Derek Truck's musical career began at the age of nine, when he picked up a five dollar acoustic guitar at a yard sale. "It was nothing special," he claims, “It was just the only thing that looked interesting." But that seemingly inconsequential purchase changed his life. After learning what he could from his father and a family friend, Derek began playing with other musicians around town. "It happened pretty quick," Derek remembers. Within the span of a single year, he had purchased an instrument, learned how to play, and began touring - with his father acting as road manager/chaperone. What had begun as a weekend activity quickly became a life’s pursuit, and would eventually result in Derek being the youngest player to make Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" list.
Derek got his first paying gig at age 11 and formed his first band at age 12. Todd Smallie, who played with many jazz and blues musicians in the Atlanta area, entered the picture in 1994, when Derek was 15 years old. "We have so many stories and so much in common,” says Derek, “It's been an amazing experience with him.”
In 1995, Yonrico Scott rounded out the band's permanent rhythm section. More than 20 years older than Derek, Yonrico brings an incredible lifetime of experience to the table. Like Derek, Yonrico began to play music at an extremely early age, picking up the drums when he was only 7 years old, playing gospel music in church. While growing up in Detroit, Yonrico studied under Motown drummer George Hamilton before moving south to attend the University of Kentucky, where he received a Bachelor's Degree in percussion performance.
Born in the Bronx, raised in Washington, DC, Kofi Burbridge first picked up the flute at age 6. He soon began ear training and studying theory at the same time. Kofi's musical education was rooted in classical and jazz -- for the flute. While attending college at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Kofi landed his first touring gig. Eventually making his home in Atlanta, Kofi took advantage of numerous opportunities to play with his brother Oteil (bassist extraordinaire) and a host of like-minded, enthusiastic musicians. He joined the Derek Trucks Band in 1999.
In 2002, The Derek Trucks Band heard about vocalist Mike Mattison after recommendations by both DTB producers Craig Street and John Snyder in the same week. Mike had been performing and recording as part of a duo called Scrapomatic in the New York area. Mike performed with The Derek Trucks Band for several gigs and Derek soon realized he had found the final piece of the puzzle. Mike’s soulful voice and understated stage presence fit the band’s musical vision and Mike worked into a full time position with the band shortly thereafter. Mike, originally from Minneapolis, lived and played in Brooklyn for a number of years before finally being drawn to the Southeast and settling in Atlanta with the rest of his DTB bandmates.
Count M’Butu has been the mysterious sixth member of The Derek Trucks Band for the last six or more years. He is the only band member that doesn’t perform on every tour, but his presence with the band has become more frequent over time and the band always elevates their playing when he graces the stage. Born in Georgia in 1945, Count M'Butu studied music at Georgia State University and learned the art of drum making while in Africa, where he developed his love for and prowess on a variety of percussion instruments. He has worked with a wide variety of musicians, including Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Frank Zappa, and Chuck Leavell and has shared stages with Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler, the Allman Brothers Band, and Phish.
Afro Blue
Derek Trucks Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hear a hand stroke on a drum
Elegant boy, beautiful girl
Dancing for joy elegant whirl
Shades of delight, cocoa hue
Rich as the night Afro blue
With undulating grace
They gently sway, then slip away
To some secluded place
Shades of delight, cocoa hue
Rich as the night Afro blue
Whispering trees, echo their sighs
Passionate pleas, tender replies
Lovers in flight upward they glide
Burst at the height slowly subside
Shades of delight, cocoa hue
Rich as the night Afro blue
And my slumbering fantasy assumes reality
Until it seems it's not a dream for two for you and me
Shades of delight, cocoa hue
Rich as the night Afro blue
Oh, shades of delight, cocoa hue
Rich as the night Afro blue
Shades of delight Afro, Afro blue
The Derek Trucks Band's "Afro Blue" is a song that takes the listener on a dreamlike journey through a world full of rich colors and passionate love. The opening lines evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a place that the soul remembers, perhaps a place of origin or a place that signifies a deep connection. The sound of the hand drum adds an earthy, tribal quality to the music, laying the foundation for the sensual and evocative lyrics that follow. The image of the elegant boy and beautiful girl dancing for joy is not only an expression of pure happiness but also a celebration of the beauty of the human form and spirit.
