Provogue (label)
23 March 2015 (released)
08 March 2015
Sometimes it feels as though Mr Bonamassa is on a hiding to nothing: he is an immensely talented guitarist, looks good on stage and is able to pick and choose the music he wants to play while still selling albums by the bucketload but there are still those who accuse him of ripping off the people whose music is at the heart of his Blues and who won’t be persuaded by anything he does. To be honest I don’t get the haters, every release brings at least something of interest and this one is no exception.
This album goes right to the heart of his music – a show at Red Rocks featuring classic numbers by Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, two of the most revered and influential Bluesmen ever to walk the earth. His band includes a full horn section and the whole band is dressed in white jackets except the man himself who is in a black suit – not an affectation because if you look at Muddy or BB King or any of the Blues greats they tended to put on a show, this is not a jeans and sweatshirt show!
The songs on this set will be familiar to anyone who loves the Blues, songs by Willy Dixon, J. B. Lenoir, McKinley Morganfeld (Muddy Waters), Chester Burnett (Howlin’ Wolf) plus a few by Bonamassa himself and Hendrix’ ‘Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)’ and from the opening piece showing Bonamassa in Mississippi, through filmed sections featuring Muddy & Wolf and 20 tracks of blistering and enervating Blues the music just keeps driving and lifting you up.
This isn’t a lesson in the Blues and neither is it Bonamassa copying or ‘channelling’ Muddy Waters or Howlin’ Wolf, what you get from this is Bonamassa performing classics but putting his own slant on the music.
His playing is superb and the backing from the likes of Reese Wynans (Piano & Hammond), Anton Fig (drums), Mike Henderson (Harp) and Kirk Fletcher (guitar) is totally on the money but most important, this is doing real justice to numbers like ‘I Can’t Be Satisfied’, ‘Double Trouble’ or ‘My Home Is On The Delta’. His version of ‘How Many More Years’ with an intro from Wolf himself both shows the power of Wolf’s vocals and the songwriting genius of the man as well as some great piano from Wynans.
Personal favourites include a wonderful ‘Shake For Me’ which virtually bubbles with funk and ‘Spoonful’ that tells the story without letting up. Wolf reappears to introduce ‘Evil Is Going On’ but Bonamassa’s vocal still does justice to the Wolf’s growl.
Fans of Bonamassa’s own music will be satisfied with an exquisite and heartwrenching ‘Sloe Gin’ and a massive ‘Ballad of John Henry’.
JB has put on a show that does tribute to two of the masters while saying loudly that he is worthy of playing this music – not hubris, talent.
Stunning album / DVD
