Todd Smallie of Derek Trucks Band

You won't regret buying the Derek Trucks stuff. The first self-titled cd is the best, IMO. A little more jazzy than the second (Out Of The Madness), which is bluesier. Yonrico Scott, the drummer, is a killer too.

 

I saw them on Mountain Stage, a public access show. He is an amazing player, his solo grooved like no other. Really fluid player. I might have to pick up some of their cd's this week.

 

I haven't seen this band, but have heard nothing but great reviews from about 100% of the folks who have. Didn't Todd used to play with Eric Johnson??

 

Todd never played with Eric Johnson. You're thinking of Roscoe Beck.

Todd's a great guy. I went to high school in the same area with him, and played a lot of the same battle of the bands.

 

OK, who played with Johnson in The Electromagnets? Was that Beck or Brock? Why do I always get those two guys confoozed?


Anyway, the 1st two Trucks Band are nice; it blew me away when I heard they were covering Sun Ra & Coltrane. Smallie sounds a little like Oteil...could it be the Modulus bass?

 

The guy that played with Eric Johnson in the Electromagnets is Kyle Brock. Roscoe Beck and Kyle Brock both played on Eric's solo stuff.

 

Man,

It's got to have been a couple years since Todd has been gigging with the Mod 6, he has that Curbow Petit 6.

I saw him a couple weeks ago at Cafe 290 with the other group (Yonrico Scott band), it is actually Derek Trucks group, Without Derek. Just Yonrico (dr.), Kofi Burbridge (Flute, organ) and Todd... It's funky! He brought that ol'skool Fender Jazz to Cafe 290 as well.. didn't play it much.

Todd is one of the nicest people (next to Nitti) in the ATL, as far as players are concerned... he was the first person to turn me on to Matt Garrison's Solo CD. He played it for me in his car outside of Charlie Wooton's Northside Tavern gig a while back.



Oh, BTW I think that Oteil has hung up the Mod too: www.fodera.com/artists/oteil/oteil.htm

Just a guess

 

I saw Todd with Derek Trucks when they opened for Eric Johnson at Irving Plaza in NYC back in 2001. Even though I'm a huge Eric Johnson fan, I have to say that the Derek Trucks band blew his band away that night. The arrangements were great and the band was really tight - they really grooved. I just had a much better time listening to them.

Derek's jazz slide guitar style was great to watch and even better to listen to. Amazing that he hardly used any effects at all.

Todd had solid time, great note choices, and nice tone. He was using a Curbow 6 that sounded wonderful. Great player.

 

What did you guys think of Oteil's Brother (Kofi)? Pretty BAD A$$, right?

 

I saw the Derek Trucks band a couple months back, I kept forgetting to post about it.........simply awesome!.......the whole band!!!!!! They came to play! Derek's wife Susan Tedeschi came out and did a few songs too. Todd was smiling the whole time.......and I would too if I played that great in such a great band. Those guys where on the same page.....going from Coltrane to Miles to blues seamlessly

 

Yeah, you're right.
What can I say? I don't get out much & am merely judging by what I hear on the cds.


Kofi is a monster musician.
I still have a demo with me, Billy Drummond, & Kofi on synth + some guitarist...I keep that in a somewhat safe place.

 

Keep that in a safe place!

Kofi is unreal... I mean, when you hear his solos, his phrasing, tasteful choices in notes and just his overall feel is too hip... Him with Yonrico Scott (Drummer for Derek) & Todd as a trio, really lets all three to S T R E T C H out A LOT!


...Another cat to checkout that plays keys and flute too is Jason Crosby (find him, look him up, down load... what ever!)... Jason has gigged with Oteil and Peacemakers and just put a solo CD with tons of big-time folks on it.

 

Very happy to have recently found some of his performances. Extremely ambitious selection of material, including arrangements of Coltrane, Wayne Shorter and Miles Davis, played on a slide gee-tar that sounds like he is channeling Duane Allman.

Bass player, Todd Smallie, plays both powerfully and understated, and Kofi Burbridge (Oteil's brother)adds a lot on Keys and flute.

Sounds like what the original Allman Bros. would have sounded like with out Dicky Betts' southern / country influence. I have read that Duane was a big fan of jazz and enjoyed incorporating it into his work.

I have also enjoyed Susan Tedeschi's work...

 

Not sure if anyone is paying attention to this thread anymore but I happened to catch Derek Trucks playing with the Allmans over the 4th. I thought he was incredible. Derek Trucks can add a lot to any band, then throw him in with the Allmans and wow! I was very impressed with Oteil Burbridge as well...Great bassist.

 

See there is a bunch of stuff happen'n with us southern folks... Now I have to convince all y'all to come down here in visit!

bring yer axes tho...

 

This tuesday 8/5, the Derek Trucks band is releasing Soul Serenade, a album they recorded three years ago but was never released. I've heard good things about this album, and that it's more in the jazz vain with songs like Afro Blue.
Just a little heads up for Todd Smallie fans

 

I recently got into DErek TRucks BAnd and I am so impressed by Todd Smallie's playing ability. HE has such a great groove and can add everythign to a song. HE is definetly influenceing my playing and I think I might even get a White JAzz bass now because of him.