Gregg Allman Live: Back To Macon, GA - Official Concert DVD | Southern Rock Music Collection | Perfect for Home Entertainment & Music Lovers

Gregg's solo work has always been cathartic for him. As the lead singer and face of one of the greatest guitar bands in rock history, he often wished he could indulge in the Southern Soul and R&B that wouldn't fit the Allmans' repertoire. He explored this as far back as 1973's "Laid javascript:void(0)Back", where he covered the Fontella Bass/Bobby McClure duet "Don't Mess Up A Good Thing". Since that time he has cut quite a few sides in the classic R&B vein, but '"Back To Macon" is his strongest to date.The Allman Brothers' history has been well chronicled over the years so when Gregg returned to the city with his own band in 2014 expectations were high, and those in attendance witnessed some musical magic. Gregg's current band includes guitarist Scott Sharrard, a fine band leader himself who shares musical director duties with saxophonist Jay Collins. The chemistry between these two make for a compelling and very different musical pairing. When the group kicks off with "Statesboro Blues", Sharrard's muscular slide makes one think of Allman Brothers, but Collins takes a blistering tenor solo while sax man Art Edmaiston and trumpeter Dennis Marion provide classic horn based R&B backing. Latin Percussionist Mark Quinones, a twenty three year veteran of the Allmans supports legendary drummer Steve Potts; they get to stretch out on "Hot 'Lanta" and "One Way Out".Every song on this set list is arranged very differently from the studio versions. I was pleasantly surprised at Sharrard's solo on "I'm No Angel". Gregg's guitarists have usually played Dan Toler's famous lead break note for note in concert, including Toler himself. This is fine, of course, but you have to admire the courage and improvisational skill to pull it off. "Queen Of Hearts" has always been a personal favorite of Gregg's, mainly because it is such a complex yet nimble jazz composition that impressed his musical brethren early in his career. On the original track from "Laid Back", David "Fathead" Newman of the Ray Charles band played an uptempo solo in an odd time signature. Collins does the song justice, as does bassist Ron Johnson and Ben Stivers on piano supplementing Gregg's B-3."I Found A Love" is famous for Wilson Pickett's rendition, but Gregg's band seems to follow rhe 1962 arrangement by the Falcons (Pickett was on lead at the time). Gregg gives one of his best vocal performances ever, Sharrard and Quinones share back-up vocals while the horns add that sweet R&B groove. This number is a definite highlight."Melissa" features Gregg's son Devon, guitarist for Honeytribe and key member of Royal Southern Brotherhood. Rather than employ the expected twin guitar leads, each player would take a solo while the other would offer soft rhythm support. Devon doesn't really emulate Uncle Duane or Dickie Betts. If any one player is his main muse, I would say Clapton but really, he has found his own voice. He picks out clean, tasteful two string leads to complement Sharrard's nod to Betts. Flute on "Melissa"? You bet, and it works. When the song concludes, Gregg points to Devon and says "My boy" with obvious pride.The arrangement for "Midnight Rider" is unlike anything Gregg has played before in ANY configuration. He has totally redone the intro from any recorded version, picking it out beautifully himself. The horns are again featured, along with some soft electric piano by Stivers. Marion's muted trumpet breathes new life into this old favorite. Suddenly, the mood changes with a crash when Sharrard kicks the band into his own "Love Like Kerosene". This is the rockingest song in the set, and Sharrard gets to play some kick-ass leads supported by Gregg's driving rhythm guitar. Devon returns for a spirited "One Way Out" while Sharrard slips on the slide. The drummers are in the spotlight for an extended jam that closes out the show.The DVD extras include two tracks not included on the CDs-"Stormy Monday" and "Floating Bridge". As much as I liked "Floating Bridge" from 2011's "Low Country Blues", I found this version to be a bit more spirited. The feature "The Gregg Allman Band At The H&H" shows the band in the famed Macon restaurant, swapping stories about life in Gregg's band while enjoying the fare from "Mama Louise"' Hudson's eatery ("Best greens ever" one band member enthuses).Gregg has proven that although the Allman Brothers may have stopped touring, he has no intention of slowing down. As he says at the show's conclusion, "Sure was fun. We'll have to do it again sometime". Don't wait too long, Gregg.