Cody and Luther Dickinson‘s brotherly love of the blues gave the Big Orange Music Festival crowd a true taste of genre. Since 1996, the pair has worked with a wide variety of side players under the tongue-in-cheek, self-aggrandizing band name to bring the music of their childhood heroes to the world at large. While they both have been known to get busy with things, such as Luther’s Black Crowes, solo albums, songwriter symposiums, and so on, their musical home seems to always be the upper delta blues and the North Mississippi All-Stars.
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Their release in June, Pray For Peace, showed they had plenty of passion left in them, and their recent East Coast run has shown the guys in fine form. When they, along with bassist Eric Vogel, took the main stage at the Big Orange Festival (and with a most impressive sunset as their backdrop), fans might not have been ready for the awe-inspiring performance they laid out.
Once the bell sounded, the North Mississippi All-Stars hit the ground running with a rumbling and rocking set of blues-based high-powered jams led, as always, by the stunning fretwork of brother Luther. While some fans were saddened at the lack of electrified washboard, Cody Dickinson managed to work some guitar riffs and keyboard runs while keeping a distinct and crisp beat from behind his kit. Session and scene veteran Vogel showed his versatility and pure mastery of all styles, adding a funky twist throughout the evening.
Luther Dickinson was, as always, the focus of most of the attention during the show itself. Between his ringing guitar work and “Aw, shucks” smile, he is a cheerful lightning rod for attention, and he knows it. In the instrumental clip below, he plops himself down on the drum riser next to his brother and picks out chords and draws out notes like a kid with a new favorite toy. There was no disrespect in gleeful testings, simply the wonder of a player finding no edges to a wonderful game in any direction.
We’re delighted to have some exclusive footage to share with you all from the Big Orange Music Festival. Thanks to them for opening their doors to us, to The North Mississippi All-Stars for making the magic and all of you for loving the music as much as we do! Enjoy!
“You Got To Move>Need To Be Free>Meet Me In The City”
“Instrumental Jam”
“Po Black Maddie>Skinny Woman>All Night Long>Prayer For Peace”
“Stealin’>Miss Maybelle>Ho Down”
[Photo: Josh Webster]