Tedeschi Trucks Band Recruits Little Feat Members For Stellar Show-Closing Medley In Santa Barbara

Tedeschi Trucks Band continued a run of concerts in California with Little Feat on Wednesday night at the scenic Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara. The latest Deuces Wild Tour stop ended in collaborative fashion as the TTB once again called upon members of Little Feat to join for a rousing medley of Sleepy John Estes’ “Leaving Trunk” and Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s “Volunteered Slavery.”

While Little Feat bassist Kenny Gradney, keyboardist Bill Payne, drummer Tony Leone and guitarist Fred Tackett helped the Tedeschi Trucks Band close a two-night stand at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley this past Saturday night, it was Payne, Leone and guitarist Scott Sharrard that sat-in at the Santa Monica Bowl. Sharrard in particular made the most of the moment.

Tedeschi Trucks Band uncorked an extended 90-minute performance after Little Feat kicked off the action with an opening set in Santa Barbara. The powerhouse 12-piece ensemble showed off material from their 2022 album cycle I Am The Moon as they began by working through “Hear My Dear,” “Fall In” and the four-LP project’s title track. Blues standard “I Must Have Done Somebody Wrong” followed along with the hard-hitting “Signs, High Times” before vocalist Alecia Chakour fronted the group on Aretha Franklin’s “It Ain’t Fair.”

Guitarist and co-band leader Derek Trucks was showcased on the extended “Pasaquan” that came after fellow I Am The Moon cut “Circles ‘Round The Sun.” Derek’s wife and TTB co-band leader Susan Tedeschi then belted out “Just Won’t Burn,” the title track from her recently reissued 1998 solo album.

Tedeschi also shined on the ensuing medley of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” and the Grateful Dead classic “Sugaree.” It was then vocalist Mike Mattison who led the way on a recently debuted cover of “Monkey Man” by The Rolling Stones. The final portion of the main set was devoted to staples “Anyhow” and “I Want More,” with the latter giving way to a “Beck’s Bolero” crescendo.

The encore in Santa Barbara began with the Tedeschi Trucks Band serving up the jazz-tinged Billy Taylor-penned composition “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free.” Sharrard, Payne and Leone then emerged at Tedeschi’s behest for the “Leaving Trunk”/”Volunteered Slavery” medley. The finale featured a potent organ solo from Billy Payne, Scott Sharrard delivering fretboard fireworks galore and Tony Leone replacing TTB drummer Isaac Eady behind the kit next to Tyler “Falcon” Greenwell.

Watch fan-shot video of the show-closing medley from Wednesday night below:

Tedeschi Trucks Band and Little Feat pull into Southern California this weekend for shows in Los Angeles on Friday and Sunday as well as in San Diego on Saturday night.