Down Don't Bother Me

Full day today from sunup to sunset.  Put in a long 10 hours looking at the screens and taking calls. I have a new site to train, this time in the warm South!  It's in Conyers, GA.  Just down the road.  Got the rental booked and the hotel.  Hope to have chance to catch up with some old friends like Ruth M. down in ATL while down there.  Tricia and I are going to her wedding (finally!) in July, should be fun.  Ruth and I went to Clemson together and survived :-)

Today, the Derek Trucks Band released their 6th studio album, Already Free.  If you know me, you know I like music.  If you know me, you know I really like the Derek Trucks Band.  I think I have seen them close to 50 times since 2001, including a show in Frankfurt, Germany in 2007. That doesn't count about 15 Allman Brothers Band shows with Derek on lead guitar; but, who's counting.  Anyway, I got an advance copy of this album from a to-remain-undisclosed source back in October.  It's a classic from start to finish, their best effort since Soul Serenade or the first CD.  It's really that good and Derek recorded and produced it in his own backyard down in Jacksonville, FLA.  I ordered 1 copy from the ABB merchandisers and then I found out that Best Buy had an exclusive deal for 9.99 and 3 extra studio tracks...well, you know me.  My pastor and good buddy (and Derek fan too I might add), Cliff, is getting my other copy but not the signed book.  Sorry Cliff.  The 3 extra tracks are good, one an swampy raga instrumental called "Swamp Raga" (how did you guess?).  "Sweet Inspiration" with Susan Tedeschi (Derek's wife and mother of his two kids) and Mike in full gospel effect really gives me the goose pimples every time I hear it.  This CD holds up to many repeat listenings.  The powerful opener, "Down In The Flood", a Bob Dylan tune, gets a mighty working and was the tune they played on Conan O'Brien show last week: watch here.  And the album just gets better from there and you go on a mighty ride all the way until the ghostly gospel of "Already Free" that features just Mike and Derek with some foot stomping percussion by Derek's brother Duane and Bobby Tis (his guitar tech).  Susan just about breaks your heart every time on "Back Where I Started" or maybe it's Derek playing the sarod. Kofi's brother, Oteil on bass (he is the ABB bassist and his band The Peacemakers (gospel funk and rock)) shows up too.  

Check out this video of the making of the album here.

Includes some cool shots of Derek at home with the family fishing and hanging out in his new studio.  

It's really that good (have I mentioned that it's a great CD?) and although we are only in the 2nd week of 2009, I can stand on my soapbox and shout to the world "this is the album of the year"!!!  Get it now and make your day and tomorrow brighter!  Geez, enough already (free)!!!

See ya!