Joe Bonamassa: Live from New York - Beacon Theatre Blu-ray

Joe Bonamassa: Live from New York - Beacon Theatre review As the electric guitar ace Joe Bonamassa was so strongly inspired by blues and blues-oriented six-stringers (i.e., Clapton, Johnny Winter), many of his fans would politely pester him about doing a disc of blues standards. Originally done as a lark, the results of such a session were deemed by Bonamassa good enough to be released--hence, BLUES DELUXE, on which he covers some lesser-known songs and includes three originals. Of course, his fierce, scorching guitar is center stage. If axe-men such as Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, and Buddy Guy are your cup of tea, this DELUXE item is a necessity. Recorded at Unique Studios, New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Harris Cohen. Personnel: Joe Bonamassa (vocals, guitar); Jon Paris (harmonica); Benny harrison (Hammond B-3 organ); Eric Czar (electric bass); Kenny Kramme (drums).

Joe Bonamassa: Live from New York - Beacon Theatre video Renowned guitarist Gary Moore devoted much of his early career to playing metal-tinged hard rock, first as a member of 1970s bands Skid Row, Thin Lizzy, and Colosseum II, and then as a solo artist throughout the 1980s. But in the 1990s, Moore reembraced the influences of Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Peter Green for a return to his first love, the blues. This concert captures the revamped Moore and his backing band The Midnight Blues at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1990, performing tracks from that year's STILL GOT THE BLUES that includes "Walking by Myself," "All Your Love," "Cold Cold Feeling," and many more. This concert was recorded in 1990 on the tour for Still Got the Blues. It features the band used on that album and special guest Albert Collins, who also appeared on the album. As a bonus feature, 3 tracks from his concert at Montreux in 1997 are included.

Joe Bonamassa: Live from New York - Beacon Theatre movie This concert by accomplished blues artist Joe Bonamassa sees the meeting of old world and new, with explosive results. Held in one of Germany's oldest, most atmospheric castles, the concert showcases the artist's skills as he delivers a set full of energy, soul, and emotion. In addition to his own original music, Bonamassa plays music by Rod Stewart, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, B.B. King, and John Lee Hooker. Shot on location at Burg Satzvey, one of Germany's oldest and most revered castles dating back to 1396, Joe Bonamassa LIVE AT ROCKPALAST gives old world Europe a shot in the arm with an electrifying brand of rock and blues. Produced by Rockpalast, Germany's legendary music series, Bonamassa gives the performance of his life which some critics are comparing to the excitement and energy of Stevie Ray Vaughan's EL MOCAMBO; performing his own music as well as the work of such legendary artists as Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Rod Stewart, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker and Steve Winwood.

Joe Bonamassa: Live from New York - Beacon Theatre film He'll never be the new Stevie Ray Vaughan, but at the rate blues-rock (emphasis on the latter) guitarist Joe Bonamassa is going, he can take a stab at being the next Gary Moore. Like the Irish guitarist, Bonamassa is influenced by the British blues-rockers more than the Americans they lifted their licks from. He's also just as prolific; this is his thirteenth album in twelve years and that's not including side projects with Black Country Communion and Beth Hart, and DVDs grabbed from his 200-night-a-year road schedule filled with sweaty, high-energy performances. Makes you tired just reading about it. Bonamassa isn't much of a songwriter so he wisely contributes only four tunes to this disc's eleven, with some relatively obscure deep blues covers from Howlin' Wolf ("Who's Been Talkin'"), Willie Dixon ("I Got All You Need"), and Robert Johnson ("Stones in My Passway") gravitating toward his roots side. Also included are offbeat choices from Bill Withers ("Lonely Town/Lonely Street") and Tom Waits ("New Coat of Paint"). For better or worse, they all end up sounding like Joe Bonamassa tracks, since he feeds them into his leathery rock sensibilities, churning out requisite hot guitar solos whether they serve the song or not. He's left his road-hardened band on the sidelines and calls in top-notch session guys, including Aerosmith's Brad Whitford, David Letterman drummer Anton Fig, and keyboardist Arlen Schierbaum, whose piano and organ add some much-needed R&B attitude to the hard rock attack. Bonamassa even relinquishes lead vocals to Australian Jimmy Barnes, who goes so over the top singing his own "Too Much Ain't Enough Love" it seems like he is auditioning for AC/DC. Longtime producer Kevin Shirley gets a slick, professional sound from these guys, and when everyone is cooking and the material is solid, such as on the grinding Bonamassa original "Dislocated Boy" and the Wolf cover (including a spoken word sample of the blues legend that kicks off the tune), the arrangements and guitars mesh together like whisky and soda. What Bonamassa lacks in a distinctive sound and singing, he makes up for with sheer determination, which is almost enough to push the album from pretty good to pretty great, especially on the horn-enhanced slow blues of "A Place in My Heart" that explodes out of the speakers in a way Gary Moore could summon at will. In other words, this is a keeper if you've already bought into the guitarist's more-is-more approach that has served him well thus far, and he shows no signs of abandoning it now. ~ Hal Horowitz Liner Note Author: Joe Bonamassa. Recording information: Studio At The Palms, Las Vegas, NV; The Cave, Malibu, CA; The Village Recorder, Los Angeles, CA. Illustrator: Dennis Friel. Photographers: Rick Gould; Marcus Sweeney-Bird. Personnel: Joe Bonamassa (vocals, guitar); Rick Melick (keyboards); Tal Bergman (drums, percussion); Roy Weisman, Evert Wubben, Ed Van Zijl, Rachael Iverson. Audio Mixer: Kevin Shirley.

