Instrumental Illness

The Allman Brothers Band, 2003, from Hittin' the Note. Solo by Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes.

The late-era band's showcase, with Trucks' slide and Haynes' fretted leads trading across long sections.

Instrumental Illness, from Hittin' the Note, is a late-era showcase built for the pairing of Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes. The composed sections are tight and punchy, but the song opens into long improvised stretches where the two guitarists trade and overlap. Trucks' slide is fluid and vocal, sliding into notes from unexpected directions and sometimes hinting at Indian and Middle Eastern melody, while Haynes answers with fretted blues-rock lines that are thick, punchy and rhythmic. The contrast shows the band's twin-guitar tradition updated for a new lineup. Listen for passages where Haynes builds on a phrase Trucks has just played, and for the way the rhythm section shifts gears to frame each new section of the jam.

Instrumental Illness by The Allman Brothers Band is featured in our Jam (#21) list. The solo is played by Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes and the song was released in 2003.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Jam Band Guitar Solos — #21
• The Best Derek Trucks Guitar Solos — #4
• The Best Warren Haynes Guitar Solos — #6

Sources