Track Listing

1. Soul Serenade/Rasta Man Chant
2. Bock To Bock
3. Drown In My Own Tears
4. Afro Blue
5. Elvin
6. Oriental Folk Song
7. Sierra Leone

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3051 in Music
• Released on: 2003-08-05
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Amazon.com
It would be wrong to pigeonhole Derek Trucks as a southern rocker despite his ongoing day gig as the Allman Brothers Band's second guitarist. On his fourth solo album (actually recorded before his third, 2002's Joyful Noise) the young slinger shows what he's made of, and it's not barbeque and bourbon. Instead Trucks caters more to the martini crowd, giving a sophisticated cast to his slide guitar, snaking it into elegant musical conversations with a rather frivolous flute, and some off time drumming that are reminiscent of the clean jazz fusion that Traffic used to conjure up. On the opening track, "Soul Serenade"/"Rasta Man Chant," Trucks inserts some of the languid licks and flirts with Miles Davis before devolving into Bob Marley. "Bock to Bock" is a more structured affair that recalls Henry Mancini. Gregg Allman sits in on "Drown in My Own Tears" and spits out the bitter words in his grizzled voice while Truck follows along in a perfect slow dance, punctuating each of the singer's phrases with his own mournful slide. Trucks ventures south of the border in "Afro Romp" and the band evokes the great jazz drummer Elvin Jones on "Elvin." --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews

koolest blues playing
Derek Trucks has proven that there is still room for improvement on the creative platform. He and is super talented band are the best I've heard in a long time. These boys use the full musical palette of colour...it aint just BLUE!!

Truckin'
Soul Serenade (Columbia) by the Derek Trucks Band is one of the best albums I have heard this year(2003). It won't matter how this album is classified, either, because it has it all. For those who liked Allman Brothers guitarist Trucks on his eponymous band's major-label debut, 2002's Joyful Noise, will find this CD to be even more impressive. Soul Serenade was actually recorded three years ago, before Joyful Noise, but is being released only now. It's been worth the wait because the Derek Trucks Band is hitting on all cylinders from start to finish.

The album begins with covers from two musical music legends-King Curtis and Bob Marley. Trucks uses "Soul Serenade" by Curtis and "Rasta Man Chant" by Marley to deliver one of the more exhilarating musical moments of the year. Trucks' guitar-sling and the fine work of his band show that the difference between the rock-steady beat of Jamaican reggae and Afro-American soul is so slight that it hardly matters. The next track, "Bock to Bock," is even better. Bassist Todd Smallie and drummer Yonrico Scott set the table for the band to deliver a powerful yet subtle swinging blues number. Trucks is on the case with his ax, and his band stays tight and focused at all times, letting the guitarist roam where he needs. The magic of this album doesn't end there although the first two songs will leave you awestruck.

The Derek Trucks Band then pumps the soul classic "Drown in My Own Tears," with Gregg Allman providing a heavy, blues-drenched vocal, which is followed by a tricky version of Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue." By this point you will have no doubt about the importance of Derek Trucks and his band. They defy category. They challenge those preconceived conclusions that often muzzle music, and they will leave you wondering why this album had been held up for so long.

-Brian Gilmore

Eclectic Synthesis?
I read most of the reviews and the words 'jam band' crop up way too often. And to try to pigeon hole this stuff as jazz/fusion/southern rock doesn't do it justice. "Derek should use his fingers to play". Believe me, he uses his fingers! He's obviously 'cut the umbilical' to Warren and the ABB. He stays with them because he loves it. I believe he can play/sit in with anybody. To say it's 'courageous' is not quite accurate either, since the ABB has fooled around with Soul Serenade quite a bit; not to mention some jazz licks, etc. Words that come to mind when I listen to this album: range, eclectic, inventive, stretching, synthesis, experimental. I listen to it and imagine this may be very similar to what Duane would have done. My only concern is that Derek throws in licks from Mountain Jam a little too often. The ensemble is tight and this CD has a laid back feel. A righteous effort. A definite 'buy' rating.