Music

Five thoughts: Tedeschi Trucks Band (May 31, Brooklyn Bowl)

Image
Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna

1. After a sick, hour-long instrumental wander by opener Soulive, Susan Tedeschi’s voice is like a slow knife: “You can’t blame me Lord for trying/To hide behind the fool that I am/You know I’ve never been afraid of flying/Just never knew how to land.” She and husband Derek Trucks co-wrote this beauty, and their guitars are singing it to each other.

2. Stoic and still, Trucks lays down solos on his slide guitar that have grown men in the audience shrieking and hugging each other.

3. From the frayed edges of Mike Mattison’s falsetto to the sweet-molasses tones of Kebbi Williams’ sax, the band pulls your eyes everywhere. Just when you think Kofi Burbridge is the best damn keyboard player on Earth, he busts out a flute.

4. Tedeschi is self-deprecating about her skills on guitar, but she attacks it every song, including a meaty blues number that has Trucks nodding and stepping back as his wife gets down to the bottom of it. There’s more man-shrieking and a, “Holy sh******t!”

5. The encore is a cover: a Sly and the Family Stone two-fer of “Sing a Simple Song” and “I Want to Take You Higher.” It’s big and electric and triumphant. And the crowd is taken higher, no question.

Share
Top of Story