The Derek Trucks Band - Soul Serenade
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Free Music Notes for Soul Serenade
Free Music Review: Pop fans need not apply...
Hit: 5 Stars
The fourth installment from The Derek Trucks Band, Soul Serenade, which was apparently recorded before 2002's Joyful Noise, works as fine a follow-up as I can imagine. While Soul may rock less than Noise, its eclectic fusing of jazz, rock, Indian, blues, and even folk amalgamate to beautiful results. These recordings-all-instrumental, save for Track 3, sung by Gregg Allman who's in fine form-are sophisticated compositions that have a discernible melodic structure-sometimes lacking from "jam bands." But to merely call TDTB a jam band would be doing them a disservice. The jams are never self-indulgent; they have direction and balance. The musicians have such a tight synergy between them that it appears they've been playing together for a decade or two. The tunes are at times jazzy: ("Bock To Bock"), funky: ("Soul Serenade/Rasta Man Chant"), bluesy: ("Drown In My Own Tears"), and ethereal: ("Oriental Folk Song" & "Sierra Leone"). Despite sounding like a mere rambling of music styles, the songs on the disc actually coalesce into a natural togetherness-creating a unified vibe.
The key word for this band is taste. They tastefully employ the use of flute (a rather audacious choice that works so well), played by the widely talented Kofi Burbridge. They tastefully keep their tunes to a reasonable length, never overplaying as far as I'm concerned. Even the packaging and liner notes (though a bit laconic) show good taste.
Like all great art, and I do believe this album exemplifies great art, Soul Serenade is truly original. But if I had to liken it to something, I'd compare them to Traffic (at their zenith), of course The Allman Brother's Band, and perhaps Wes Montgomery (the late jazz guitarist). And because it's great art, it's absolutely NOT for everyone. There are no "pop hooks" (I loathe that phrase) or riff based songs. There's no maudlin display of musicianship or image. There are simply forty or so minutes (I wish there was more) of great music.
The last thing I'll say is about Trucks himself. The CD includes a bonus interview where D.T. offers up his own take on his music. After watching this, I felt a tremendous respect for him; he is articulate, humble, and wise beyond his years. It's nice to know there are some artists who know not only what they're doing, but also why they're doing it.
Free Music Review: Pop music fans need not apply...
Hit: 5 Stars
The fourth installment from The Derek Trucks Band, Soul Serenade, which was apparently recorded before 2002's Joyful Noise, works as fine a follow-up as I can imagine. While Soul may rock less than Noise, its eclectic fusing of jazz, rock, Indian, blues, and even folk amalgamate to beautiful results. These recordings-all-instrumental, save for Track 3, sung by Gregg Allman who's in fine form-are sophisticated compositions that have a discernible melodic structure-sometimes lacking from "jam bands." But to merely call TDTB a jam band would be doing them a disservice. The jams are never self-indulgent; they have direction and balance. The musicians have such a tight synergy between them that it appears they've been playing together for a decade or two. The tunes are at times jazzy: ("Bock To Bock"), funky: ("Soul Serenade/Rasta Man Chant"), bluesy: ("Drown In My Own Tears"), and ethereal: ("Oriental Folk Song" & "Sierra Leone"). Despite sounding like a mere rambling of music styles, the songs on the disc actually coalesce into a natural togetherness-creating a unified vibe.
The key word for this band is taste. They tastefully employ the use of flute (a rather audacious choice that works so well), played by the widely talented Kofi Burbridge. They tastefully keep their tunes to a reasonable length, never overplaying as far as I'm concerned. Even the packaging and liner notes (though a bit laconic) show good taste.
Like all great art, and I do believe this album exemplifies great art, Soul Serenade is truly original. But if I had to liken it to something, I'd compare them to Traffic (at their zenith), of course The Allman Brother's Band, and Wes Montgomery (the late jazz guitarist). And because it's great art, it's absolutely NOT for everyone. There are no "pop hooks" (I loathe that phrase) or riff based songs. There's no maudlin display of musicianship or image. There are simply forty or so minutes (I wish there was more) of great music.
The last thing I'll say is about Trucks himself. The CD includes a bonus interview where D.T. offers up his own take on his music. After watching this, I felt a tremendous respect for him; he is articulate, humble, and wise beyond his years. It's nice to know there are some artists who know not only what they're doing, but also why they're doing it.
