There are not many bands that could pull off what the Tedeschi Trucks Band did at The Mann Center in Philadelphia on their Wheels of Soul tour on July 8. That statement has several dimensions to it. As you likely know, the band has released two parts of their four-part project, I Am the Moon, so we could expect to see some of these songs in the show. Most bands will begin with familiar material or at least sprinkle it in early in the set. TTB is fortunate to have an accepting audience where just about anything is fair game.
So, they proceeded to deliver the first album, Crescent, in its entirety for a full 45 minutes, including dazzling solos from guitarist Derek Trucks and organist Gabe Dixon and the three-piece percussionists in a 15-minute closing instrumental, “Pasaquan,’’ before Tedeschi spoke the first welcoming words to the crowd. They were literally just getting started.
The familiar came next. Tedeschi kicked off “Anyhow,” from their 2016 Let Me Get By, followed by “Do I Look Worried “from 2013’s Made Up Mind. Tedeschi is a first-rate guitarist, capable of blowing the roof off any venue with her incendiary soloing but the combination of her playing alongside that of husband, Trucks, is as arguably formidable as any guitar duo in rock history, including the original Allman Brothers. Much of that traces to Trucks, who has a singular style of playing slide guitar, whether it be spiraling runs, or the incorporation of unique harmonics (listen closely and you will occasionally hear Indian raga-like harmonics), Coltrane-like jazz riffs, and, of course, blues.
The guitar sounds alone are well worth the price of admission, not to mention a 12-piece, essentially a big band with twin drummers, keyboards, three singers, and a three-piece horn section. For most of this show the two drummers, Tyler Greenwell and Isaac Eady, were joined by Los Lobos drummer, Alfredo Ortiz. Another thing to keep an eye on is how subtly Derek Trucks roams the stage as bandleader, directing his bandmates with head cues and small gestures.
They went on to sprinkle in three of their own from the second album of the series, Ascension – delivering “So Long Savior” led by Tedeschi with bassist Brandon Boone playing baritone guitar and the horn section sitting it out. Later we heard “La Di Da” and as the first number of the encore, Ascension’s leadoff track, “Playing with My Emotions.”
Yet the highlight of this segment of the show was when TTB invited David Hidalgo, Louie Perez, and Steve Berlin of Los Lobos to join them onstage. The two tunes included a brilliant arrangement of War’s “The World Is a Ghetto,” highlighted by a stirring baritone sax solo from Berlin and animated contributions from a cast of 16 on stage. TTB vocalist Alecia Chakour led off, joined soon by Mark Rivers and Mike Mattison, followed by Trucks and Hidalgo swapping riffs. There were four lead guitarists with Perez getting his due in “Keep on Growing,” a cover of Derek and the Dominoes from Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, based on the same epic poem from which TTB has built their four-part I Am the Moon. Not many bands can pull off such integration of so many instruments and make it sound so tight.
TTB finished with a couple of trusty tunes, “Midnight in Harlem” and “Bound for Glory,” both led by Tedeschi on vocals. Yet, the clear highlight short of the encore was Tedeschi’s blistering guitar work, the deepest blues of the evening on Bobby “Blue Bland’s “That Did It.” The two-song encore, as stated, began with “Playing with My Emotions” followed by Mike Mattison taking the deeply soulful vocal on the rousing “Get What You Deserve.”
Those words were a perfect summation of the evening that began with keyboardist Gabe Dixon, leading his own trio. While he had a couple of duet turns with Tedeschi during the TTB segment, here he had the space to show us what a terrific singer-songwriter he is, as attested to by the enthusiastic crowd reception.
Los Lobos, who never fails to deliver after 40 plus years of touring took the stage next. There was a new face in drummer Alfredo Ortiz and conspicuous by his absence the charismatic Cesar Rosas. (No explanations made by the band). Instead of three guitar front line, we still had a powerful duo in Hidalgo and Perez, powered by the steady bass lines of Conrad Lozano. Hidalgo handled the lead vocals on a mix of originals and covers – “Down on the Riverbed,” “Evangeline,” “Come On, Let’s Go (Richie Valens), “A Matter of Time.” “La venganza de los pelados” (one of the few Latin numbers, likely would have had more if Rosas was present),” The Neighborhood,” “Will the Wolf Survive?”, “Angel Dance,” and “Sail On, Sailor,” a Beach Boys cover from their recent Grammy winner, Native Sons. Perez took the lead on “Rebel Kind,” a cover of the Canadian band, True Believers.
The Los Lobos segment went to the next level when Trucks joined them for one of their staples, a cover of The Grateful Dead’s “Bertha,” bringing most of the crowd to their feet. Yet, it got better. The TTB three-piece horn section with Berlin on baritone sax joined for “Mas y mas,” each bringing exciting solos – trombonist Elizabeth Lea, trumpeter Ephraim Owens and tenorist Kebbi Williams while Hidalgo, Perez, and Trucks cut each other with searing guitar runs.
Keep in mind that TTB has two more albums scheduled for release. This means that you could attend a show a month or two from now and perhaps hear an entirely different setlist. Tunes aside, this combination of two of America’s best touring bands, would be hard to match, no matter what they choose to play.
Photos by Tina Pastor
