The Jerry Douglas Band brought their innovative new music to the prestigious Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles on November 13. The band is on a national tour promoting their new album, “What If.” The band was led by one of the most well-known veteran resonator and lap steel slide guitar players in American music. The singer-songwriter and master guitarist has recorded 14 albums and won 14 Grammys. But his work has appeared on more than 1,600 albums by many of pop music’s' biggest stars. Although Douglas is well known for his country and bluegrass Americana musical roots, he has led his latest band of masterful musicians into the realm of jazz, rock, and blues.
The show at the Troubadour showcased much of the band's new album. The band launched into jazz drenched jams that were more akin to the music of the Mahavishnu Orchestra than to that of their Nashville roots. Douglas told compelling anecdotes between songs about his illustrious career on the road. The band would then launch into songs off the new album like a cover of the Billy Roberts song Hey Joe, which was made famous in the rock world by Jimi Hendrix. In addition to the lead vocals and searing guitar skills on display by Douglas, the backing band offered up exquisite jams and solos of their own. The impressive group included Doug Belote on drums, Daniel Kimbro on electric and upright bass, Mike Seal on explosive guitar, Christian Sedelmyer on violin, Vance Thomspon on trumpet and Jamel Mitchell on saxophone. The band tore through 14 jam laden tunes in a performance that would impress most any jazz, blues rock or bluegrass fan.
