MUSIC REVIEW

Tedeschi Trucks Band performs with passion

Five years and two months after the Tedeschi Trucks Band first graced the stage of the "old" Robinson Center Music Hall, the group returned to the "new" renovated venue Sunday night, again wowing a packed house of fans (estimated at more than 2,000, just shy of a sellout) of their rock, jazz, soul and blues fusion. It was a wild, joyful, exuberant show that had some fans dancing in the aisles.

Musicians were packed on the stage as part of Susan Tedeschi's and Derek Trucks' band. The married guitar slingers took turns or played together, communicating without words -- Trucks never sang or spoke, but did, however, have plenty to say via his electric guitar solos. When Tedeschi was featured on vocals, she sang 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 with elements of less well-known Southern legends Delaney and Bonnie and Friends into a musical stew that at times simmered and boiled with red-hot frenzy.

There was a horn section -- trombonist Elizabeth Lea, saxophonist Kebbi Williams and trumpeter Ephraim Owens. Lea was a crowd favorite; so was Alecia Chakour, who mostly provided backing vocals but shone 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. Substitute keyboard player Carey Frank filled in for Kofi Burbridge, on the mend from heart surgery. The only male vocals came from Mike Mattison and Mark Rivers, who relished their few opportunities. (Greenwell, Johnson, Mattison, Rivers and Williams were part of the 2012 lineup.)

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

Not content to put on just a tasteful close to a two-hour set, there was 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-drums-keyboards, 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 hung around and added what must have been his (or her) interpretation of spaced-out dance moves. Eventually, it looked like the space cadet was escorted off stage.

Metro on 09/19/2017

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