Hey there. So I had to deal with a little prick this past week.
That is to say, I got a shot of the Covid vaccine. But since I need 2, I’m only half-way there. Still, things are definitely looking up.
It took me 90 minutes door-to-door. And I did it all in my car. (We Angelenos do everything in our cars.)
I didn’t get a lollypop, but I did get a reservation for prick number 2 (which is almost as sweet). I think when I get that 2nd dose, I’ll give the nurse a lollypop.
Hold on folks. We finally have a tunnel with a light at the end of it!
This week: The Spotlight’s shining on a band that’s working hard to expand the Blues landscape.
And then in Short Licks there’s a deep dive into a classic Blues tune, the list of the new BMA nominees, and a true (Blue) ladies’ night
Spotlight – The Tedeschi Trucks Band
A Word From Our Sponsor – The Blues
Traditional Blues is easy-peasy to define. But Contemporary Blues is a moving target. If you want proof, look no further than the Grammy Awards.
In 1988 the Grammys created the Contemporary Blues Album category, right along side the existing Traditional Blues Album category.
Then in 2012, they decided to combine them. Five years later, in 2017, they waived the white flag and split them out again into separate categories.
I guess that just proves that music is more experience than science.
So if it’s the experience that defines the music, I’m confident in saying that when you combine one of the most soulful singers of our time (Susan Tedeschi) with one of the premier slide guitarists on the planet (Derek Trucks), you definitely end up with some significant Contemporary Blues.
Inside Baseball
Susan’s been in bands since she was a young teenager. And she’s a graduate of the Berklee College of Music. (Not bad credentials.)
Derek’s a guitar prodigy who jammed a lot as a kid with his Uncle’s band – you may have heard of them. (The Allman Brothers Band.)
They met in 1999.
Derek had just joined the Allman Brothers as a full-time member and Susan’s band was their opening act.
They’ve been keeping company (musically and otherwise) ever since.
Working Stiffs
They spent a good 10 years touring in separate bands and also working on combined projects. And when I say “combined projects,” I mean more than just the musical kind. Because during that time they also got married and had 2 kids.
And that 10 year period saw them build up some serious Blues bone fides too.
Susan garnered 5 Grammy nominations, while Derek won a Grammy in 2010 for the album “Already Free.” And if you guessed the category he won it in was Best Contemporary Blues Album, give yourself some bonus points.
Side Note: Derek beat out Susan’s album “Back to the River” for the Grammy that year. Hmmm, maybe that had something to do with their decision to combine their talents full-time.
Combining Assets
In any event, 2010 was the year The Tedeschi Trucks Band was born.
They formed it by molding together their individual bands. When they were done, they had almost a dozen monster musicians combined.
That turned out to be a pretty good idea.
Because their first album, “Revelator” won the 2012 Grammy for Best Blues Album. (That was the year The Recording Academy decided to combine the Traditional and Contemporary categories.)
And after that, they collected 4 Blues Music Awards and another Grammy nomination.
But more importantly, their music matured and elevated to a new level.
They started to weave elements of Jazz, R&B, Gospel, and some Funk into their work. Really stretching the genre. But all the while, keeping true to their Blues foundations.
The Outro
This is a no-nonsense band.
Their goal is to be a living, breathing band and not just a group of musicians on stage. They want to take their audiences on a journey – every album and every performance. And each member takes pride in pushing and inspiring the others creatively to do just that.
The result has been some deeply evocative music. All painted against a Blues and Southern Rock canvas. All worthy of a serious listen.
Now, there are lots of Tedeschi Trucks videos you can explore in the YouTube-verse, but here’s one of my favorites below (Tiny Desk Concert.)
I love how the whole band is squeezed into one teenie-weenie space (especially the 2 drummers). Imagine what they’re like on a big stage.
I’ve included a discography too if you want to explore.
Tedeschi Trucks Band: Tiny Desk Concert
Tedeschi Trucks Band: Discography
Short Licks
Photo by Arjun Kapoor on Unsplash
Gold Standard
What makes a tune a Blues classic? Well, it helps if it’s old. (Hey, that means I could be a … uh never mind.) It also helps if it’s fun to play and to jam on. And it never hurts if it’s been covered by musicians 100’s of times. (Clapton’s probably covered this one at least 10 times all by himself.) Here’s a little insight into a tune every Blues fan knows.
“Key to the Highway”: Unlocking Bill Broonzy’s Classic Blues Song
Passion and Pipes
February 12th is the drop date for Joyann Parker’s new album, “Carry On.” If it’s anything like her last album (“Hard To Love”) it will be another vocal tour de force. She has one of those voices that can literally sing anything. It’s a good deal for us that she digs the Blues. Here’s a taste of what’s to come. (Serious musical wow going on here.)
Joyann Parker – “Carry On” Video
It’s BMA Time
It’s February and the Blues Music Award Nominees have been announced. The event’s scheduled to be virtual in June but who knows? Maybe we’ll be Covid-lucky by then and see a live audience. Fingers crossed. Anyway, there’s a lot of music in this list. You might need the next 4 months just to work your way through it. (But you’ll be Blues-lovin’ every minute of it.)
2021 Blues Music Awards Nominees
Just Following Orders
“A new study out of Germany indicates that we may not have to wait that long, because the risk of spreading COVID-19 at an indoor music venue is low — provided, of course, that the venue has a good ventilation system and all attendees are wearing masks.” (Am I wrong in thinking that only the Germans could pull this off?)
Study: There Actually Is a Way for Music Venues to Be Relatively Safe
A Seat At The Table
Hosted by Kat Riggings, the National Women in Blues (WiB) is putting on the 1st ever Women in Blues Showcase. Of course it’s virtual. And it will probably be a teensie bit shaky since it’s the first time. But it will also give some much needed exposure for a whole lot of artists, some of which are gonna turn out to be stars. (“National Women in Blues, where women are more than a side note.”)
National Women in Blues 1st Virtual WiB Showcase
I’ll Leave You With…
“Hold On I’m Coming” by Eric Clapton and B.B. King
(From their 2000 “Riding With The King” ever-so-great album)
Thanks for reading,
Jon
Jon Beres
I’m one part Blues Fan and one part Digital Native (with a dash of Curmudgeon.) I’m also the publisher of AlltheWayBlue.com. If you love the Blues, I have a feeling we’ll get along just fine - cheers!
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