Since I didn’t grow up in the 1960s or 70s, I can only imagine what people expected when they went to see a Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn or Buddy Guy concert. The intrigue of a guitar master who could do things on the instrument which were outside of our comprehension is something that draws audiences to new guitar masters like Joe Bonamassa. The amps, pedals and effects have changed, but the flow of rock creativity through instrumentation continue to evolve and impress.
Joe Bonamassa has covered it all from blues to rock, and even done some outstanding duo work with other performers (notably Jason Bonham and Beth Hart). Inspired by icons like BB King, Eric Clapton and the Jeff Beck Group, Bonamassa evokes an Eric Johnson prowess of the instrument with a more hard-line command and style. With 11 studio albums and over 11 live albums, the combination of studio and performance work keep his chops at top-gear levels.
With a guitarist known for his instrumentation as well as songwriting (a nod to Clapton, Hendrix, and SRV), keying in on particular tracks to showcase becomes a little more arduous than just picking a great solo or sweet chorus line. Standouts for Bonamassa include New Coat of Paint, Dust Bowl, Different Shades Of Blue and the Led Zeppelin (b-side) cover of Tea for One (from You & Me). Joe also hosts his own radio show (The Pickup Radio).
