As The Derek Trucks Band gets towards the halfway mark on their July swing through Europe, drummer Yonrico Scott once again checks in with the scoop on the band's time at the North Sea Jazz Festival:

"We have now (as you all know) completed the two big festivals of this Europe run: Montreux Jazz, and now the 34th North Seas Jazz Festival in Rotterdam. I have always heard good things about the NSJ from my friends, but now I can say that I truly understand the vibe my brothers were hitting on. From the second I walk into the Hilton Hotel where we were staying along with the rest of the acts, I knew we were in for a true “who’s who” of music from yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Not three feet in the door of hotel do I bump into Bernard Purdie, the great drummer who has played and recorded with some of the true legends of music, such as Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway, Steely Dan, Elvis and even The Beatles. The list for Bernard goes on and on. He was the first cat I met 20 years ago who talk about "ghost drumming.” Ghost drumming is when a drummer (or any musician) is called to replace a track that already exists, or just play on a track and not use his or her name. I have been doing that for years.

After I get upstairs I decided, since I have a full day to relax and unwind, that I would hit the gym, which in Europe aren't as big as they are in the States. You know a drummer has to work to keep in tune so he or she can HIT IT!

So I go down and start doing my favorite cardio piece, the Stairmaster, when in walks in Joshua Redman. He hit the bike like he hits the Saxophone. Anyway he recognized me, and he remembered opening for us, and our playing at the Monterey Jazz Festival the year before. You never know who you might run into here…

We were rubbing shoulders with heavyweights like McCoy Tyner, John Scofield, David Sanborn, Roy Haynes, Nicholas Payton, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, George Duke… and the list goes on and on… I did not pull my camera out ‘cause I did not want to bother them at a time when everyone was circled by people 24/7. You know I wanted to snap off a few shots, but Daddy stayed cool. Plus I had some more important things to do, like to check out the whole movie that was before me:

Looking through the port hole: we are now taking the port hole out of the bus and into the world. Truly, what am I to see? The whole picture, the big lesson, what to do and what not to do, hanging with the masters old and young…

So speaking of the young masters, we come up to our set… Derek Trucks Band baby! We played on the Maas Stage, which held about 8,000. Not bad for the first time here... The sound check was low-key, though now when I look back I am glad we did one. We were first so it worked well for us, unlike John Scofield, who did not have time for a soundcheck, and no one else did either, really… But we were golden!

We started with Soul Serenade – yes, we finally got a chance to start the show with it! It’s a good tune to open with because of the prayer-like droning intro it set that thang up nice. It also worked that it was Sunday too. NICE! We also played “Down In The Flood,” “I Know,” “Done Got Over,” “Get What You Deserve,” “My Favorite Things,” and a few more before we ended with an old favorite, “Key To The Highway.” It’s hard to say how it came off now but I feel we had a real good show.

We have a lot more to go, so stay in tune… Next stop Glasgow!

- Yonrico"

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