For New Year's eve, a friend and I went to see The Word at Terminal 5 in NYC. The Word consists of Robert Randolph, John Medeski of Medeski, Martin, and Woods, and the North Mississippi Allstars.

They've all been playing together for 10 years, and for 3 1/2 hours, they put on an amazing and potent show of musical virtuosity. I've never seen Medeski before, but will definitely go again...a wonderful, strong keyboard player...jazz, blues, rock, everything that came from those hands was wonderful.

What can I say about Robert Randolph but WOW!. I had only seen him on the Crossroads DVD, but I was floored; it's like he was melded to his pedal steel.

And finally, one of my favorite all time bands, North Mississippi Allstar; in their own right, delta blues and rock as it was meant to be played. Luther Dickinson, always a great guitarist, keeping up with Randolph; no wonder he was asked to play with the Black Crowes also. Brother Cody, kept that beat going strong the whole time, while doing the drum solos every now and then that kept people dancing. An the big guy, Chris Chew, who makes a bass look like a Mattel toy...also keeping those bass lines going, and sang too, doing a rendition and "when the Saints go Marching In" towards the end that had people clapping, cheering, and just having a great time. Their dad, Jim Dickinson, an incredible record producer who passed away last year, would have been proud of his boys, and the whole band.

If you are in South Florida, The Word is playing TONIGHT in Ft. Lauderdale, either the Culture club or Revolution, and they are doing a jam cruise either tomorrow or the 3rd...take some of that holiday money and get tickets...you wont be sorry. As for the rest of the gang here, don't miss them when they come around.

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Current Gear: Ron Kirn Barnbuster Tele,
Marshall: 1971 SuperLead 100>1997 1960-TV, bunch of pedals
and a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera coupe named Veronica

Robert Randolph is incredible live. I've seen him open twice for Eric Clapton (2004 & 2008) and both times he was such a joy to watch. I had no idea you get those kinds of sounds out of a pedal steel guitar but he knows how to play it like no other. His version of Voodoo Child is awesome.

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http://www.youtube.com/guitarmike26

Free & Easy Down the Road I Go

You are so lucky. Robert Randolph is a great musician.
he was born with a gift.

Saw Randolf open for Clap. He completely blew me away.

CC

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Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

The guy is a beast on a pedal steel. The only thing is you wish he could run around with it.lol It is amazing that no one ever thought of playing one with distortion before, and if they did I never heard of them.

At one point, he started playing this really cool red sparkle tele...also great playing on that, though you could see he was more comfortable on the pedal steel.

_________________
Current Gear: Ron Kirn Barnbuster Tele,
Marshall: 1971 SuperLead 100>1997 1960-TV, bunch of pedals
and a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera coupe named Veronica