Fans of Southern Rock wait in the lobby of Red Bank, NJ's Vogel theater this Friday, August 9, 2024 for the start of tonight's special event — a sold-out performance by the Allman Brothers tribute band, Friends of the Brothers, featuring special guest drummer Jaimoe, the sole surviving original member of The Allman Brothers Band.
The Allman Brothers Band was established in 1969 by guitarist Duane Allman and vocalist/keyboardist Gregg Allman, along with guitarist Dickey Betts, bassist Berry Oakley, and drummers Butch Trucks and Jai Johnny Johanson, aka Jaimoe. Following the release of the group’s 1971 live album, At Fillmore East, the band’s success blossomed with such critically and commercially acclaimed recordings as Eat a Peach and Brothers and Sisters, despite the tragic loss of founding members Duane Allman and Berry Oakley.
Inside the Vogel lobby, Michael from Marlboro recalls, “I saw The Allman Brothers Band 232 times. The first show I ever saw was their legendary performance at Watkins Glen with the Grateful Dead and The Band, and I also saw their final show at New York’s Beacon Theater. Tonight, I’m looking forward to seeing the Friends of the Brothers because Jaimoe is here — it was his 80th birthday a couple of days ago — plus I’ve read all of Friends’ guitarist Alan Paul’s books and he’s very knowledgeable about the Allman Brothers. Out of all the bands that cover the Allman Brothers’ material I think this one is the best. Alan and his friends have created something special here, so I’m really looking forward to this show.”
Explains Michael’s daughter, Aviv from Marlboro, “I’m here with my dad. He’s passing on the torch to me. When I was younger, I saw the Allman Brothers with him a few times and the best part was seeing my dad’s excitement, so I’m looking forward to tonight’s show, both to watching the band on stage and to watching my dad watch the band.”
Reports Brian, a professional sculptor from Island Heights, “I love the Allman Brothers’ music. I wasn’t raised on it — I was raised on The Beatles — but when I was in high school, some of my best friends turned me on to the group and it’s been a love affair ever since. I loved Duane Allman and Berry Oakley — they were brilliant musicians. With the energy they had on stage, it was like a war, and that energy would come right off the stage and inspire the audience. Plus, The Allman Brothers dabbled in playing these very jazzy and syncopated jams which I really loved, as well.”
Reveals Friends of the Brothers’ founding member, guitarist Alan Paul, “I always loved the Allman Brothers and I can thank my older brother for that. I was a kid when their song, ‘Ramblin’ Man,’ was all over the radio and I fell in love with it along with the album it came from, Brothers and Sisters. My brother, however, knew much more about the band and even gave me his copy of Eat a Peach when I was 11 or 12 and told me to listen to it. I still have that copy today — it’s now signed by all of the Allman Brothers — but there was just something about that album that really pulled me in.”
“When I was in the eighth grade,” continues Paul, “we had to do an essay on great Americans, and while everyone else was writing about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, I wrote about Duane Allman. Later on, I became a writer and journalist and, in 1989, when the Allman Brothers were re-launching their career, I started to follow them and became associated with the group’s tour manager who had me write the liner notes to some of the group’s archival projects. That’s how I transitioned from being a regular journalist to being an insider who got to hang around and meet all the guys and their crew.”
“After drummer Butch Trucks died in 2017,” concludes Paul, “I helped put together a tribute for him. It was supposed to be a one-time thing but everyone had so much fun we all said, ‘Let’s do it again.’” Before that, when I was writing my book, One Way Out, I had become very close to Jaimoe and we developed a great relationship. For years, Jaimoe talked about playing with us, and since he hadn’t played anywhere publicly for the past year, he really got the urge to play again. He saw us at a festival and told us we were his favorite band there, and it wasn’t because we were playing the Allman Brothers’ music — he didn’t care about that — he just liked us because he liked us, and we’re so happy he’s playing with us now.”
Inside the sleek and modern Vogel theater, the lights dim and keyboardist Mike Katzman; guitarists Andy Aledort, Junior Mack, and Alan Paul; bassist Craig Privett; and drummers Steve Finkelstein and Lee Finkelstein take the stage.
Paul welcomes the crowd announcing, “Thank you all so much for coming out. Put your hands together for Mr. Jaimoe!” Jaimoe takes the stage to cheers and applause, and he and the group open tonight’s show with “Statesboro Blues.” As Jaimoe plays his hand-painted “Silver Surfer” drumset, guitarist and lead vocalist Junior Mack soulfully sings, “Wake up momma/Turn your lamp down low.”
Andy Aledort wails on a guitar solo, Mike Katzman renders a whirling keyboard solo, and Paul strums his acoustic guitar, accompanied by Craig Privett on bass and the trio of Steve Finkelstein, Jaimoe, and Lee Finkelstein on percussion.
