It's no secret that drummers are treated like second-class citizens in the music world. First of all, with rare exceptions, in most bands the drummer is shrouded in shadows at the back of the stage. Then there is the widespread belief that drummers aren't "real" musicians, whatever that means. And don't even get me started on the fact that to many concertgoers, "drum solo" is equivalent to "bathroom break."

The fact is, it takes a special breed to be a drummer. Somebody who is willing to hold down the beat for the rest of the band, while at the same time keeping things fresh with fills and accents. Somebody whose satisfaction derives from making great music, not getting the most attention or the most groupies. Somebody who is willing to put aside their ego in order to serve the almighty groove. Somebody like Yonrico Scott of the Derek Trucks Band.

MUSICAL ROOTS

For some six years now, Yonrico has been the musical yang to Derek Trucks' yin. The precocious slide guitar prodigy gets all the publicity (after all, it is his band), but anyone who has actually seen the Derek Trucks Band in action knows that Yonrico is the foundation that the House of Derek is built on. His combination of raw funk/rock power and subtle jazz chops makes him the perfect traveling companion for Derek's wide-ranging musical excursions.

Like many musicians, Yonrico Scott's music has deep roots in spirituality and family. His mother was a gospel singer with the Detroit Harmonettes, who played the legendary Apollo Theater, and Yonrico was surrounded by music growing up. "From singing in church and living on the street, I got that sense of soul in music," he explains. Formal music training added sophistication and technique, but that soul is still at the core of everything Yonrico does.

For a while, Scott was like most working musicians, taking whatever gigs he could to make ends meet. While he cherishes the opportunity to work with legends like Stevie Wonder, it wasn't always fun. "There was a period called the local yokel syndrome," he admits, "where I was making a lot of money, but I wasn't happy." At one point, he was playing four sets a night in a lounge. "By the time you get to the third set, the audience should be drunk," he offers helpfully. "By the fourth set, YOU should be drunk."

YONRICO GETS ZAMBIFIED

Yonrico Scott's musical life took a turn for the better when became the drummer for Col. Bruce Hampton's often-overlooked Fiji Mariners in 1994. He had known keyboardist Dan Matrazzo (now fronting his own jazz fusion band, Shock Treatment) since 1985, but nothing in his previous experience had prepared him for the all-consuming weirdness that is Col. Bruce.

After years of playing sideman gigs where somebody else was telling him what to play, the Fiji Mariners thrust Yonrico into an unshackled atmosphere of pure freedom where he could express his considerable musical creativity. "Playing with Bruce is a very liberating experience," according to Yonrico, and he wishes more musicians had the opportunity. As exciting as the Fijis were, however, an even more enticing gig soon arose with one of Bruce's other proteges: Derek Trucks.

Even though Derek was only a teenager at the time, his restless creative vision was already outstripping the abilities of his band, a collection of solid but unspectacular middle-aged pros. To move forward, he would need to be surrounded by musicians who were as creative and resistant to stagnation as Derek himself. Enter Yonrico, by way of Bruce Hampton.

"Bruce put this band together," Yonrico says matter-of-factly. If so, add another item to the Colonel's ever-growing list of musical accomplishments. Keyboardist Bill McKay is no longer with the DTB, but Scott and bass ace Todd Smallie are still with Derek some six years later, (along with Kofi Burbridge on keyboards and flute and Javier Colon on vocals and percussion) and they are creating some of the most original and exciting music on the planet.

THE JAM BAND CLIQUE

If anybody reading this takes the jam band community for granted in any way, spend a few minutes with Yonrico Scott sometime and I guarantee that you will be cured of that malady. When I talked with him at his rehearsal space in Atlanta, he was glowing with excitement about being involved in this thriving and creative scene.

At one point Yonrico is recollecting his immensely varied musical life, which includes everything from the aforementioned lounge gigs to playing in a Broadway production of The Wiz (he still wears the jacket) to backing jazz legends like Sonny Stitt and Freddie Hubbard. Suddenly, he brightens noticeably and his voice takes on an excited edge.

