Last night, a slew of wide-eyed faces crowded around central park’s Summerstage in celebration of the first of its free, seasonal evening concerts. Waves of safari-vest wearing photographers marched, elbows-up, stumbling over every helpless tapestry snoozer, slithering, quite unapologetically, towards the photo pit. Their reason for doing so, a band that’s deservedly developed an immense following around their live performances, in many ways, a super-group, a hybrid called: Tedeschi Trucks Band.

The band, comprised of husband and wife, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, along with a plethora of multi-talented musicians, smiled from ear to ear and waved to the crowd as they stormed the stage with a readiness only amassed through playing shows of equal magnitude. And as cameras clicked and beeped at every slight movement the band made, the crowd gawked and danced to the sultry sounds of slide guitar and Susan’s lush, country-blues vocal tonality. Though, I’d like to add, that watching the audience sway and bob their heads to the music reminded me less of dancing and more of a gaggle of New York City pigeons oscillating their heads at every subtle movement.

Then, after playing what became one of the most notable points of the show, a soulful rendition of The Beatles classic, “I’ve Got A Feeling”, surprise guest-vocalist Sharon Jones was called up to do a few tunes celebrating the two bands starting a lengthy tour together. Her vocal ability is as large in size and range as her personality. Of disposition, bearing the quality that allows a musician to bring music to life, Sharon Jones compliments Susan Tedeschi’s voice with perfectly poised charm and allurement without ever intruding on Tedeschi’s own rustic style. In fact, I suspect, nay, I am certain, that Tedeschi Trucks Band will be spoken about on some level of grandeur for quite some time.

//Photos and write-up by Jason Wien

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