Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit performed at the Radians Amphitheater in Memphis on Friday during the first day of the MEMPHO Music Festival. The guitarist and his band welcomed former Allman Brothers Band keyboardist Chuck Leavell for a rendition of the ABB instrumental “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” to wrap up the festival play.
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit — drummer Chad Gamble, bassist Jimbo Hart, guitarist Sadler Vaden, fiddler Amanda Shires and keyboardist Derry Deborja — got the show underway with “24 Frames.” “It Gets Easier” and “What’ve I Done To Help” from the group’s 2020 album, Reunions, followed. The band would also offer the LP’s “Overseas” and “Dreamsicle” in the first half of the set.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit also regularly dipped from their 2017 record, The Nashville Sound, performing “Hope The High Road,” “Cumberland Gap,” “Last Of My Kind” and “If We Were Vampires.” Additional Isbell favorites like “Super 8″ and “Cover Me Up” as well as a tune, “Decoration Day,” from the singer-songwriter’s tenure with Drive-By Truckers, filled the latter half of the set.
To close the show, Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit welcomed renowned keyboardist Chuck Leavell for The Allman Brothers Band’s “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed.” Leavell played with ABB in the 1970s and beginning in the 1980s has been the longtime touring and studio keyboardist for The Rolling Stones. The in-demand musician has also played with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Gov’t Mule, The Black Crowes and many more.
Chuck joined Isbell and company on the Allman instrumental classic “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed.” The song originally appears on ABB’s 1970 album, Idlewild South, recorded before Chuck joined the band. But a version with Leavell can also be heard on the 1976 live album Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas. Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit included the song on their 2021 charity covers album Georgia Blue. In Memphis, Chuck added some tasty piano touches to the intro of “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” with Isbell and Vaden working the guitar harmonies. Leavell also took a stellar piano run during the solo sections ahead of a fiery ride from Isbell.
Watch fan-shot video of Chuck Leavell joining Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit for “Liz Reed” below:
Setlist
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Radians Amphitheater
- 24 Frames
- It Gets Easier
- What’ve I Done to Help
- Hope the High Road
- Dreamsicle
- Cumberland Gap
- Overseas
- Last of My Kind
- Alabama Pines
- Honeysuckle Blue
- If We Were Vampires
- Super 8
- Cover Me Up
- Decoration Day
- In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
