It's only rock 'n' roll

Derek Trucks is at the forefront of the next generation of rock musicians. The talented young guitarist was bred to the role.

He's the nephew of Allman Brothers Band drummer Butch Trucks, and since 1999 he's been the slide guitarist in the Allman Brothers.

But the really exciting musical news in Trucks' career is his outstanding new album on Columbia records, "Joyful Noise." The record is an audacious, genre-jumping work from a 23-year-old musical visionary who sees no boundaries between blues, jazz, rock and world music.

"Whether it's Indian classical or blues or jazz, there are those people that feel it and really play it and there are those people that it's kind of a thought process for so it's not really coming from any deep, deep place," he said.

Trucks has surrounded himself with quality musicians on the album. His core band includes Todd Smallie on bass, Yonrico Scott on drums and Kofi Burbridge on keyboards and flute.

Aquarium Rescue Unit percussionist Count M'Butu is one of several special guests on the record, along with soul giant Solomon Burke, Pakistani vocalist Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, salsa star Ruben Blades and Trucks' wife, blues singer Susan Tedeschi.

Burke brought a remarkable presence to the album with his unique voice, covering one of his own classic performances, "Home In Your Heart," and a song written by Burbridge, "Like Anyone Else."

"The performances Solomon did were just off the scale," said Trucks. "He brought tears to everyone's eyes."

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan brought a profound spiritual element to the mystical Qawwali song "Maki Madni." The Sufi chant was written by Rahat's uncle Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and Trucks called the collaboration the "heaviest experience" of the recording process.

"I was really surprised that we were able to make that happen," said Trucks. "We did conference calls and cell phones and interpreters."

The band recorded the song and sent the tape to Rahat in Karachi, Pakistan, where he recorded the vocal tracks.

"We told him just to have his way with it," said Trucks. "And he did."

The experience of recording with Blades on "Kam-ma-lay" was a lesson it itself. "We had been thinking of a Latin singer for this tune for a long time," said Trucks. "We listened to him and it just seemed obvious."

Blades recorded a dozen tracks of lead and background vocals, handclaps, and cowbell.

"When he left the studio everyone was just worn out," said Trucks.

Trucks began playing music at age 9 when he bought a $5 acoustic guitar at a garage sale.

"It was nothing special," he said. "I had no desire to play. It was just the only thing that looked interesting."

But hanging out with the extended musical family of the Allman Brothers inevitably led Trucks deeper into the music. Within a year of learning to play Trucks was touring, with his father serving as manager, "making sure I was only exposed to the stuff that I was supposed to be exposed to ... keeping me away from the madness."

In 1994 Trucks hooked up with Smallie, who's been his band partner ever since.

"We have so many stories and so much in common," said Trucks. "It's been an amazing experience with him."

In 1995 Scott joined the group. The oldest member of the group at 46, Scott has recovered from open-heart surgery last year.

"I thought we lost him for a minute," said Trucks. "He was on his way out. So this album was a real blessing. It's the first time we really played together after his surgery, so there was a lot of emotion and energy around the session with him."

Born in the Bronx, raised in Washington, D.C., Kofi Burbridge began to play the flute at age 6 and took formal classical and jazz lessons. After playing with his brother Oteil in Aquarium Rescue Unit and solo projects, Burbridge joined Trucks in 1999.

"The band has always been a work in progress and it still is," said Trucks. "But this, 'Joyful Noise,' it just feels like such a nice statement. It's something that I think the whole band will look back on years from now and see as a kind of turning point."