North Mississippi Allstars: Five Essential Tedeschi Trucks Band Songs
North Mississippi Allstars' Cody and Luther Dickinson (photo courtesy of 7S Management)
On their eighth studio album, Prayer for Peace, brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars bring their brand of slithery, funked-up boogie to classic tracks by Mississippi Fred McDowell and R.L. Burnside. But like their fellow blues compadres Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, the Dickinsons don't simply pay homage to the legacy of classic blues rock, but expand its perimeters as well. The group visited Studio A back in 2013 for a spirited FUV Live session around the time of the release of their album, World Boogie is Coming.
So it makes perfect sense that the North Mississippi Allstars joined the Tedeschi Trucks Band for that band's 2017 autumnal residency at the Beacon Theatre, celebrating Tedeschi and Trucks' 25th show at the venue on October 11. FUV asked guitarist Luther Dickinson if he might come up with a selection of his "Five Essential Tedeschi Trucks Band Songs" and he did, with some special love for tracks found on their first, Grammy-winning album, 2011's Revelator.
North Mississippi Allstars' Luther Dickinson: Five Essential Tedeschi Trucks Band Songs:
"These Walls," Revelator (2011)
A beautiful ballad, anthem for our beloved women, that transcends genre. Derek is getting his George Harrison on, bridging rock and roll and classical Indian music casually and masterfully.
"Bound For Glory," Revelator (2011)
It's a gospel revival that shows the promise of the future while paying homage to the past.
"Midnight in Harlem," Revelator (2011)
This is a beautiful song with a time and place that carries us away every time Tedeschi Trucks Band plays it.
"Don't Know What It Means," Live From The Fox Oakland (2017)
New live album. It's hard to perform under the pressure of cameras and lights. It's great when a group seizes the moment and plays one of their best shows ever. It's an instant classic.
"Let Me Get By," Let Me Get By (2016)
Last studio album. Susan's vocals showed more dynamic range and emotional subtleties. Derek really pushed her as a producer and it paid off. She now sings with that range every night. She upped her game that was already top notch.
- Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars
October 2017
North Mississippi Allstars play New York's The Cutting Room on December 2, at a Benefit Concert for CUCS, and at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall on February 3, 2018.
