!
By Diane Wells, Toronto Blues
© 
2003
|