Blues Deluxe - Eilidh Mckellar with Joe Bonamassa and Bernie Marsden

In the UK where the reverence for American blues artists runs deep and has brought forth legendary guitar heroes Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton, the endless grey skies of Edinburgh, Scotland are most definitely not immune to this musical iconography. Eilidh McKellar, a 19-year-old Scottish born singer and guitarist offers an interesting blend of indie rock, blues, and pop music with a nod towards the New World. Not only can Eilidh play with heartfelt emotion on the guitar, her voice comes from deep in the Mississippi River delta- where alligators lie in wait and Southern Comfort allays the sins of the soul. Eilidh started playing the guitar when she was 9 years old. With no other musicians in the family everything Eilidh has achieved has been the result of her own hard work and endearing devotion to her local guitar shop. In time she became a much beloved local fixture there testing out every available guitar on its walls. Meanwhile at home Eilidh listened to her dad’s Rolling Stones albums fostering an early love of the blues. “I loved the sound of those records, very raw and loose as if everyone was comfortable in their skin- I was feeling that.” Her interest in the blues expanded when she watched a television documentary and it led Eilidh to discover artists such as Robert Johnson, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix. Guitar lessons, both electric and classical, continued through her high school years. Together with Eilidh’s experience as part of the Edinburgh School Rock Ensemble for 5 years, allowed her to develop her guitar abilities and overall musicianship. In 2011 Eilidh began uploading performance videos to YouTube, initially to raise her profile and to help with music college applications, which landed her at the Leeds College of Music. The video response was very positive and Eilidh has now clocked up a nearly one million views overall. She also began performing on the local Edinburgh blues scene. This provided Eilidh with opportunities to jam with established musicians such as Oli Brown and James Burton. The highlight of her nascent career was performing at the Hammersmith Apollo with legendary blues/rock guitarist, Joe Bonamassa. Joe had seen Eilidh on YouTube and asked her to join him on stage-- a huge honor and she delivered great solos much to his and the audiences delight. Eilidh’s YouTube videos then caught the attention of American manager and producer, Guy Eckstine, who immediately offered his services for creative direction and career guidance. “As soon as I got wind of her and watched her videos, I reached out through social media. I asked Eilidh if she could sing- and she really “hadn’t bothered to try.” Two weeks later she sent me vocal demos which blew my mind.” Incorporating her various influences into a contemporary recording will be an interesting adjustment. “I’ve got many influences and voices inside of me that need to get out there into the world- I love indie rock, jazz, blues, and pop music too- I can’t wait to make this all come to fruition this year.” If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Joe Bonamassa finds his groove with Rock Candy Funk Party album

UK RELEASE: MONDAY 28th JANUARY 2013

With its reboot of classic ’70s /‘80s jazz-funk, Rock Candy Funk Party (RCFP) delivers a sound that’s as celebratory as the name suggests.  The group is powered by a line-up of world renowned players—album producer Tal Bergman (drums), Joe Bonamassa (guitar), Ron DeJesus (guitar), Mike Merritt (bass) and Renato Neto (keyboards)—who came together for the sheer fun of making music, and a mutual love of genre-blurring grooves.
RCFP’s first album We Want Groove is released in the UK by Provogue Records on Monday January 28, 2013 (US release is Tuesday January 29). Fans can get their first taste of the album by obtaining a free download of the single “Octopus-e” HERE




The album, featuring nine tracks, eight originals and one cover, is full of space and texture, mashed up funk, jazz, rock and virtuoso musicianship.  The album includes a bonus DVD that comprises a  making-of featurette, two in-the-studio featurettes and the official music video for “Octopus-e.”
While the album is instrumental, the interplay between RCFP’s members—whose collective credits include Joe Zawinul, Hugh Masekela, Prince, LL Cool J, Ruth Brown, Chaka Khan, Simples Minds, Billy Idol, Tito Puente, Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Levon Helm, Conan O’Brien, Luther Vandross, Sheila E. and many more—is a riveting conversation all its own. 
“It really was the definition of collaboration, one of those records where you want to bottle the vibe and save it for all albums,” says Bonamassa.
That improvisational nature comes through on We Want Groove, which was recorded live over the course of ten straight days at Tal Bergman’s studio in LA.  The environment was egalitarian and ego-neutral, with each player sharing equally in creating the music.
“The concept of this record had everything do with interplay,” says Bergman.  “Everybody fed off each other, reacted, and captured the moment.” 
In title and spirit, the album tips its hat to Miles Davis’ classic 1982 live instrumental LP We Want Miles, which Mike Merritt says “was kind of a template for our project.”  Its influence is one of many echoing through RCFP’s re-imagination of jazz-funk—the album opener, “Octopus-e,” boasts a sinewy funk groove that suggests a meeting between Jeff Beck and the Average White Band. 
The gorgeously atmospheric “The Best Ten Minutes Of Your Life” has an early ’70s Temptations-style groove that just “lays there for late night.” The album closes with the lush and soulful melodies of “New York Song.”  “All flavors went into making this album,” says Bergman, citing other influences including Herbie Hancock, James Brown, Weather Report, Earth, Wind & Fire, Led Zeppelin, Sly Stone, and, of course, Miles Davis.
“Tal did a great job making sure the album didn’t become over indulgent,” says Bonamassa.  “The challenge was to keep it fresh without our influences overwhelming the music—to keep the band vibe without it becoming too many ideas from too many people.  It was important to commit to the moment and keep it fresh, and fun.  There is a fine line.”
RCFP grew out of Bergman and DeJesus’ 2007 instrumental album Grooove Vol. 1, and subsequent live dates at L.A.’s storied jazz spot The Baked Potato. They encouraged other musicians to jam with them, including Merritt, (currently a member of The Basic Cable Band on Conan) and Neto (who toured with Prince from 2002-2011) who joined the line-up early on. Bonamassa made his RCFP debut in early 2012 during one of his rare breaks from the road when Bergman - who has toured with the guitarist - invited him to sit in on a pair of gigs. 
To celebrate the release, RCFP will play two exclusive sold out shows on January 23 and 24 at The Baked Potato in Los Angeles.