Free Music Review: Truckin'
Hit: 5 Stars
Soul Serenade (Columbia) by the Derek Trucks Band is one of the best albums I have heard this year(2003). It won't matter how this album is classified, either, because it has it all. For those who liked Allman Brothers guitarist Trucks on his eponymous band's major-label debut, 2002's Joyful Noise, will find this CD to be even more impressive. Soul Serenade was actually recorded three years ago, before Joyful Noise, but is being released only now. It's been worth the wait because the Derek Trucks Band is hitting on all cylinders from start to finish.
The album begins with covers from two musical music legends-King Curtis and Bob Marley. Trucks uses "Soul Serenade" by Curtis and "Rasta Man Chant" by Marley to deliver one of the more exhilarating musical moments of the year. Trucks' guitar-sling and the fine work of his band show that the difference between the rock-steady beat of Jamaican reggae and Afro-American soul is so slight that it hardly matters. The next track, "Bock to Bock," is even better. Bassist Todd Smallie and drummer Yonrico Scott set the table for the band to deliver a powerful yet subtle swinging blues number. Trucks is on the case with his ax, and his band stays tight and focused at all times, letting the guitarist roam where he needs. The magic of this album doesn't end there although the first two songs will leave you awestruck.
The Derek Trucks Band then pumps the soul classic "Drown in My Own Tears," with Gregg Allman providing a heavy, blues-drenched vocal, which is followed by a tricky version of Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue." By this point you will have no doubt about the importance of Derek Trucks and his band. They defy category. They challenge those preconceived conclusions that often muzzle music, and they will leave you wondering why this album had been held up for so long.
-Brian Gilmore
Free Music Review: Aptly Titled
Hit: 5 Stars
I was late coming to appreciate Derek Trucks (took the Allman Brothers latest, HITTING THE NOTE, and The Flecktone's LITTLE WORLDS on which he makes a guest appearance, to get my interest). Quickly I've collected the last three of his Band's recordings and this has become my favorite. It holds together well.
My first impression of Trucks is that he is the incarnation of Duane Allman, or at least part of him. I'm not the first to get this impression. It makes me happy to feel our culture is getting stable enough to begin recognizing such continuity. Now, if we can just do so without enshrining the pop artists in religion (a la the tulkus of Tibet).....So after taking notice of this guy I go back into my collection and hear him on a Col. Bruce Hampton retrospective, playing electric sitar with the Col. at age 3. And Derek is playing slide! This guy obviously has natural talent, but it is talent he is serious about developing too.
What matters is that he can play well, and encourage others to do so too. Trucks plays like a whale moving easily through the depths, and his band moves easily between styles, from reggae to jazz to blues, to latin, middle eastern, and oh yes southern rock. (This CD is predominantly jazzy, check out JOYFUL NOISE for more eclectic variety.) I really like Kofi's flute playing here. It is a treat to have a modern and young band use the flute prominantly. The sense of creativity and exploration is refreshing. These songs are nothing flashy in isolation, pretty underspoken actually, but together make a soothing, uplifting and yet grounding experience.
The bonus (on computer) interview is great, it really opened my eyes to this young artists intelligence and depth and gave me cause for joy about the future of music.
Free Music Review: WHERE DUANE LEFT OFF......>>>>>
Hit: 5 Stars
The unexpected tradgedy of Duane Allman left the band with a continuation of what they were left with, and the Band did its best, which was Jam! Wth defined Soul, and Blues, the Allman Brothers Band strived for this continuance for many years. Dicky Betts, was obvioulsy a limiting factor in the Allman Bros. Band's later progression, and then came Warren Haynes, form Gov't Mule with a reinvigorated "Southern Rock 'n Roll"!
However, what Derek Trucks passionately embraces is the brilliant diversity of what Duane Allman was searching for (Remember Duane Allman An Anthology), continuing to incorporate the diversity of appreciation and foundations from which they learned, within the defined already successfull style of The Allman Brothers Band>>> Never forget how it was Duane Allman who was the creative spark, and intuitively so, Derek Trucks is running with the torch in a way that will make Duane Allman proud of how magnificent Coltrane's AFRO BLUE could sound with the smooth manifesto of a slide guitar. An hey, what's wrong with a flute intro???
This "KID", which is a joke for calling him young, for discerning his musical appreciation, as well as his bravado for attempting to record measures fromm the brilliance of John Coltrane, deserves a more acute measurement in the dimension the Derek Trucks Band is presenting here in the 21st Century.
This Band is a deserved embodiment of how the blues, jazz, and pure rock 'n 'roll can all come together. An amalgum of music is what every musician strives for in there fortitude of