Joe Bonamassa: Different Shades of Blue (J&R/Southbound)

 |   |  <1 min read

Joe Bonamassa: So, What Would I Do
Joe Bonamassa: Different Shades of Blue (J&R/Southbound)

Astutely released today in advance of his sole New Zealand concert in Auckland tonight, this is the first album by acclaimed American guitarist/singer Joe Bonamassa featuring all his own compositions.

That's surprising given he has quite a body of releases behind him, but as always he refers to the past and the masters: the two-minute opener is the Hendrix-referencing Hey Baby/New Rising Sun followed by the equally Jimi-enthralled Oh Beautiful when the wah-wah kicks in and his finger fly across the fretboard like man possessed.

The album's title is telling in that here he really does take an inclusive view of the blues landscape from horn-honking up-steppers (Love Ain't A Song), nods to Texas boogie (Living on the Moon), gritty Chicago-styled crunchers (Heartache Follows Wherever I Go) and furious Elmore James slide-meets-Nawlins piano (I Gave Up Everything) into Southern soul-funk flavours (Trouble Town) . . .

The title track sounds a bit MOR Eighties rock (it is co-written with James House who has unleashed his inner Journey/Kansas). 

One of the delights throughout is the keyboard playing of Reese Wynans who bring heart to proceedings, nowhere more so than on the final song So What Would I Do which is a standout as Bonamassa gets right inside the aching vocal and -- with strings -- lets the space and restraint carry it as the spirit of BB King hovers overhead.

There is an Elsewhere interview with Joe Bonamassa here

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   Blues at Elsewhere articles index

Ben Harper, Charlie Musselwhite: Get Up! (Stax)

Ben Harper, Charlie Musselwhite: Get Up! (Stax)

To be honest, the first couple of times I saw Ben Harper I walked out being bored witless by a man I jokingly came to refer to as "Taj Marley" because he simply seemed to weld together... > Read more

Louisiana Red and Little Victor's Juke Joint: Memphis Mojo (Ruf/Yellow Eye)

Louisiana Red and Little Victor's Juke Joint: Memphis Mojo (Ruf/Yellow Eye)

Almost an octogenerian, Louisiana Red (aka Iverson Minter) has understandably become a fixture on blues circuits. Born in Alabama and his father lynched by the Klan, he once recorded for... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

THE 2019 TARANAKI WOMAD TIMETABLE: The world in your backyard

THE 2019 TARANAKI WOMAD TIMETABLE: The world in your backyard

As anyone who comes to this site knows, Elsewhere has had a many decades long engagement and interest in music from other parts of the planet beyond home, London, New York, LA and so on. Right... > Read more

Wabjie: Lull (bandcamp)

Wabjie: Lull (bandcamp)

Prompted by Elsewhere's recent article about the Meredith Monk album Dolmen Music, a Swiss jazz-cum-elsewhere trio asked if we might be interested in their work. They go by the name Wabjie --... > Read more