The Dylan Tree

Live In Toronto

Concert Review by: Unknown User

Venue: Jeff Healey's Roadhouse, Silver Dollar Room, Graffiti's (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

2009 -

The Dylan Tree is a band of seasoned pros who only play songs written by folk/blues/roots icon Bob Dylan, and do them to perfection. The band includes guitarists Richard Kahl (Champagne Boys) and Paul Martin (Blushing Brides), bassist Matt Greenberg (The Jitters), drummer Doug Inglis (ex-Ronnie Hawkins; Goddo), and keyboard player Martin Alex Aucoin (The Lincolns).

The whole band takes turns in lead vocals, and each can carry the show on their own … but with talent like that backing and complementing one another onstage, the explosive power is amazing to take in and enjoy!

Doug Inglis’ superb vocals on "You Gotta Serve Somebody" and bassist Matt Greenberg singing "Lay Lady Lay" are always great crowd pleasers.

Kahl is extremely impressive singing lead vocals on "Like a Rolling Stone" and others. Aucoin’s organ riffs permeate this Dylan masterpiece with waves of organic wonder, with the familiar melodious riff that we can all sing along with "Like a Rolling Stone … how does it feel?"

Then a surprise happens when lead vocals are passed over to Matt Greenberg, whose killer vocal rendition on "Rolling Stone" rocks the house away. The power of Inglis’ sensational lead vocals then jump out asking, "How does it feel, to be on your own?"… Well, it feels alright! Such are some of the incredibly imaginative and rousing arrangements these true pros of the genre use to captivate and entrance audiences far and wide.

Aucoin does an impressive job on lead vocals on "Watch the River Flow". Somehow, from his days in Nashville playing with classic country artists like Ricky Van Shelton, gives his stage presence an atmosphere from ‘down there’. Aucoin’s talent on the ivories ripples through each and every tune Dylan Tree performs.

Things slow down with Paul Martin singing "Just Like a Woman", with the whole band lending a hand in background vocal harmonies.

The Dylan Tree started out playing mid-week gigs at Graffiti’s in Toronto’s atmospheric Kensington Market area. Then they expanded to Toronto’s Silver Dollar, one of the best blues rooms in Canada. After that, a few gigs at Jeff Healey’s Roadhouse gave this fantastic band the notice they deserved in a world class ‘A’ nightclub gig.

Their recent appearance this summer at Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition allowed this band to be heard and enjoyed by an audience of music fans that came from all over the world, to see this huge Canadian fair, whose roots go back to the 1870s. Renowned blues and R&B bassist Prakash John (ex-Lou Reed/Alice Cooper/Mandala/Bush; currently in the Blues Angels and The Lincolns), booked the Dylan Tree into this major C.N.E. venue.

They feature drummer Doug Inglis who has played with rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks for several years. He’s also been with rock band Goddo for over three decades. He’s currently with Classic Albums Live, who showcase full-length presentations of classic albums from the ‘70s, including Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, etc.

Keyboard player Martin Aucoin, currently fronts his own jazz band, and recently released his first jazz solo album, titled Martin Alex Aucoin ( http://www.jazzreview.com/article/review-5502.html ). He’s also keyboard player in the Gary Kendall Band (blues), fronted by Downchild Blues Band bassist Gary Kendall. Aucoin was also longtime keyboardist with bassist Prakash, in The Lincolns.

Richard Kahl is the main lead vocalist in the Dylan Tree, and also plays lead guitar, mandolin and harmonica in the band. He’s indispensable to the group, and his sometimes piercing vocals and charismatic stage presence always seems to get the fans of this ‘super-group’ going like there’s no tomorrow!

The Dylan Tree’s shows are always a musical surprise bag of goodies picked ripe from the tree of poetry known as Bob Dylan. They never fail to please, the many times this writer (and major fan) has attended their highly entertaining performances, over the past few years.

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/thedylantree

Photo by: © Joe Curtis

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