In a sea of hippies, Deadheads, groupies and families, my first impression upon arriving at the Ascend Amphitheater on Sept. 21 was that the Tedeschi Trucks Band attracts a diverse range of music lovers. My second impression? I was one of the only college students in attendance. I was surrounded by seasoned music fans sporting tie-dyed Billy Strings, Yes and Grateful Dead shirts. In other words, I was at one of the best kinds of concerts — the kind where, halfway through the show, the woman sitting behind you offers you some of her popcorn, and it’s just as acceptable to sit and sway as it is to stand and dance.
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, the blues, Americana and rock band Tedeschi Trucks was officially formed in April 2010. 11 years earlier, the band’s founders, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, met at a The Allman Brothers Band concert where Tedeschi was the opening act. In 2001, they got married. By 2007, the two musicians were touring together as Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi’s Soul Stew Revival, and in 2010, they officially merged their respective groups to form Tedeschi Trucks Band. Since then, the band has released five studio albums and three live albums, winning the Grammy Award for Best Blues Album in 2012 for their debut album, “Revelator.”
Besides Tedeschi Trucks’ power-couple leaders, the band features a talented lineup: two percussionists, Tyler Greenwell and Isaac Eady; bassist Brandon Boone; trombonist Elizabeth Lea; trumpeter Ephraim Owens; saxophonist Kebbi Williams; three backup vocalists, Alecia Chakour, Mark Rivers and Mike Mattison; and pianist/vocalist Gabe Dixon. In short, the band is a 12-piece all-star team, with its strength equally rooted in its vocals, instrumentals and high-energy performances.
This power and chemistry animated Ascend Amphitheater for nearly three hours. When the band took the stage at 7:40 p.m. CDT, they were greeted with a standing ovation and enthusiastic cheers. The first song they played, “Learn How to Love,” the ninth track on their debut album, electrified both the band and the crowd. The band set the mood for the rest of their set with this number: there were impromptu solos, and each member, when not lost in their own playing, displayed their awe at being on stage with such talented musicians.
Barely even pausing for a breath, Tedeschi briefly thanked the crowd, gave a shout-out to her fellow musicians and launched into the next song, “Ain’t That Something.” Throughout the next few songs, standout moments included an intoxicating saxophone solo by Williams and a moment where Trucks, turning away from the crowd toward the brass trio, appeared to conduct their mini-orchestra with his own playing.
For the final song of their first set, Tedeschi welcomed Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass to join them on stage. Beck entered with his dobro, and as the band kicked off “Keep on Growing,” he engaged in a light-hearted duel with Trucks, whose impressive guitar solos had been the focus of many songs. When the song ended, they announced a brief intermission and celebrated with hugs and sips of water.
After 30 minutes of bathroom lines, bar lines and chatter, the band returned to the stage refreshed. They opened with their top song on Spotify and my personal favorite, “Midnight in Harlem.” As one of the first slower songs of the evening, it had nearly everyone standing and swaying. It felt impossible to not move along to the music. Despite being one of their most popular songs, it felt like one of the most intimate. While the first half of the concert had been dripping sweat and synchronized strobe lights, “Midnight in Harlem” acted as meditation music, a reminder and reflection of what had forged the band in the first place.
One of the night’s most dynamic moments came midway through the second set when the band introduced another guest: Jimmy Hall of the rock band Wet Willie. Together, they performed Wet Willie’s original “Keep on Smilin’.” Hall not only lent his powerful vocals but also delivered a standout harmonica solo, one of the most memorable solos of the evening. His enthusiasm was contagious, and by the end of the song, he had the audience joining in a spirited call and response.
“Keep on!” Hall sang, to which the crowd replied, “Smilin’!”
The concert progressed with more incredible solos from Trucks, Dixon, and Lea as well as a flute solo from Williams during “Soul Sweet Song.” As the energy peaked, Chakour stepped to the front and delivered a powerful rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “It Ain’t Fair.” Chakour, swept up in the song’s beauty, at one point appeared close to tears. As she finished and moved back upstage, she thanked the audience profusely while we cheered in gratitude for the honesty and emotion in her performance.
The band carried all of their energy from the first song of the concert to the last: “I Want More.” Like all the others, this song featured Tedeschi’s powerful, unique voice, Trucks’ slide guitar and, most prominently, the talents of the two percussionists. It ended with a playful drum faceoff where Greenwell and Eady smiled and laughed between moments of intense focus.
Afterward, the band exited briefly, only to return for a two-song encore. The first was a duet between Tedeschi and Dixon — a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” For the second, as the rest of the band rejoined the stage, they performed Joe Tex’s “Show Me.”
I left fully satisfied after the three-act concert. Tedeschi Trucks knows their strengths and proudly showcases them. With 12 masters of their craft on stage, they seem to understand that sometimes it’s best to step back and let someone else take control, knowing you can’t go wrong when each musician shines in their own way.
