Derek Trucks Band – Live @ Embassy Theatre

At 9-years-old, he picked up a guitar for $5 at a yard sale and never looked back. Now, at 30, he’s still making waves. Guitar virtuoso Derek Trucks, nephew to The Allman Brothers Band’s Butch Trucks, took to the stage with his own band June 11 at Ft. Wayne’s Embassy Theatre. Before Trucks and company took the stage, local favorites the Todd Harrold Band warmed up the crowd with their 45-minute set.

The Todd Harrold Band has been trucking their style of jazz rock around the Midwest for nearly 18 years, and it was easy to tell that they were quite flattered to open for Trucks. The band hitched a ride on soulful grooves, tapping into a sound normally found at a Chicago jazz club. Handling rhythm, tempo and melody simultaneously, ring leader Todd Harrold handled the lead vocals and drumming with ease, which is quite a feat. Will Brown treaded alongside Harrold’s vocal melody with tight harmonies that were fit enough to back Stevie Wonder. The band had a pleasant mix of up-tempo and slow songs to nab the interest jazz fans and rock fans, especially when saxophonist Rob Dixon blared some sexy and sultry melodies from his alto saxophone. Guitarist Jon Swain along with the subtle keyboard work of Rob Dixon rounded out the sound.

The audience – who only filled half of the capacity of the auditorium – remained sitting for the opener, but when Trucks (named one of the 100 greatest guitarists ever by Rolling Stone) took the stage, a timid and docile audience only applauded between songs planting their rumps firmly in their seats. By the third song, a small group on one side of the auditorium stood after a group of gentlemen in the back yelled, “Stand up and show some respect!” Despite the absence of a standing audience, Trucks blistered through vast expanse of musical territory, playing music that could be equally at home in the Mississippi Delta, India or a dimly lit jazz club.

In standard Trucks fashion with a long blond pony tail and whiskerless face, he coaxed smooth, woody tones from his Gibson SG thanks to his graceful finger picking and soulful slide techniques. Man and instrument combined to form a sound that could as easily come from a blues soul singer. Trucks’ technique replicates the nuances of the human voice – a technique desired by many but achieved by few.

His backing band was ripe with talent and experience. Yonrico Scott, trained by Motown drummer George Hamilton, provided a subtle flair on the drum set. Supplementing his beats, Count M’Butu on percussion brought a mysterious aura on the stage with his dreadlocks, black shades and African influenced technique. M’Butu is well versed in his craft and has played with such greats as Frank Zappa, Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler, The Allman Brothers Band and Phish.

When trucks took a break from gliding up and down the fretboard, keyboardist and flutist Kofi Burbridge played nimble arpeggios on his silver jazz flute. Burbridge also had amazing chops on the piano and organ and frequently traded solos with Trucks.

Although the primary focus of the band is instrumental work, vocalist Mike Mattisson is certainly a necessary piece of the Derek Trucks Band puzzle. Mattisson’s smoky and emotive vocals swept up and down each pitch unruffled – truly one of the surprises of the night. It’s no wonder two producers recommended him to Trucks within the same week during the band’s infancy in 2002.

The band performed a show as diverse as the members in the group, playing both new and old songs from a variety of styles, making for a diverse performance. Although a majority of the audience did not stand for most of the performance, they did applaud with fervor after each song. During some of the many jaw-dropping solos, Trucks and company fed off of individuals in the crowd yelling “Yeah!” By the encore, the whole auditorium was on its feet lauding the guitar wizardry of Trucks.

The Derek Trucks Band won’t be breaking the Billboard charts any time soon, but they are a band definitely worth seeing at least once. The band demonstrated that they have a level of artistry that is high above the musical stratosphere. A modern guitar hero in his own right, Trucks’ guitar prowess echoes the legends of old and has given him a new sound that is both individual and inspirational – something no one should go without experiencing.

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