The song then transitions into a description of two young lovers dancing in the most graceful way possible. Their movements are like poetry, their bodies undulating in perfect sync with each other. The line "With undulating grace, they gently sway, then slip away to some secluded place" underscores the element of romance and privacy that is so essential to the human experience of love. The imagery in this part of the song is particularly vivid, invoking the sensations of passion and intimacy.
The final part of the song contains an explosion of sensation as the lovers ascend to a point of pure ecstasy before gradually coming back down again. The "shades of delight, cocoa hue, rich as the night Afro blue" evoke a sense of warmth and richness, like a warm blanket on a cold winter's night. The final lines of the song tie everything together, suggesting that the fantasy of these two young lovers dancing and ascending together is not just a dream, but a reality waiting to be realized.
Line by Line Meaning
Dream of a land my soul is from
I am longing to go back to the place where my soul originated from
I hear a hand stroke on a drum
I can hear the sound of a hand playing a drum, which evokes a sense of rhythm and music
Elegant boy, beautiful girl
There are two people dancing who are both attractive and graceful
Dancing for joy elegant whirl
They are dancing with pure happiness and spinning around elegantly
Shades of delight, cocoa hue
There are different shades of happiness and joy that are depicted in a rich, chocolate-like color
Rich as the night Afro blue
There is a richness in the color and mood of the night, which is being compared to the musical style 'Afro Blue'
Two young lovers dance face to face
A couple is dancing intimately, looking into each other's eyes
With undulating grace
Their movements are smooth and flowing, showing a sense of ease and gracefulness
They gently sway, then slip away
Their dancing is gentle and fluid, and then they move away together to a more private space
To some secluded place
They are going to a quiet and secret spot
Whispering trees, echo their sighs
The trees around them are rustling and echoing their breaths and moans
Passionate pleas, tender replies
They are passionately expressing their feelings and emotions to each other, with tender responses
Lovers in flight upward they glide
They are physically and metaphorically soaring upwards, feeling the thrill of being in love
Burst at the height slowly subside
Their emotions peak and explode in a burst of passion, then slowly calm down
And my slumbering fantasy assumes reality
My dream-like fantasies feel like they are becoming real
Until it seems it's not a dream for two for you and me
It seems like this dream is no longer just a fantasy, but a reality for both me and my partner
Oh, shades of delight, cocoa hue
The different shades of happiness are continuing, depicted in a rich chocolate-like color
Shades of delight Afro, Afro blue
The joy and richness of the night is still present, and is being compared to the musical style 'Afro Blue'
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MONGO SANTAMARIA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dillon Blisko
This made me re-evaluate the entire "Derek Trucks" movement that's been going on around me in upstate New York... Any musician who can play a solo that genuine and sincere on a track like Afro Blue is on the path of good as far as I'm concerned
H Timezone
The best this band ever played. This is just incredible.
Ken Diggins
It's evident that Derek has studied Coltrane's music. Very nice.
misha gas
@Blues rock mclaughlin has done that long time ago. This is also great, many people dont like it cause they expect it to sound like coltrane, comoletely missing the point...
Blues rock
The "Trane" is the genius who changed music forever ! (IMHO) I have tried to play his music on guitar since 69, without much success, or outside interest. Derek has showed me how to do it ! The freeness, limitless expression of true emotion !
Ken Diggins
Yeah??? who didn't like this?? To each their own I guess.
Greg Granger
First, this is NOT a political statement, but factual. In January, 2009, as he was preparing to play at an Inaugural Ball for newly elected Obama, Derek said on camera, "It's nice to have a president who knows who Coltrane is." I wish I had a link but I don't. I vividly remember watching it a couple times.
Patrick Flynn
Afro Blue was composed by Mongo Santamaria, but Coltrane's version is famous.
Lamar B
Brilliant! The Sax Player, and the background answering of the Piano and Derek's sneaking his parts in, makes this tune for me!!
elecworker
Would love to hear an entire album of jazz "classics" from this bank. Sadly without Kofi, it may not be the same.
I think that we're just hearing a small example of Derek's musical genius. Be great to hear what he is playing 10 years from now. Some players have talent in just on style. I feel that Derek can transcend more than just one.