The more I listen to blues music, the more I understand the tradition and how it is shared through the generations. And each generation of artists puts their unique mark on this thing they call the blues. Enter Joe Bonamassa. A child prodigy on guitar, Bonamassa now 47, has been perfecting his style of blues for 35 years. In his live show, you will find nuggets of traditional blues infused with the rock and roll styled blues of the sixties and seventies. If you have never seen Joe do his thing in person, be prepared, it is going to be loud!
Keeping the pageantry to a minimum, Bonamassa greets Oklahoma with the funk infused, “Hope You Realize It (Goodbye Again)” from his latest studio release, Blues Deluxe Vol.2. In daring fashion, Joe has placed six of the songs from this album in the setlist. I highly suggest if you are taking him for the first time, listen to his live work, which is where you will find him at his best. With 19 live albums in his discography, he has certainly mastered the art of capturing the moment.
To showcase the fine musicians that accompany him, Bonamassa slows it down a bit with a Pink Floyd styled piece, “Self-Inflicted Wounds.” This soulful masterpiece demonstrates the harmonizing talents of his backup singers Ms. Monet, Dani De Andrea, and Jade Macrae. To hear them sing is worth the price of admission alone! Behind the drum kit Lemar Carter keeps a steady beat throughout the show. Occasional flourishes highlight his proficiency as a drummer. At this point I should also mention a keyboard player by the name of Reese Wynans. Mr. Wynans has a few claims to fame, one being he is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has been a premier player in Joe’s arsenal since 2015.
Being an understudy of the blues, Bonamassa includes covers of B.B. King’s “You Upset Me Baby,” Muddy Waters “Tiger In Your Tank,” and “See See Baby” by the immortal Freddie King. I would assume if you were touring with Joe your guitar skills should be on point, this brings us to Josh Smith. On a stage that could be easily filled by one guitarist Smith has no trouble going toe to toe with Joe. In fact, he is so good he has his own signature model guitar made by Ibanez. To end the main set, Bonamassa chooses to cover Leon Russell’s “Hummingbird.” No musician on stage is excluded during this ten-minute work of art.
As I write this review I think back to a part of the show where Joe relayed a behind-the-scenes story to those in attendance. He said outside of his dressing room there was a sign that read, Remember eighty percent of your audience is from Texas, and twenty percent of your audience is from Oklahoma. Bonamassa declares, 'Now I don’t want to cause a rift between two states but we all can agree that tonight we all love the blues!' Not only do we love the blues, Joe, but we also love the way you deliver it!
Thank you to Joe Bonamassa’s crew for allowing MTC MAG to be front and center. And a big thank you to Choctaw Casino for putting on another great show!
Photos of the show are below:
Contributed by Duane Clawson
Joe Bonamassa @ Choctaw Grand Theater, Durant, OK
Reviewed by Scott Rowe, Editor
on
August 12, 2024
Rating:
Reviewed by Scott Rowe, Editor
on
August 12, 2024
Rating:
