The Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in Fredericton announced this morning that Festival favourites and winners of this year’s Grammy for Blues Album, Tedeschi Trucks Band will return to the Festival, along with Allman Brothers drummer Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, and New Brunswick’s own international blues export, Matt Andersen.
These three acts come as the final release before the official launch of the full 2012 schedule on Tuesday, April 24th at 11am at the Garrison District Alehouse.
The newly-formed and greatly impactful Tedeschi Trucks Band are at the top of their game, having recently won the Grammy for Best Blues Album for their debut Revelator – which Rolling Stone called “a masterpiece” and named as one of the best albums – in any genre – of the year. This came only weeks on the heels of a new poll that saw Derek ranked by Rolling Stone as the 16th Greatest Guitarist of all time.
Two years ago at Harvest, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi debuted an early incarnation of their new band that was just taking form and mostly played a combination of songs from their solo catalogues. For Harvest 2012, they return with a massive musical hurricane of energy and sound. The Tedeschi Trucks Band is an 11-member all-star ensemble that features Derek on slide guitar, Susan on vocals and guitar, the Allman Brothers’ Oteil Burbridge on bass, the Derek Trucks Band’s Kofi Burbridge on keys and Mike Mattison providing soulful backing vocals, two drummers, three horns players and another backing vocalist!
The new band’s sound sets a modern standard even as it draws its inspiration from the past. It combines hard Southern Stax-styled Memphis soul, delta blues, 70’s funk and rock and delivers it with grit, groove, raw, spiritual emotion, and expert-level musical truth.
“No husband-wife duo has had a bigger impact on the music industry – and Harvest – in the past decade than Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi,” says Brent Staeben, Harvest’s Music Director. “They’ve each been here solo and together, but the new Tedeschi Trucks Band takes the already incredible group to a whole new level of impact. They’re sure to put on yet another unforgettable show on the Harvest stage.”
For more than four decades, countless millions have been wowed by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson’s drumming expertise with the mighty Allman Brothers Band, of which he’s a founding member and is credited as the backbone of their distinctive sound. Today Jaimoe is exploring new dimensions of his supersized talent for the first time with the fancifully named Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band.
The all-star septet is Jaimoe’s way of presenting what he calls “American music” with talented singer and guitarist Junior Mack, the extraordinary keyboardist Bruce Katz, skilled bassist in Dave Stoltz, and a cool, full horn section. Their repertoire ranges from new interpretations of classics – including some Allmans tunes – as well as original songs that are classics in the making, exploring the boundaries of blues, soul, and rock music, every performance driven by Jaimoe’s imaginative percussion.
They recently released their first studio album Renaissance Man, which covers the gamut of classic soul and blues to southern rock to yes, even a hint of jazz (or, is that jasssz?). Critics have praised the album for its “casual excellence and instrumental virtuosity”, but it’s in live on stage that this group of merry pranksters can really let the jam loose and put on a performance nothing short of thrilling.
“Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band puts on a show that’s every bit as incredible as you’d expect from a founding member of the Allman Brothers – especially with the all-star line up he’s assembled,” says Staeben. “And with so many members of the Allman Brothers circle coming to Harvest in the fall, there are sure to be some impromptu collaborations you can only see on the Harvest stage.”
As New Brunswick’s top musical export, Matt Andersen has been making a splash on the international stage since winning the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, becoming the first Canadian to ever hold the title.
He followed that up with an impressive showing at the 2012 Maple Blues Awards, winning all three awards he was nominated for – Acoustic Acts, Male Vocalist and the coveted Entertainer of the Year – the second year in a row he was given that honour. He also is at the top of the ECMA pack with an impressive five nominations this year, of which he won two.
His imposing voice and slashing slide guitar has been earning him a fervent and steadfast audience across the map, including in the UK, where The Times declared him “Canada’s greatest guitarist.” Matt’s newest album, Coal Mining Blues, was produced by Canadian roots icon Colin Linden and recorded at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York. Featuring The Band keyboardist Garth Hudson and Levon’s daughter Amy on backing vocals, it’s a rich vein of new songs, many addressing the trying lives of working people.
“There is no question that Matt Andersen is the real deal when it comes to the blues – a fact that has been recognized all over the world,” says Staeben. “No matter Matt’s success, he is not one to forget his roots, so of course he’ll return to play to the home crowd. Harvest wouldn’t feel like Harvest without a sold out Matt Andersen show.”
The 2012 Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival takes place September 11th to 16th. The launch of the full Festival line up will take place on Tuesday, April 24th at 11am at the Garrison District Alehouse. Tickets and passes go on sale through Ticketpro online and by phone on Saturday, May 26th at 9am. There will also be a limited number of passes sold at Harvest Central on May 26th on a first come, first serve basis.
