Tedeschi Trucks Band at the Tilles Center - Bound for Glory - Images and Article by Bill Kelly

 Continuing their tour supporting the release of “Revelator”, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks showed it was possible for a married couple to hit the road together and make great music.  Supported by an 11 piece band including veteran Allman Bros. bassist Oteil Burbridge, the set included songs steeped in blues, soul, Southern rock and funk.   A horn section containing Kebbi William, Maurcie Brown and Saunders Sermons brought the sounds of Memphis and New Orleans to the mix. The rhythm section, with dual drummers J.J. Johnson and Tyler Greenwell, Truck’s band keyboardist Kofi Burbridge and a group of outstanding backup vocalists rounded out the band’s sound.  Everyone in the house expected transcendent slide guitar solos from Trucks, and he did not disappoint.  But along with her well known vocal powers, Tedeschi handled her guitar like and old blues hand, countering husband Trucks’ familiar Allman-esque licks with her own musical statements.  As in any good working relationship, the couple’s styles complimented and supported the others - sometimes pushing, sometimes walking dissonant paths, but always ending harmoniously.

Wilco with Nick Lowe at Rumsey Playfield - Central Park NY Article and Images by Bill Kelly

Wilco continued its current tour behind their new release “The Whole Love” with a two night set at Central Parks Rumsey Playfield.  Opener Nick Lowe, himself touring a new release, ”The Old Magic”, was still the “Jesus of Cool”.  Unlike many of his cohort, Lowe has clearly settled comfortably into his age.  Performing a solo acoustic set , Lowe’s voice hasn’t changed all that much from his Rockpile days.  As he sang all those years ago, “ and so it goes...”.

Wilco opened with “Art of Almost” from the new release.  An intricate layered song, starting with NelsCline’s pulsing guitar and layered synthesised sound,  the song built up to a frenetic crescendo.  A microcosm of the entire show, Wilco somehow managed to weave a sonic web around the crowd, encasing the open stadium in sound.  Next up was their 45 release from the new CD, “I Might”, a pop-like song featuring a drum beat reminiscent of Joplin’s “Move Over”.  Through the evening, Tweedy’s voice somehow floated above and through the bands intricate sound.  Clearly evolved from the alt-country band that spun out of Uncle Tupelo, Wilco delighted the sold out crowd, mastering blues, rock, psychedelic haze and pop.  Late in the set, playing “Impossible Germany” from their 2007 release “Sky Blue Sky” the band again managed to close in the Manhattan evening, creating an aural barrier between the venue and surrounding bustle.  The band, clearly emancipated from the restraints of their earlier releases, seemed to be discovering their music anew, spinning and weaving, soaring to the tops of the surrounding cityscape, lighting back in the soft meadows of the park. 

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Truth, Beauty and Rock & Roll - Rumsey Playfield, Central Park NY, 9/24/11 - Article and images by Bill Kelly

A week’s worth of stormy weather cleared out of New York just in time for the powerful force that is embodied in the person of Grace Potter.  An elegant Janice, with the Rock creds of Grace Slick and legs of Beyonce (both of whom were covered) performed a wild, foot stomping show in front of a happy, smitten audience.  Playing guitar like one of the boys (but hardly looking like one) Potter and her band hit the stage running and did not let up for the entire 20 plus song set.

Continuing a tour that included a two night run at the Ryman, GPN reminded the crowd that Rock & Roll is meant to be serious but fun, introspective and in your face.  Anchored by Matt Burr’s driving percussion and Cat Popper’s booming base, Potter ran between her V shaped Gibson and Hammond B-3, spinning like a dervish around the stage.  Guitarists Benny Yurco and Scott Tournet played lead and rhythm lines bolstering Potter’s strong voice.  Clearly a band that’s found it legs (literally and figuratively) Grace’s spirit and electric smile brought the audience into every song.  

A native of Vermont, where she’ll be performing at Sugarbush to benefit flood relief, Potter and her band somehow manages to evoke swampy rock, elegant dissonant jams and foot stomping good-time music, often in one song.  The audience was well entertained, any neophytes present completely converted.  And, everyone had fun, something every big city needs on a Saturday night.