JazzFest: ‘Sensational’ was the word for guitarist Derek Trucks’s bluesy, laid-back show
Review by Mike Devlin, Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, June 24, 2007

Who: The Derek Trucks Band with the Robin Nolan Trio
Where: Royal Theatre
When: Last night at 8
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

It would be an oversight not to mention the array of talented musicians who shared the stage with Florida guitarist 
Derek Trucks last night.  But it would be an even greater misfortune not to spend the entirety of this review listing 
examples upon examples of the red-hot slide guitarist's otherworldly talent.

There were a good number of them during his band's 90-minute performance, which immediately jumped to the head of the 
class at this year's JazzFest International.  It wasn't good or even great; it was sensational.

Perhaps we're missing blues axe-slingers more than most these days.  There seems to be a distinct shortage of them at 
this point in history, which could effectively make Trucks the future of blues-rock.  The nephew of Butch Trucks from 
the Allman Brothers Band - whom Trucks joined when he was 20 - is barely 28, but for two decades he's been destroying 
guitars, figuratively, in quiet fashion.  His experience showed last night.

Some people are yes men; Trucks is a "no" man.  No guitar pick, no effects pedals, no fuss.  And though he doesn't 
sing - he barely addressed the audience during his local debut - you get the impression he's a heck of a nice guy.

He was in good company, above and beyond his talented bandmates.  Trucks' brother, 18-year-old Duane, manned a second 
drum kit for a few songs, and his dad sold T-shirts at the merchandise booth.  But the biggest surprise was the arrival
of his wife, scorching blues belter Susan Tedeschi, who appeared for a quartet of songs to close the night, the most 
smoking of which was a cover of Hercules by Aaron Neville.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Susan Tedeschi," Trucks said, in a rare public address.  "It's Susan Trucks now," she replied 
with a sly grin.

Tedeschi's casual surprise turn kind of made you feel sorry for soulful singer Mike Mattison, who brings his own unique 
soul to the project (to his credit, his performance on I'll Find My Way was a standout).  In a few short verses, 
Tedeschi commandeered the stage to the point of almost overshadowing her shy, soft-spoken husband.

Of course, she's enough of a pro to know that it's his name that is on the marquee, not hers.  He was tough act to 
beat, delivering bits of jazz, blues, worldbeat and reggae (with a Toots and the Maytals cover) with equal precision.

Trucks rocked an array of electric guitars and strapped on a National steel at one point, during a series of Howlin' 
Wolf tunes that peaked with a blazing version of Forty Four.  Result?  Same name, same game, and not a dang thing 
changed.  Trucks was mind-blowing throughout.

