The second act was hometown favorites Los Lobos, who have a long-standing friendship with TTB, and have played with them in various forms over the years. Accompanied by a subset of the larger band, he played a subtle but strong, 30-minute preview of what was to come, showcasing original songs as well as a lovely cover of Tom Petty's 'Wildflowers'. The opener was TTB's own Gabe Dixon, who was making excellent original music under his own name, with some following, well before he stepped into TTB, to fill the enormous hole left by the tragic early death of keyboardist/flautist Kofi Burbridge.

This is evident even in the sequence of performances in last night's show. After all, as a practical matter, a successful and sustainable 12-piece band is no small feat.Ī TTB show is not so much a band playing hits to please a crowd, as a collective of like-minded artists, shelving their egos and elevating each other, to create something of great beauty, that can't be made without all of them there. And clearly, they know this themselves, and strive against odds to make it work, night after night, year after year.

But taken as a whole, the Tedeschi Trucks Band and what they signify, is much greater.

They are accomplished, but more importantly, they are unique, and born to be so.Īrithmetically speaking, the sum of the parts of TTB is a very large number. Some, most obviously Derek Trucks himself, ascend to a level of artistry that transcends mere training and practice. In terms of pure musicianship - the ability to play or sing well, both technically and expressively - the individual members of the Tedeschi Trucks Band are each gifted, seasoned and professional.

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