BONAMASSA TUCSON
Photography by Trystan Trenberth
Nothin’ like a Tuesday night road trip, a 240 mile round trip, with friends to see a legend, long in the making.
Bonamassa, who has played shows in Arizona, playing in smaller venues such as the Rhythm Room, up to the immense Comerica (formerly Dodge) theater and beyond. This time catering to his southern Arizonan fan base along with several from Phoenix and even New Mexico traveling to see the “Joe Show.”
Joe (Bonamassa) hailing from NY state, began playing guitar after his father, Len, exposed him to British Blues Rock, including Jeff Beck and in one interview recalled an occasion seeing a VHS tape of Eric Clapton performing at the Royal Albert Hall in, my home country, the United Kingdom. The venue is nothing short of mind-blowing in its’ intricate design, it’s beauty but most of all, it’s magical charisma, which envelops and casts its’ magical spell on all who step foot inside, patrons and performers alike. Completed in 1871 as a gift, then following his death during construction, a legacy of Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert.
Move forward to Joe at 12 years old when BB King picked Joe to open on some 10 dates of his North American tour in 1989, at which point the young Bonamassa was preparing to take the Blues world by storm, no prisoners. At this tender age, his first band “Smokin’ Joe Bonamassa” hit the scene, in no uncertain terms. Kicking off his band career in a project called ‘Bloodline’ with sons of well known musicians of the recent decades, including son of Miles Davis, all before the age of 18.
As he developed and studied under greats such as Danny Gatton, he ingested the signatures and styles of so many greats, not to copy, but to massage and merge his own sound, at times with notable and respectful usage of these tones and phrasing into his own music, whether playing his own remarkable and now very mature writings, or turning to some classic numbers written and / or played by his heroes and key influencers who have helped Joe mold his own sound so precisely into a modern blues market which he, himself, is trying to save, with the “Keeping the Blues Alive” foundation.
Today, 12 solo albums, 3 collaboration records – 2 with Beth Hart, 12 Live recordings and with Supergroup Black Country Communion, 3 further records (1 more to be tracked early in the New Year) and a live release, this ain’t any old Joe.
Bonamassa has build up a cult following in his ever more successful career, supporting not only “The Blues” as a lifestyle and a movement, but also keen to support other young guitarists hoping to follow in his path. This week the tour bus passed a teenager playing his heart out on the side of the street, hoping his hero would see, better still hear him play. Joe stopped the bus and had the young man join him at sound check and even plug in his guitar to Joes rig and made sure the engineers turned him right up, giving the lad the thrill of his lifetime. In Phoenix, 3 years ago, after I was at soundcheck with Joe and some of my friends, formerly of Joes Band with my 2 young children, he kindly bestowed on AZ Cultures’ own Gus Campbell (AZ Culture special contributor) a pedal from his personal collection, encouraging another (at the time 15 year old) to develop his own playing style, which has certainly been true in Gus’ case.
Today, we enter the venue, Tucson’s’ Music Hall. Around 2,500 capacity, great balcony overhead and find our seats, less than 10 minutes until ‘curtain,’ when the lights dim, the tension and excitement oozes from crowd, whilst on stage from the shadows Mike, Joes guitar tech and a stagehand walk Joe out with a Fender Strat to plug in, within seconds dark silhouettes have taken their positions before they launch into “This Train.”
A new facet to the production, at the end of the year, is the addition of 2 backing singers, who were clearly enhancing the delivery of the most commonly solo vocal performance of Joe. Accurate, clear absolutely spot on in harmonies and melodies alike. As with all the performances I’ve seen of Joe, he comes out on fire, but ALWAYS continues to turn up the heat to levels that, if you’ve never seen his show, you have never imagined.
He is undoubtedly a master of the guitar, a student of the blues, music, performance and life. His self-immersion into his art, his passion and his 110% emotionally attached to every note he picks, each one chosen for it’s purpose of transforming the moment in his mind, into an experience and an energy which oozes from his fingers through the fret board and the strings, and amplified by the engagement of the crowd, hanging of every one of those notes. He can play slow – milking the resonance of the string, adding or taking away feedback as he needs it, or as fast as lightning fingering runs of notes which mesmerize even the most skilled guitarist in the crowd, of which there are many at every show, from all walks of their musical lives. Respected and revered by pickers from Country to Jazz, from Bluegrass to classical.
Taking the audience through Mountain Climbing, Blues of Desperation – title track to his current release, several favorites of mine, including No Place For the Lonely, How Deep this River Runs, Love ain’t a love song, Gave Everything up for you… Then brings a change to the table, covering the classic blues track “Going Down” and finishing with “Hummingbird.”
Featuring less Les Paul than I’m used to, having been quoted as saying that for the recent recording of “Blues of Desperation” went to the studio with a different choice of guitar than he normally plays with, including a ’51 Fender Telecaster, he used this week to doink a security guard on the head, who Joe had observed being less than fair with one of his fans. Joe cares, he cares deeply about his growing and solid fan base, which span ALL continents of this planet.
Joe is truly a global star, less known in his own country, with a large percentage of his fans in Europe and Australia.
A strat, a Tele, a little Les Paul action but some Gibson ES’s with his favored Bigsby tremolo system installed.
A guardian of music as a whole, a patron of the art, an ambassador, no, a future King of the Blues. One day he will be crowned.
Lineup:
Joe Bonamassa – Guitar / Vocals
Anton Fig – Drums
Michael Rhodes – Bass
Reese Wynans – Keys / B3
Paulie Cerra – Tenor / Baritone Sax, Vocals
Lee Thornberg – Trumpet, Trombone
Lisa Richards – Backing Vocals
Wendy Moten – Backing Vocals
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