Warren is a busy man, he fronts his old band Gov’t Mule. He plays Dickey Betts’ role with the Allman Brothers. Subs with the New Dead. He sides everywhere and plays live with many diverse groups where ever… He coordinates the Mountain Jam Festival at Bear Mountain every year…. New Years Eve Concerts at the Beacon again every year. And NOW he has new group called the Warren Haynes Band! He works almost as hard as Iman.
WH can play many styles and genres of music brilliantly. He is technically precise and he transports the emotional part of the music that connects with the audience. He is about the feeling of the music and getting you to feel it too. He writes about social injustice. His voice is soulful, strong and tender, he plays guitar like a God but never over the top or bloated. Its tasteful and just right, no ego here. He plays old tunes with respect but he draws more from the original. In his hands the old becomes new again. Suddenly a song you heard a few times and have forgotten comes back to you as new and more amazing than the last time you heard. He does that with “Pretzel Logic” from Steely Dan(the drum solo in the middle blows though) or Sam Cooke’s gem ”A Change is Gonna Come”. Then he mashes up Jimi Hendrix ‘s“ Spanish Castles” in the very next breath.
Warren is a man out of time. If he played in the late 60’s or the 70’s he would be mention in the same breath as Eric, Jimmy, Jeff, Jimi, Jeff and Duane. He is humble and really nothing to look at. In fact he looks like a guitar techie Roadie he has on staff. So much so the roadies has a t-shirt that says, “I ain’t him”.
But when he starts playing he transports you. With his new band and this new context its all about the music and how you relate to it. In the end you will remember why you love music. Its not the stage, its not the light show, the outfits or the attitude, its cool with your crew, trendy, hip or current.
Its about the music.