As with all blues rock guitarists, Joe Bonamassa is best experienced in concert. This one from a September 30, 2016 gig at Australia’s Sydney Opera House, has him with his long-standing working unit of Reese Wynans/key, Anton Fig/dr, Michael Rhodes/b, Paulie Cerra/sax, Lee Thornburg/tp and the backing vocals of Mahalia Barnes, Juanita Tippins and Gary Pinto.
The entire setlist is included in the liner notes, and judging by the quality of the nine tunes included on the album, you have to wonder why not just make a smoking hot double disc of the whole night? While Joe B is best noted for his adroit guitar work, well demonstrated here on either his collection of Gibsons or Fenders on pieces like the thundering “Mountain Climbing” or the Town Without Pity licks on “No Good Place For The Lonely,” what always wins me over is his highly underrated voice.
While people have unjustly criticized Bonamassa that his guitar styling is impersonal, that claim cannot be laid to his voice, as he growls out urgency on the rollicking “This Train” and teams with the chorus on the gospel’d “How Deep This River Burns.” Wynans’ B3 is in smoky form for Joe B’s voice and ax on “Mainline Florida” and the horns give a STAXY support for the some Memphis stew as the leader works up a sweat on “Love Ain’t A Love Song.”
Joe B and company impress on a wide range of levels. With a voice like his, he might want to use this album as a launching pad for trying a new musical environment of support; his voice warrants it.