Led by Taj Mahal and joined by Jerry Douglas, TTB works up a version of “Leavin’ Trunk” before their concert at the Beacon Theatre on September 19, 2014.
TTB returns to the Beacon to finish up the run on Friday 9/26 and Saturday 9/27, and you never know who might show up for the final two nights.
Taj Mahal musical style
Mahal leads with his thumb and middle finger when fingerpicking, rather than with his index finger as the majority of guitar players do. “I play with a flatpick,” he says, “when I do a lot of blues leads.” Early in his musical career Mahal studied the various styles of his favorite blues singers, including musicians like Jimmy Reed, Son House, Sleepy John Estes, Big Mama Thornton, Howlin’ Wolf, Mississippi John Hurt, and Sonny Terry. He describes his hanging out at clubs like Club 47 in Massachusetts and Ash Grove in Los Angeles as “basic building blocks in the development of his music.” Considered to be a scholar of blues music, his studies of ethnomusicology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst would come to introduce him further to the folk music of the Caribbean and West Africa. Over time he incorporated more and more African roots music into his musical palette, embracing elements of reggae, calypso, jazz, zydeco, R&B, gospel music, and the country blues—each of which having “served as the foundation of his unique sound.” According to The Rough Guide to Rock, “It has been said that Taj Mahal was one of the first major artists, if not the very first one, to pursue the possibilities of world music. Even the blues he was playing in the early 70s – Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff (1972), Mo’ Roots (1974) – showed an aptitude for spicing the mix with flavours that always kept him a yard or so distant from being an out-and-out blues performer.” Concerning his voice, author David Evans writes that Mahal has “an extraordinary voice that ranges from gruff and gritty to smooth and sultry.” (via:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal_(musician))
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Tedeschi Trucks Band creates a real blues-rock marriage, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. They are both talented guitarists and played with a group of great musicians.
Susan Tedeschi
American jazz and soul singer, guitarist – Susan Tedeschi – in her childhood, she sang in a church choir and theater company. At the age of 18, she formed her band – The Smoking Section, and while studying at Berklee College of Music, she also sang at The Reverence Gospel Ensemble. She debuted with her first album “Better Days” in 1995. Then more albums were released: “Just Won’t Burn” (1998), “Wait For Me” (2002), “Live From Austin” (2004), “Hope And Desire” (2005), “Back To The River “(2008). She was also invited to the studio while recording two songs (“Crazy” and “Kansas City”) on Willie Nelson’s album “Milk Cow Blues” (2000). The color and strength of her voice often compared to Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin.
Derek Trucks
Derek Trucks is a guitarist, vocalist, composer. He came into contact with music at a very young age, thanks to his uncle Butch Trucks, a drummer of the well-known The Allman Brothers Band. Professionally, he began playing at the age of 11 at The Allman Brothers Band, where he perfected his guitar skills. At the age of 13, he played alongside Buddy Guy. Shortly afterwards he founded the Derek Trucks Band, with which he recorded the following albums: “The Derek Trucks Band” (1997), “Out Of The Madness” (1998), “Joyful Noise” (2002), “Soul Serenade” (2003), “Live At Georgia Theater” (2004), “Songlines Live” (2006), “Live At Sioux Falls Jazz And Blues Festival” (2007), “Already Free” (2009), “Roadsongs” (2010). With the Allman Brothers Band, he recorded: “Peakin” At The Blues “(2000),” Hittin “The Note” (2003), “Live At The Beacon Theater DVD” (2003), “One Way Out” (2004).
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