Page 4 The Blue Banner February 5,2004 Features The Derek Trucks Band rocks Asheville’s Orange Peel since he was a child. The drummer versity of Kentucky. BY Kelli Fowler of the band Kestner currently plays Burbridge also began to develop his musical talent at an early age. He Features Reporter with introduced him to The Derek Trucks Band. He felt excited to see began studying the flute focusing on _ classical and jazz music. He contin­ The Derek Trucks Band per­ them perform live for the first time. ued his education at the North Caro- formed in concert at The Orange “1 listened to him play slide gui­ lina School of the Arts, and joined Peel Jan. 28. tar, and I was really impressed,” said the band in 1999. “Derek Trucks played in Kestner. “This is actually the first The recording of Soul Serenade Hickory, which is where I am from, show where 1 have seen them live.” occurred after the band’s 1998 re­ when he was 11 years old,” said Ja­ A comparison drawn between lease, Out Of The Madness and be- son Allen of Charlotte. “He was like Trucks and an everything bagel with fore their 2002 idttLSt, joyful Noise. a child prodigy. I have seen him with lox exemplified praise from Artimus The band recorded Soul Serenade in the Allman Brothers for the past four Pyle, drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, two intervals in the studio, during a or five years. He is really, really in a post-concert interview. He time period of less than two weeks. ,, good.” translated this to mean that Trucks In 1999, the Allman Brothers The Orange Peel hosted The had a little of everything that every­ Band approached Trucks with the Derek Trucks Band for the first time. one wanted. proposition of adding him to the Trucks praised the space, the acous­ The opening song, “Afro Blue,” band as their full-time guitar player, tics ^d the owners. He felt good appears on their latest CD, Soul Ser­ which Tru^ accepted. His uncle, about their show and related how enade, released in August 2003. The Butch Trdeks, also a longtime mem­ large an influence the audience has seven-track album composed of pri­ ber of the Allman Brothers Band, on the performance of the band. The marily instrumental music has a plays the drums. band enjoys their visits to Asheville, guest appearance by Gregg Allman The Orange Peel has a comfort­ and they appreci­ on the song, able atmosphere, features a wide va­ ate the vibe that “Drown In My riety of beer and a modest selection - Asheville has, ac­ “Derek Trucks is one of the Own Tears.” of wine. The smoke-free environ­ cording to Trucks best shows I have seen at For the past ment pleasantly appeals to some, but in a post-concert ten years the band The Orange Peel. He totally COURTESY OF DEREKTRUCKS.COM frustrates others, especially during interview. effectively made rocks on the guitar, and the the cold winter months. The space, '. The Derek an effort to create Derek Trucks entertains fans with great music and beautiful light shows at a recent concert. larger than many music venues in Trucks Band con- rest of the band is equally a fusion of jazz, the Asheville area, makes for more sists of Derek amazing.” rock, blues, Latin University. His vocal brilliance does room to walk around and dance. Trucks on slide and eastern In­ In person, Trucks seems down picked up a $5 guitar at a yard sale. not appear on Soul Serenade or on Keeping a bar tab open at The guitar; Mike Ryan Bolejack dian music. It re­ to earth and wise beyond his 24 By age 11, he played paid gigs, and the 2002 release joyful Noise. Orange Peel involves handing over Mattison on lead Asheville resident sulted in an origi- years. He began touring as a teen­ at 12 he formed his first band. At Scott, who joined the band in both a credit card and a license. In vocals; Kofi --------------------- nal style of music ager, and he finished his high school 15, Trucks, joined bass-player 1995, shares Trucks’ background of return the bartender gives the cus­ Burbridgc on the flute, keyboards that sounds hypnotic at times. education on the road. Trucks spoke Smallie.. tomer an orange card with a num­ and back-up vocals; Todd Smallie on “Derek Trucks is one of the best of his greatest difficulty, leaving be­ Mattisons soulful and expressive picking up his instmment at a young ber. This proves convenient for all the bass and back-up vocals and shows I have seen at The Orange hind his wife and two-year-old son. lyrics have many similarities with age. He began playing the drums at parties involved. The customer sim- ' Yonrico Scott on drums, percussion Peel,” said Ryan Bolejack of He said he