CONCERT REVIEW: The Tedeschi Trucks Band graced the stage of the 'new' Robinson Center Hall

Five years and two months after The Tedeschi Trucks Band first graced the stage of the “old” Robinson Center Hall, the group returned to the “new” renovated venue Sunday night and again wowed a packed house filled with fans of their fusion of rock, jazz, soul and blues.

Musicians were packed onto the stage as part of Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks’ Band. The married guitar slingers took turns or played together, communicating without words, at least on the part of Trucks, who never sang or spoke. When Tedeschi was featured on vocals, she did so with commanding power, ease and grace.

All 12 of the band members were passionate contributors to a group that combines the essence of The Allman Brothers Band, mixed with elements of the less well-known Southern legends, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, into a musical stew that simmered and boiled with red hot frenzy at times.

There was a horn section, made up of trombonist Elizabeth Lea, saxophonist Kebbi Williams and trumpeter Ephraim Owens. Lea was the crowd favorite, as was Alecia Chakour, who mostly provided backing vocals, but shined brightly when she was featured on a cover of Billy Taylor’s soulful anthem, “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free.”

A pair of drummers — Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson — did fine work constructing a foundation, as did bassist Tim Lefebvre. cq Substitute keyboardist Carey Frank is filling in for Kofi Burbridge, who is on the mend following heart surgery. The only male vocals came from Mike Mattison and Mark Rivers, who relished their few opportunities.

The band had big fun with a version of Wings’ (one of Paul McCartney’s other bands) “Let Me Roll It” but the most stunning selection was the Tedeschi/Trucks original “Midnight in Harlem,” which I recall as having been truly amazing five years ago, and was even more so Sunday night, thanks to the additional flourishes Trucks inserted here and there.

Not content to put on just a tasteful close to two-hour set, there was also an opening act worth arriving on time to see: The Greyhounds, from Austin, Texas. The three-man band, rather than the usual guitar-bass-drums lineup, was guitar-drumskeyboards, and both the guitarist and the keyboardist had intriguing vocal styles.

There was a strange aspect of their show, however. They were introduced by someone in what looked like an astronaut suit and helmet, who then hung around and added what must have been his or her interpretation of spaced-out dance moves. Eventually, it looked like he was escorted off stage.

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