The Devon Almann Project

Devon Allman has blues rock in his DNA. This unmistakable sound has characterized his music since he started playing guitar as a teenager, right up to his most recent albums with the Allman Betts Band. But for his first solo album in eight years, Allman freed himself from any genre expectations, picked up the bass guitar and wrote a series of songs influenced by R&B, funk and alt-rock.

"I used to create something on my records that I thought had to fit into contemporary blues or straight-ahead rock 'n' roll," says Allman. "This time I didn't have that in mind. Instead, my goal was to write music that moved me.

The result is Miami Moon, an undeniably feel-good album that evokes the promise of crystal blue skies, endless humid nights and the summertime of our dreams. Recorded at Criteria Recording Studios in Miami, the legendary outpost where Allman's father Gregg and the Allman Brothers Band recorded LPs like 1972's Eat a Peach, the album has echoes of Curtis Mayfield, Sade and even The Cure, evoking hues of bright pink and deep navy blue.

"I always see records in colors, and when I wrote this batch of songs, I knew we had to record something fun and upbeat," says Allman, who lives in St. Louis. "We live in a time where you can make a record in your basement or in your bedroom, but I wanted to go to a place that had history in its hallowed halls and stories in the structure of its spaces. There's a really sacred vibe at Criteria."

But location is only part of the Miami Moon equation - Allman also assembled a dream team of a session band to bring his songs to life. George Porter Jr. of the Meters played bass, Ivan Neville manned the keys, Adam Deitch of Lettuce handled the drums and Karl Denson blew sax. R. Scott Bryan, the multi-instrumentalist who died in 2023, shortly after recording was completed, makes one of his final appearances as drummer. Allman's longtime collaborator, Tom Hambridge, returned as producer.

"The songs were crying out for these musicians," says Allman. "I called them and said, 'Can you guys take a week off and come to Miami, where we'll eat Cuban food, watch the NBA and make music? And that's all we did. Being together is the be-all and end-all of good music."

You can feel the chemistry right from the start. Opening track "White Horse" by Miami Moon storms out of the gate with Deitch's steady beat and Neville's meandering bass line, while Allman's soulful vocals float high above. "You're always waiting for your white horse/you're always looking for a way out," he sings in the chorus, backed by the harmonies of Allie Vogler and Mattie Schell, former members of the band River Kittens. "'White Horse' has that Curtis Mayfield vibe that I love so much, and I just went crazy with the production," says Allman.

On the title track, Allman and his musicians take the listener on a trip to South Florida. There are water effects and nature sounds before Neville's atmospheric keys and Allman's baritone create a musical swoon. "'Miami Moon' is one of my proudest moments on the album. It's very diverse, including a middle jazzy interlude with the saxophone. The guitar is straight out of the playbook of The Disintegration by The Cure, with the descending lines and the drenched delays," he says. "It's a joy for me to be able to put something like that into the mix.

Similar to "Miami Moon," two standout tracks on the album transport listeners to other geographical locations. "Climb Aboard" is a call to bold living, in which Allman urges you to see the world, from Helsinki to Rome, from Argentina to Kilimanjaro. "Sahara", a breathtaking instrumental piece, does the same, but with Allman's guitar and Denson's saxophone setting the course.

"Sahara" was inspired by a trip Allman took with his son to Morocco. "We took camels into the Sahara Desert, and the silence you experience there is like nothing else in the world. There are no sounds, no people, no vehicles, no cities, no animals. It's the strangest but quietest silence you can ever experience," he says. "I wanted to write something that would feel like the soundtrack to it. Could I reflect that feeling I had in the music?"

Allman succeeds in creating that mood and more. At the end of "Miami Moon", he introduces fans to a Van Morrison track: "You Gotta Make It Through the World" from Morrison's 1977 album A Period of Transition is a funky band jam with a simple message. "Life isn't always rosy", says Allman, "but you have to keep going".

Allman keeps pushing forward, as his own person and musician. Though shaped by his father's influence, he has developed his own sound through bold decisions and a relentless spirit. Last year, he and Donovan Frankenreiter set a record, playing 50 shows in 50 states in 49 days. There's still a lot to do, he says.

"I've reached a point in my career where I can spread my wings without fear. Miami Moon is the product of that," says Allman. "This record is proof that it's okay to leave base camp and go on your own little hike."

An event organized by Konzertbüro Schoneberg GmbH.