As a companion to his first Blues Deluxe album a score of years ago, Joe Bonamassa asks himself in the liner notes if he’s “still playing hungry” and “does the fire still burn”? He teams up with Josh Smith/g, Calvin Turner/b, Lemar Carter/dr, Reese Wynans/keys-B3 along with a horn, string and vocal section on this Whitman’s Sampler of blues. This album focuses on his spin on vintage tunes by the likes of Guitar Slim, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, Albert King and the likes, with Joe B using different brushes to paint the indigo’d canvas. If nothing else, his voice is 20 years better, out doing Paul Rodgers on a Free-ish read of “Twenty Four Hours”. The STAXy horns provide the sweat for “It’s Hard But It’s Fair” and The Truth Hurts” with Kirk Fletcher and Josh Smith”. The band gets into a Tower of Power vibe for “Hope You Realize It (Goodbye Again)” and Wynans gets swampy on “You Sure Drive A Hard Bargain”.
He asks if he’s good enough to pay tribute to his heroes again at the end of his notes. Joe B proves you can be established and still reaching forward, as this album resonates with grit.