Guest Book

Luther Williams Field in Macon's Central City Park is a beautiful minor league ballpark and home of the Macon Braves. With the stage set up in the infield between the pitcher's mound and second base, there was plenty of room for folks to sit in the stands or stand on the manicured grass. It was also a great place to run into old friends and meet new ones, as I was happy to chat with GBers Goliath, CeeCee, and RedTailWolf. I was a little surprised that Macon did not support their MaconFest with a larger crowd, but I wasn't unhappy that it was so easy to get around. The music was wonderful. I got a late start out of Atlanta and walked in just as the Codetalkers were starting their set, and it was smokin'. I'm not exactly unbiased (having known Col. Bruce since he and I were both skinny kids), but I like the Colonel's latest band and I'm looking forward to their upcoming album due out October 22nd. Bruce's guitar playing has never been better and he meshes well with Bobby Lee - it's a pleasure to watch and listen to these two pros tear it up. The early evening was hot and muggy and both guitarists wore shorts to beat the heat. There was just enough breeze to blow in hordes of mosquitoes from the nearby river, but not enough to cool things off until the sun went down. I had a great time chatting with the Colonel after his set, and he once again mentioned that Jimmy Herring was expected to join him and Bobby tonight at Jake's. I sometimes take what he says with a grain of salt, and you never know what can happen in the meantime, but I do plan to be there tonight! While talking to Bruce I kept noticing more and more musicians arriving in the backstage area and I couldn't figure out where they were all planning on playing. But for the next act onstage, Rev. Mosier and Count M'Butu teamed up in a unique Hix Mix combo. The Rev.'s five piece bluegrass band with an upright bass alternated with the Count's ten piece salsa band with a Latin vocalist, Latin backup singers, and Latin percussionists, horns, and keyboard. After awhile they all mixed in together in a truly different bluegrass/salsa blend that confounded my expectations - I counted fifteen musicians all playing at the same time. It's always good to see the Count, and I had forgotten how much I miss Rev. Mosier's original bluegrass tunes. In short, I had a great time. The Rev. dedicated a tune to the Col. - Yonder's Wall - and I thought Bruce might take the stage, but he didn't show. I later learned that a massage therapist had brought her table backstage and Bruce was stretched out in blissful surrender right at that moment. The main act was about to follow, so I wandered backstage where I ran into Derek. He told me the Braves had won their game in San Francisco - the score had been tied when I had gotten to the festival and I hadn't heard the outcome. Derek is a huge Braves fan - I've heard a 1991 tape where he plays the tomahawk chop in the middle of Statesboro Blues - and he went to the Braves game in Atlanta with JNB and me the night before the recent Lakewood show. I noticed that Derek spent a lot of time with the Colonel before the dTb's set and I felt like I was watching mentor and student. Bruce told me that Derek calls him almost every day when they're on the road, and Derek stayed at Bruce's house when the ABB played in Pensacola recently. When I think back on how many incredible musicians Bruce has influenced - Derek, Oteil, Jimmy Herring, Widespread, Phish, and many others - I am reminded why he is considered a living legend. Then the dTb took the stage and killed that Macon crowd! Opening with Maki Madni, I could immediately see where their touring has allowed them to polish their songs. The live instrumental version is wonderful and has improved tremendously over the summer. Mike Mattison joined them for Gotta Move, and this catchy, upbeat tune got the crowd moving! Mike stayed onstage for the dTb standard Preacher Man, and Derek ripped another remarkable solo. Count M'Butu was with the band for their whole set - as he is for the entire recent album - and one of the Latin conga players joined them for the Cuban-influenced Pedro in D Minor. Then Mike returned for Home is the Heart, which he sings with a growl like Solomon Burke, and Like Anyone Else, which he sings in falsetto like Javier used to do. Yonrico then introduced the guys and mentioned how cool it was to be playing in a ballpark - he said their CD was for sale at third base! He then commented, "Forty-seven years ago tonight, my mother was in labor!" Happy birthday, Yonrico! Derek quickly broke into the haunting opening notes of Rastaman and we were treated to more of his mastery. Then Mike sang the beautiful Everything is Everything, after which Yonrico introduced his main man, Col. Bruce Hampton, who joined the band for a rousing version of Yield Not to Temptation, an upbeat Bobby Blue Bland tune I first heard many years ago when the ARU covered it. Called back for an encore, Derek once again began with his trademark soaring slide, and the band broke into Joyful Noise. What a fitting ending, as it was indeed a joyful night. But it wasn't over for me - I drove an hour and a half back to Atlanta to catch the third set of the Donna Hopkins Band and had even more joy. I'd caught all three sets on Friday and had so much fun I even considered staying in Atlanta instead of going to Macon on Saturday, but Donna asked me to deliver a CD to Yonrico when I saw him. He was really grateful for it - it had most of Donna's originals for him to learn, as he's going into the studio with her next month to record her first album. When he thanked me for bringing it to him, I told him, Thank YOU! Derek Trucks Band MaconFest Luther Williams Field Maki Madni Gotta Move Preacher Man Pedro in D Minor Home Is the Heart Like Anyone Else Rastaman Everything Is Everything Yield Not to Temptation (with Col. Bruce Hampton) encore Joyful Noise