Joe Bonamassa: Live from New York - Beacon Theatre BRAY for sale Fans of guitar master Joe Bonamassa will be delighted that 2011 was such a prolific year in his career. First came the fine, rootsy Dust Bowl, then 2, the second chapter in his Black Country Communion project's catalog. Don't Explain, a collection of soul, blues, and jazz-oriented covers in collaboration with vocal firebrand Beth Hart marks his third entry this year. The ten-song set of blues and soul is a logical extension of her vocal contribution to "No Love on the Street" from Dust Bowl. Opening is a thoroughly raucous contemporary blues reading of Ray Charles' "Sinner's Prayer," followed by a quirky version of Tom Waits' "Chocolate Jesus," and an unusual cover of contemporary jazz-pop singer/songwriter Melody Gardot's "You Heart Is as Black as Night." On this cut, a string orchestra adds a touch of perversity; it offers the impression of a femme fatale singing a Brecht-Weill number in a smoky cabaret in front of a moody string orchestra, buoyed by a brooding electric blues quintet. "For My Friends," a Bill Withers' tune, is a big, nasty, jagged blues number that keeps the funky groove intact. The title track, a number closely associated with Billie Holiday, falls flat. Hart tries too hard to employ Holiday's phrasing, the string orchestrations are overblown, and Bonamassa's crew is too reverent. This formula also mars the remake of Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way" that closes the set. Far better are readings of Etta James' signatories "I'd Rather Go Blind," and "Something's Got a Hold on Me." Hart's emotive, throaty delivery is perfectly suited to both songs, and she resists trying to ape James' phrasing. Since they follow one another directly, the musical difference between them also showcase's Hart's diverse abilities. The former is a soul burner, the latter a gospel blues. Bonamassa and band accent her every phrase with requisite rowdiness, sting, and grit. The pair's only vocal collaboration is a burning read of Delaney & Bonnie's "Well, Well." With Anton Fig's breaks and rim shots underscoring Arlan Scheirbaum's electric piano fills, Bonamassa's burning leads, the chunky, rhythmic foundation from guitarist Blondie Chaplin, and Carmine Rojas' bassline, Hart and the lead guitarist trade whip-smart call and response vocals with enough raw country-soul to bring the song to a new audience. While not a perfect recording, Don't Explain is a good one, whose strengths are numerous enough to warrant a second go round. ~Thom Jurek Liner Note Authors: Laura Grover; Beth Hart. Recording information: Village Recorders, West L.A. Photographer: Mike Prior. Personnel: Joe Bonamassa (vocals, guitar); Beth Hart (vocals, piano); Blondie Chaplin (guitar); Arlan Scheirbaum (keyboards); Carmine Rojas (bass guitar); Anton Fig (drums, percussion). Audio Mixer: Kevin Shirley.

Joe Bonamassa: Live from New York - Beacon Theatre movie This musical release from Joe Bonamassa captures the artist's landmark performance at Royal Albert Hall on May 4, 2009. Some of the tracks featured in the concert include So Many Roads, The Ballad of John Henry, So It's Like That, Django, and more. When Joe Bonamassa took the stage at Royal Albert Hall in May 2009, he fulfilled a dream he'd held since first picking up a guitar as a kid in upstate New York. The sold-out concert -- fresh off the release of his #1 album THE BALLAD OF JOHN HENRY -- marked Bonamassa's headlining debut at arguably the most prestigious concert venue in the world. "May 4, 2009 was a day 20 years in the making," says Bonamassa. "I have never been so honored in my life. It was truly larger than the sum of its parts." The two decades he's referring to began when -- at age 12 -- he first opened for blues icon B.B. King, who said, "this kid's potential is unbelievable." King's words are as fitting today as they were then. Bonamassa averages 200 shows every year, and with each gig, he comes more into his own as a virtuoso and a vocalist. At the Hall, Bonamassa had the added honor of being joined onstage by the legendary Eric Clapton. This version presents that magical night in full -- for posterity, and for all the fans that couldn't be among the roughly 5,000 concertgoers filling the seats. The twelve camera high definition, surround sound shoot was produced by Bonamassa's longtime collaborator Kevin Shirley.