After nearly 10 years and various personnel shifts, who would have thought the Allman Brothers Band had another great album in them. Even without Dickey Betts on board, Hittin’ The Note, released in 2003, may have been the best thing from the band in 25 years. Positive reviews and Grammy nominations helped elevate the group’s stature. This would be the final studio album from the Allman Brothers Band, though they would continue to tour through 2014. The passing of Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks in 2017 ended any possibility of a reunion.
A big reason behind the making of Hittin’ The Note was the arrival of two new extremely talented guitarists: Warren Haynes, who made quite a splash in the jam band scene and was with the ABB during the 90s, and the young and gifted nephew of the group’s drummer Butch Trucks, Derek Trucks. On Hittin’ The Note, the pair skillfully maneuver around the melodies while Gregg Allman dropkicks his soulful vocal and B3 organ stylings into the mix. The bottom end is manned by no less than four extremely capable bodies: Butch Trucks, drummer Jaimoe, bassist Oteil Burbridge and percussionist Marc Quinones.
The Allman Brothers Band power through 11 samplings of Southern jam rock at its finest. From the backwoods blues of “Desdemona” to the spellbinding “Instrumental Illness,” the seven players interlock and burn with a gutsy and potent intensity. One of the more significant tracks on the disc is “Rockin’ Horse,” a no-nonsense rocker co-written by Allman, Haynes, guitarist Jack Pearson and Allan Woody. A former bassist with the ABB, Woody and Haynes recorded the song in 1995 with their own band, Govt. Mule. A cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Heart Of Stone,” underscores the group’s versatility. The way Allman croons through the verse, you’d think it was written for him. Inevitably, it’s a true testament to the durability that he and the band that bore his name endured over the course of their storied career. As a final footnote, Hittin’ The Note is a subtle reminder of just how much more they were willing to give.
~ Shawn Perry
