FANTASY RECORDS September 12th 2025
There’s a few Tedeschi Trucks Band live albums around but one more is very welcome. This is live from the Lockn Festival in 2015 and sees the band cover the live act of someone else. They are totally in tune with the material because quite a few of the songs are also part of the TTB repertoire and because Derek and Susan love the rich tradition of Seventies classic rock and soul. It means they were teamed with the Leon Russell band but that just enhanced the already large touring band to even more generous size, with sometimes twenty people on stage, adding to the warmth. The key things to draw anyone in are Susan Tedeschi’s fantastic soulful blues voice, her biting guitar and her husband Derek Trucks’ amazing flying and technical guitar. There is also the warm feel of the band with backing chorus and infallible moving keys. When Mrs T and Mr T set to guitar duelling, Southern Rock style, the feeling is amazing as this isn’t penatonic twiddling, it’s expressing the tune and voice in wider ways.
The whole is halfway between blues, soul and a gospel-religious experience. Hearing them in person is a feet-moving, grin-inducing experience and the live recordings aren’t far off. I leave each set uplifted, soothed and happy. Dip into ‘Darling Be Home Soon’ from this set and see what I mean. There’s lots of guests and Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes shakes the old rock and roll rave-up, Sticks And Stones. Dylan’s ‘Girl From The North Country’ gets a thoughtful performance with solo piano. The Beatles’ ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’ becomes a mash-up of soul warmth and blues virtuosity as Warren Haynes’ vocals add feeling and depth. Rita Coolidge (a part of the original tour) sings on ‘Bird On The Wire’ and The Band’s ‘The Weight’. Elsewhere Dave Mason from Traffic adds his parts.
The last Tedeschi Trucks Band live album was a cover of Clapton’s ‘Layla’ set, showing the Tedeschi Trucks Band are not averse to a little musical cosplay. Never slavish covers, these are the right songs but played as only the TTB can. And cover versions can be a joy. The 1970 ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ tour was packed with covers and is famed for it’s raucous fun and soul, resulting in a live album. Sheffield’s Joe Cocker’s biggest hit was The Beatle’s ‘A Little Help From My Friends’ (featured here) and Leon Russell was the vibe-bringer, assembling and leading the band in relaxed but tight ensemble playing, lifting Cocker’s performance high. These are songs from that tour and that live record, played in the inimitably huge style of Derek, Susan and the ensemble. The result is massively joyful, a celebration of being together making music and an addition to the classic material.
Ross McGibbon
We’re fond of the Tedeschi Trucks band here, so here’s some other reviews:
https://www.vanguard-online.co.uk/tedeschi-trucks-band-live-from-the-fox-oakland/