"And now I'm in a jam band, and I'm using it all!," he exclaims. "That's the beauty of it…we have the freedom to do whatever we want, like the bebop bands of the fifties."

After briefly pondering what a jazz purist like Wynton Marsalis might make of such a comparison, I probed Yonrico further about this statement. We eventually agreed that there was one common link between the jazz giants of yesteryear, such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and the jam bands of today: Both rely on an open-minded audience in order to thrive.

Yonrico provides an example of the difference between the jam band world and other musicians. "We've been on tour with (hotshot guitarist) Eric Johnson, who is a great guy. But he only does two different sets, and we do what, 150,000?," he asks, exaggerating slightly. "That's the greatest thing about being in the jam band clique, people will let you do that. They WANT to hear something different every night. There's no other clique in the world where you can do that."

Because the audience is so receptive, Yonrico enjoys introducing the crowd to new and different kinds of music. "We're bringing a lot of different stuff, stylistically, like a lot of Latin grooves," he says, "and the audience is into it, which is great."

NEW HORIZONS

However much respect and attention he may have earned as a drummer, Yonrico Scott simply isn't the type to rest on his laurels. In fact, he has been diligently practicing three hours a day…on piano! So far his main outlet has been jamming with Atlanta favorite Baron Ruth and the Blues Barons, but among other things, he hopes his keyboard playing will enhance his writing skills.

And when you are writing for one of the hottest young talents in music, it's good to give yourself every possible advantage. "When you write for Derek Trucks, you have to keep in mind what he listens to," says Scott. While Trucks' playing is heavily influenced by jazz masters like Coltrane, Indian music is another strong influence, as evidenced by the song "Deltaraga" on Out of the Madness.

"We have all been to Ustad Ali Akbar Khan's music school in San Rafael, and we are all into Indian music," says Yonrico. He raves about Indian drum masters like Zakir Hussain and Alla Rakha, and has been studying the Indian tabla drums lately, although he humbly admits that he is still learning. Because they all have common musical interests, Yonrico says "Derek can communicate musically with everyone in the band."

One new element in the mix is Latino singer Javier Colon, who just joined the band last year. A graduate of the Hartt School of Music, Colon has a silky, soulful voice and has been adding percussion to his list of talents. "Javier is red hot, he's on fire, but he's still very green," says Yonrico with affection, "We need to Zambify him." (Zambification-A process in which a musician unlearns all the musical "rules" and and enters a realm of pure self-expression. See Col. Bruce Hampton.)

As for the future of the Derek Trucks Band, Scott is upbeat. He maintains that their first CD was an homage to jazz styles, while their second album paid tribute to the blues. Expect a more distinctive offering when their new disc is finished. "We're so strong, we have so many virtuosos in this band, we HAVE to do an original album," he declares.

Okay, sounds good, but what will this new sound entail? "I don't know exactly what it's going to be yet, but it's close," he says confidently. "What we're going for is a marriage of world music with funk, blues, r&b, Derek's unique slide sound, and Javier's beautiful voice." Synthesizing such diverse influences might be intimidating to some bands, but not this one. "Our vocabulary includes everyone from Sun Ra to Son House," Yonrico states proudly.

As I prepare to leave, Yonrico once again voices his enthusiasm for the jam band scene, and he seems to want to make sure that I convey his gratitude to all the fans that make the scene possible. He praises the level of musicians in the jam band world (Karl Denson is a favorite, as is drummer Russell Batiste of the funky Meters), but most of all, I think he is impressed by the kindness and generosity of those who have welcomed him into the community. He grows philosophical for a moment, and says by way of concluding our visit, "You know, I'm 45, I've got two degrees, but I'm more excited now than I've ever been." And after all is said and done, isn't that what it's all about?