THE JAM BAND CLIQUE

If anybody reading this takes the jam band community for granted in any way, spend a few minutes with Yonrico Scott sometime and I guarantee that you will be cured of that malady. When I talked with him at his rehearsal space in Atlanta, he was glowing with excitement about being involved in this thriving and creative scene.

At one point Yonrico is recollecting his immensely varied musical life, which includes everything from the aforementioned lounge gigs to playing in a Broadway production of The Wiz (he still wears the jacket) to backing jazz legends like Sonny Stitt and Freddie Hubbard. Suddenly, he brightens noticeably and his voice takes on an excited edge.

“And now I’m in a jam band, and I’m using it all!,” he exclaims. “That’s the beauty of it…we have the freedom to do whatever we want, like the bebop bands of the fifties.”

After briefly pondering what a jazz purist like Wynton Marsalis might make of such a comparison, I probed Yonrico further about this statement. We eventually agreed that there was one common link between the jazz giants of yesteryear, such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and the jam bands of today: Both rely on an open-minded audience in order to thrive.

Yonrico provides an example of the difference between the jam band world and other musicians. “We’ve been on tour with (hotshot guitarist) Eric Johnson, who is a great guy. But he only does two different sets, and we do what, 150,000?,” he asks, exaggerating slightly. “That’s the greatest thing about being in the jam band clique, people will let you do that. They WANT to hear something different every night. There’s no other clique in the world where you can do that.”

Because the audience is so receptive, Yonrico enjoys introducing the crowd to new and different kinds of music. “We’re bringing a lot of different stuff, stylistically, like a lot of Latin grooves,” he says, “and the audience is into it, which is great.”

NEW HORIZONS

However much respect and attention he may have earned as a drummer, Yonrico Scott simply isn’t the type to rest on his laurels. In fact, he has been diligently practicing three hours a day…on piano! So far his main outlet has been jamming with Atlanta favorite Baron Ruth and the Blues Barons, but among other things, he hopes his keyboard playing will enhance his writing skills.

And when you are writing for one of the hottest young talents in music, it’s good to give yourself every possible advantage. “When you write for Derek Trucks, you have to keep in mind what he listens to,” says Scott. While Trucks’ playing is heavily influenced by jazz masters like Coltrane, Indian music is another strong influence, as evidenced by the song “Deltaraga” on Out of the Madness.

“We have all been to Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s music school in San Rafael, and we are all into Indian music,” says Yonrico. He raves about Indian drum masters like Zakir Hussain and Alla Rakha, and has been studying the Indian tabla drums lately, although he humbly admits that he is still learning. Because they all have common musical interests, Yonrico says “Derek can communicate musically with everyone in the band.”

One new element in the mix is Latino singer Javier Colon, who just joined the band last year. A graduate of the Hartt School of Music, Colon has a silky, soulful voice and has been adding percussion to his list of talents. “Javier is red hot, he’s on fire, but he’s still very green,” says Yonrico with affection, “We need to Zambify him.” (Zambification-A process in which a musician unlearns all the musical “rules” and and enters a realm of pure self-expression. See Col. Bruce Hampton.)

As for the future of the Derek Trucks Band, Scott is upbeat. He maintains that their first CD was an homage to jazz styles, while their second album paid tribute to the blues. Expect a more distinctive offering when their new disc is finished. “We’re so strong, we have so many virtuosos in this band, we HAVE to do an original album,” he declares.

Okay, sounds good, but what will this new sound entail? “I don’t know exactly what it’s going to be yet, but it’s close,” he says confidently. “What we’re going for is a marriage of world music with funk, blues, r&b, Derek’s unique slide sound, and Javier’s beautiful voice.” Synthesizing such diverse influences might be intimidating to some bands, but not this one. “Our vocabulary includes everyone from Sun Ra to Son House,” Yonrico states proudly.

As I prepare to leave, Yonrico once again voices his enthusiasm for the jam band scene, and he seems to want to make sure that I convey his gratitude to all the fans that make the scene possible. He praises the level of musicians in the jam band world (Karl Denson is a favorite, as is drummer Russell Batiste of the funky Meters), but most of all, I think he is impressed by the kindness and generosity of those who have welcomed him into the community. He grows philosophical for a moment, and says by way of concluding our visit, “You know, I’m 45, I’ve got two degrees, but I’m more excited now than I’ve ever been.” And after all is said and done, isn’t that what it’s all about?

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