Junior Mack sings lead on the bluesy “Done Somebody Wrong” on an arrangement which features tight rhythmic breaks from the band and an impressive Andy Aledort slide guitar solo. Then, Mack’s bluesy voice handles the slow and sultry blues number, “Stormy Monday.”
As he cries, “They call it stormy Monday/But Tuesday’s just as bad,” music lovers in the crowd nod their heads to the beat until the mood intensifies when the band shifts the tempo and the energized groove animates the musicians under colored lights.
Following an extended introduction, three-part harmonies accompany Aledort on “Blue Sky” as he sings, “You’re my blue sky, you’re my sunny day.” Aledort renders a thoughtful and soaring slide guitar solo which is deftly backed by Jaimoe and the band of Brothers musicians.
Mack and Aledort sing in harmony on “Midnight Rider” soulfully crying out, “Not gonna let ’em catch me, no/Not gonna let ’em catch the midnight rider,” before they take places center stage in front of Jaimoe and face one another to duel on guitars amid avid whistles and cheers.
Paul asks, “Is everyone having fun?” and the crowd responds in the affirmative to which he exclaims, “Good, because we are, too!” Fans shout out to Jaimoe who adds rhythmic flourishes to “Don’t Keep Me Wondering” which features keyboardist Mike Katzman singing lead and Aledort making his guitar sing on this funky Southern rocker.
The crowd hoots and hollers when they recognize the intro to “Sweet Melissa.” Katzman and Mack solo and Aledort slides his fingers along the neck of his guitar playing rapidly and skillfully on this country-rock classic.
A highlight of tonight’s Friends’ set is the group’s interpretation of “Dreams,” where Mack soulfully sings, “Just one more mornin’/I had to wake up with the blues.” Aledort plays a lyrical guitar solo on this mystical composition as Jaimoe, Mack, and Paul accompany him in 6/8 time.
The crowd cheers, and the group follows up with an extended version of the classic Allman Brothers’ instrumental, “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.” After vamping on the intro, guitars harmonize in sync to the smooth Latin-like feel prior to the band ratcheting up the tempo.
Katzman plays a swirling and percussive Hammond organ solo and drummers Steve Finkelstein, Jaimoe, and Lee Finkelstein impress with a triple percussion solo. Craig Privett is featured on bass before the full band powers the arrangement to an electrifying conclusion.
Music lovers stand and applaud, and the Friends launch into an encore of “One Way Out.”
After Mack sings, “‘Cause there’s a man down there/Might be your man I don’t know,” he solos on guitar, Katzman is featured on keyboard, Aledort plays under strobing lights, and the guitarists duel to another standing ovation, at which point Paul concludes by announcing, “Thank you and goodnight!”
As concertgoers exit the Vogel theater, several comment on tonight’s Friends of the Brothers performance. Remarks Michael from Marlboro, “I liked them very much — they did a wonderful job! The best song they did was ‘Dreams’ — it was spot-on — but I enjoyed the entire show; it brought back a lot of memories.” Daughter Aviv agrees, adding, “The show was a ton of fun — the band was excellent and I had a great time watching both the band and my dad!”
Wendy from Sayreville insists, “I thought it was a great show! I’d never seen the Friends before, but I’d seen the Allman Brothers in addition to some Allman Brothers tribute groups. Tonight, I loved when they played ‘One Way Out,’ and I thought the instrumental, ‘In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,’ was fantastic, too. My husband is a huge Allman Brothers fan — and a huge Jaimoe fan — so it was especially cool getting to see Jaimoe perform tonight in person. He and the band did a great job!”
Exclaims Clare from Barnegat, “This was my first time seeing the Friends of the Brothers and I loved them! I’m a long-time Allman Brothers fan and the Friends moved me the same way the Allman Brothers moved me. They’re a very very good band and I loved how the two drummers interacted with Jaimoe and how much joy they got from him being there and playing with them.”
Lastly, Vicki from Brick declares, “I was blown away by how well the Friends represented the awesome group that Jaimoe — God bless him — was in! It’s incredible that, at age 80, Jaimoe is still making things happen and, as a result, I loved every minute of this show.” Acknowledging, “I’m a long-time Allman Brothers fan — I’ve known their music since I was a little kid — and the Friends keep the Allman legacy alive,” Vicki concludes by asserting, “There’s nothing like a concert of Allman Brothers’ music, because for people like me, it’s all about peace and love, which is something we all need more of today.”
To learn more about the Friends of the Brothers, please go to friendsofthebrothersband.com. For further info on Jaimoe, please click on allmanbrothersband.com. For information on upcoming performances at The Vogel — including Sons of Cream on August 20, Live from Laurel Canyon on October 3, and Dead On Live on October 12 — please click on thebasie.org.
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