Couple plan musical jambalaya

Although Susan Tedeschi has shared stages with Wynton Marsalis and The Grateful Dead and toured with the Blind Boys of Alabama, this year's summer jaunt with her husband, Derek Trucks, may be her most exiting venture yet.

Dubbed "Soul Stew," the summer tour that makes a stop at Red Butte Garden on Sunday will feature Tedeschi and her saxophone player, Ron Holloway, paired with Trucks and his four-piece backing band.

Although Tedeschi and Trucks have played together many times, it has always been when one of them guested during the set of the other, not an official shared bill.

Because of that, Tedeschi said by phone from her Florida home that they plan to give the audience a unique experience, instead of simply playing each other's songs. The show could range from lengthy freestyle jams to a stripped-down acoustic hootenanny.

"It's a jambalaya of things, even if there is stuff from his records and my records," Tedeschi said. "There will also be a bunch of stuff from other people that we're doing just for this tour."

The motivation for the joint tour was a desire to spend more time with each other, as well as with their two toddler children, Tedeschi said. It was both a necessity and a possibility because of their success — especially Trucks', who has spent much of the past two years on the road as a rhythm guitarist for the Allman Brothers and Eric Clapton.

"Being apart so much and having two kids — it's hard, for him and me," she said. "We wanted to spend time together."

While Trucks has been playing more regularly, Tedeschi has still tried to focus on her own music in between the myriad tasks required by two children. She is planning her fifth record for the fall, which she said will probably have a bluesy sound comparable to her excellent 1998 debut, "Just Won't Burn."

The hardest part for her has been finding the time to write with children, since she is accustomed to writing in the late evening for two or three hours. While that has proven, at times, nearly impossible, she said it is simply one of the many challenges of being a parent.

However, she stresses that there is no challenge that outweighs the benefits of parenthood. "I love being a mom, so I just try to find a balance, because I really am three people — a mother, a wife and a musician. It's spontaneous and day-to-day."

If you go

What: Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi, Scrapomatic

Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheater

When: Sunday, 7 p.m.

How much: $31

Phone: 325-7328

Web: www.redbuttegarden.org or www.ticketmaster.com

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E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com