tries to never go more those of Ben Harper. He joined the seven and studied under Motown drummer, George Hamilton in De­ ply hands over the card when add­ and back-up vocals. Asheville. “He (Trucks) totally rocks than a week without seeing them. band in 2002, making him the new­ ing a beverage to a tab, rather than The Allman Brothers Band in­ on the guitar, and the rest of the Trucks began his mastery of the est member. Mattison received his troit. Scott received his Bachelor’s attempting to yell over the music. fluenced Jon Kestner, of Virginia, band is equally amazing,” guitar at the age of nine when he degree in literature from Harvard Degree in percussion from the Uhi- ‘‘21 Grams” elicits strong performances and reactions mother of two, recovering from a still wanted to see how it got there,” the pain that she portrays. BY Kerrin Smith past drug problem. Benicio Del said Wilson. Penn’s convincing portrayal of a The confusing arrangement of deathly ill man marks one of the Features Reporter Toro plays Jack, an ex-convict who looks to God in efforts to keep his the movie causes each piece or scene strongest performances in his career. Del Toro received a nomination for The Fine Arts Theatre featured life on a positive track and to hold to come together like a puzzle. The Best Supporting Actor for his per­ the indepndent film “21 Grams” in his family together. confusing structure of the film formance as Jack. In “21 Grams” downtown Asheville Jan.30. Sean Penn captivates as the char­ forces viewers to pay close attention Inarritu gave Del Toro a chance to “The intensity of the feeling you acter of Paul, an ill math teacher to every moment. shine, and he embraced that chance have while watching the film liter­ married to an English woman that “The acting by the three princi­ to the full extent. ally had me on the edge of my seat puts all of her efforts into Paul’s re­ pal roles was astonishing,” said The film premiered at the 2003 squirming because I could not fig­ covery. Paul’s sickness has him Jayne Green, a senior management Venice International Film Festival. ure the whole scenario out,” said desparately in need of an organ major. “I am happy that Naomi Sean Penn won Best Actor and Thomas Wilson, a senior multime­ transplant. Watts and Benicio Del Toro re­ Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts dia major. “My heart was about to A terrible accident occurs that ceived Oscar nominations for their performances, but I felt that Sean earned the Audience Awards for burst.” will bring the three together and Best Actor and Actress for their per­ Director Alegandro Gonzalez change their lives and beliefs for­ Penn should have also received a COURTESY OF 21-GRAMS.COM formances. Inarritu and writer Guillermo ever. nomination for this film.” “The cinematography in the film Arriaga, together with Focus Films The start of the film gives a Penn and Watts share a light moment in the dark “21 Grams.” The film produces some of the was impressive,” said , Carl created a story of three different glimpse of the different characters, best acting seen from Watts, Penn McCurdy, an undeclared senior. “I lives brought together by a series of which seem to have nothing in linear story line reminiscent of form a collage of information that and Del Toro. Watts plays an amaz­ ingly strong character in the film for felt that the angles and lighting that unexpected events. common with each other, but in the “Memento.” The structure gives a eventually makes sense to the audi- were used were very strong and ef­ “21 Grams” depicts three stories end all of the poignant pieces join sense of jogging memories from the ence. which she received a Best Actress fective in portraying what the char­ of completely different people. together to bring the three mind and tries to place them back “The director put together the nomination. Her acting abilities acter was experiencing.” Naomi Watts plays Christina, a heartrending stories together. together. The director brings ran- story in such a way that, even stand out above the other actors in The strong suspense and emo- middle-class, happily married The film successfully uses a non- dom plot sequences together to though you knew the outcome, you the film. The audience experiences Local art exhibit illustrates fears and fantasies of flying image then I in­ flight. He make up his unique mobiles.* BY Kristy Harris tended, maybe brings his vi­ “What’s the Hurry,” a rocket like shape made up of wire and wood Features Reporter they see some­ sions to life thing that is through his and filled with small objects, exem- .