By: David Schultz
Photos, as linked, via AllmanBrothersBand.com

For classic rock fans, The Allman Brothers Band's annual residency at New York City's Beacon Theater has replaced the ground hog's shadow as the true sign that spring is around the corner. With changing set lists, notable guest appearances and a returned focus on the blues-based rock and roll that sparked Duane and Gregg Allman's original passion for music, The Allman Brothers Band uses their considerable legacy as a springboard rather than a crutch, producing concerts that have routinely had fans scrambling for tickets for fear of missing something memorable. For the 2007 residency, it took the ABB a while to kick start their engines, but by the time they entered the final week of their 20 night, 15 show stay at The Beacon, the enduring generation-spanning collective finally hit their stride.

Enduring road warriors, The Allman Brothers Band has survived by remaining kinetic, bringing in younger musicians over the years to keep the band's sound and energy fresh, working the right balance of reverence for the past with eyes securely on the road lying ahead. Each capable of headlining the Beacon on their own, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes maintain their own identity while keeping alive the guitar work of their predecessors, Dickey Betts and Duane Allman. Without ever resorting to emulation, Haynes and Trucks comfortably play within the Allman Brothers' iconic guitar repertoire while making space for their extraordinary improvisational skills. Playing the fluent organ rolls immediately identifiable with The Allmans, Gregg Allman doesn't undertake the folly of engaging the younger axemen in any skills competition. Instead of matching blues riffs with his guitarists, he gives them voice with the smooth yet tortured sound that marks the Allmans' most potent material.

Like last year, the Allmans focused their shows on keeping the blues alive, incorporating many R&B numbers into the set lists and screening classic clips of old bluesmen and women from the Forties and Fifties between sets. At this year's March 27 show, the Allmans again dove deeply into the blues with both feet but in foregoing much of their back catalog became entrenched in a morass, missing the spark usually taken for granted during their Beacon runs. After toying with "Spoonful" through the majority of the first set, Col. Bruce Hampton arrived on stage for a full-blown rendition ending their hour long fascination with the otherwise sludgy riff, finally putting it out of its misery. The selections did provide a wonderful showcase for Trucks and Haynes, but even their continuously remarkable work couldn't enliven an otherwise moribund show. In contrast, nine days later, whatever catalyst was needed had found its mark, fomenting the right chemistry and placing the right stars into alignment.

The Allman's 2006 shows featured a recreation of Live At The Fillmore East and numerous guest appearances which have become a trademark of the Beacon residencies. Gracious and inviting hosts, the Allmans topped themselves each night with high-profile, talented guests that included blues legends Hubert Sumlin and John Hammond, classic rock veterans Peter Frampton and Gary Rossington and future legends Ben Harper and Robert Randolph. At the outset of this year's residency, it looked as if 2007 would be a friends and families affair with Susan Tedeschi (Derek Trucks' wife), Devon Allman (Gregg's son), Kofi Burbridge (Oteil's brother) and members of various ABB side projects comprising the more recognizable visitors.

This year's parade of guests kicked off with the return of Bernard Purdie and Jerry Jemmott for a Wednesday night run through Derek & The Dominos "Anyday." Last year's appearance of the King Curtis alumni provoked unrestrained glee from the band, especially bassist Oteill Burbridge, and their 2007 sit-in was just the first of many. Thursday's show featured a cavalcade of guest guitarists, including Vince Esquire, who more than held his own with Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks on "One Way Out" and "Statesboro Blues" and Luther Dickinson for "Done Somebody Wrong." Dave Mason, formerly of Traffic and presently looking a bit like Sergeant Slaughter, appeared during the first set for covers of "All Along The Watchtower" and "Feelin' Alright" with Leslie West joining in later to belt out "The Sky Is Crying" and "Crossroads" with a soulful bluesy howl. Over the weekend, the ABB's guests ran the gamut from old friends (Johnny Winter, Jimmy Vivino) to classic rock dinosaurs (Peter Frampton, Vanilla Fudge's Carmen Appice) to the sublime and bizarre (former New York Yankee outfielder Bernie Williams and American Idol champion Taylor Hicks).

The triple headed percussion of Butch Trucks and Marc Quinones and Jaimoe still packs a wallop but the burden isn't evenly carried. Even as his 60th birthday nears, Trucks thrives off of Quinones, playing with the same possessed spirit as the younger percussionist, with both covering for Jaimoe's predominantly lethargic drumming. While Jaimoe occasionally perked up, he played as if he's developing a technique comparable to rhythm guitar. The portion of the second set devoted to Oteil Burbridge and the percussion section unnecessarily dragged the show down, turning 5 minutes of worthy material into 20 minutes of wasted momentum. A fine sideman, Burbridge's scat sections simply didn't fit amidst the heavy blues and southern rock.

In 2006, The Allman Brothers Band had New York City abuzz with excitement over their renaissance at the Beacon Theater; a feat they were unable to repeat this year. As each residency had been building on the last, perhaps the resounding success of the 2006 shows resulted from a set of circumstances that may never be duplicated, making any expectations of a similar feat unfair and impossible to meet. However, measured on its own the 2007 residency produced a treasure trove of amazing music which will resonate in the Big Apple for many months to come. At least until The Allman Brothers Band comes back in 2008 and does it all again.

Labels: Allman Brothers Band, Derek Trucks, Live Reviews, Warren Haynes