We Want Groove – Album Track Listing

CD
1. “Octopus-e”
2. “Spaztastic”
3. “Ode To Gee”
4. “We Want Groove”
5. “The Best Ten Minutes of Your Life”
6. “Animal/Work”
7. “Dope On A Rope”
8. “Root Down (and Get It)”
9. “New York Song”

DVD
1. “The Making of We Want Groove”
2. “In the Studio – Episode 1”
3. “In the Studio – Episode 2”
4. “Official Music Video for Octopus-e”

Rock Candy Funk Party - Essential Web Links

RCFP Official Website
www.rockcandyfunkparty.com

RCFP Official Facebook
www.facebook.com/rockcandyfunk

RCFP Official Twitter
https://twitter.com/rockcandyfunk

RCFP Official YouTube
www.youtube.com/rockcandyfunkparty

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Joe Bonamassa's London 2013 concerts sold out! (VIP tickets available)

STANDARD SEATS ALL SOLD OUT - ONLY VIP REMAINING

Standard tickets for Joe Bonamassa’s four wildly anticipated LONDON 2013 concerts next March have now completely SOLD OUT, only a limited number of VIP tickets remain for fans wanting to catch the world’s hottest guitarist on this historic run of dates.

The four London concerts, all of which will be filmed in-full for DVD release later in the year, chronicle Joe’s atmospheric rise to the very top of the guitar world – Kicking-off at the intimate 200 reduced capacity London Borderline on Tuesday March 26, Bonamassa will then play the 02 Shepherds Bush Empire and HMV Hammersmith Apollo on Wednesday March 27 and Thursday March 28 respectively, before finishing the week at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday March 30.

For further information about the VIP tickets, which include the best seats in the house at all the shows, and exclusive access to the Borderline concert visit: www.thegigcartel.com/joevip/
Download your free copy of the song “When The Fire Hits The Sea” from http://jbonamassa.com/london.

For those fans that purchase a special VIP ticket, this will enable them to attend all four concerts including admission to see Bonamassa perform an intimate concert at the Borderline in London on Tuesday 26th March 2013.
The rare Borderline concert is restricted to a limited run of 200 tickets, and will showcase Joe’s atmospheric rise to the top of the guitar world, in an intimate and a reduced capacity setting of this famous London West End venue where it all began for the critically acclaimed blues rock guitarist.
Now’s your chance to get up close and personal in London with Joe Bonamassa at what is being hailed as “The Guitar Event of the Year.”
Joe will perform all four of his London concerts with his touring band that features the talents of Carmine Rojas (bass), Rick Melick (keyboards) and Tal Bergman (drums).
VIP packages will include concert access and additional Joe Bonamassa exclusive content:

• The Borderline, London - VIP ticket only access to this capacity reduced show.
• O2 Shepherds Bush Empire (best seat in the house, plus access to exclusive VIP bar).
• HMV Hammersmith Apollo (best seat in the house).
• Royal Albert Hall (best seat in the house, plus 3 course meal, wine & champagne).
• Each VIP ticket will also include a £250 very special and limited edition high quality collectable lithograph personally autographed by Joe.
• £250 shopping spree at the Joe Bonamassa store with each ticket purchased.
• VIP ticket holders also will receive a limited edition golden tour laminate that entitles them to access to the exclusive bar, plus special VIP treatment.

"Joe Bonamassa is the new messiah for guitar music lovers."
– The Sun

 "Bonamassa's precision guitar playing is
something of a revelation."
– Classic Rock

"Bonamassa's guitar playing and singing are still on a strong upward curve.  Forget derivative – this couldn't be anyone but Joe."
- Guitarist

24 Hour Box Office: 0844 478 0898
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com/joevip

The Borderline, London
Tuesday 26 March 2012
VIP Tickets: Special limited run of 200
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Orange Yard, 16 Manette Street,
London, W1D 4JB

O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Wednesday 27 March 2012
Tickets: £40, £45, £50, £60
Box Office: 0844 477 200
Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8TT
www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk

HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Thursday 28 March 2012
Tickets: £35, £40, £45, £60
Box Office: 08448 44 47 48
2 Queen Caroline Street,
Hammersmith, London, W6 9QH
www.hammersmithapollo.net

Royal Albert Hall, London
Saturday 30 March 2012
Tickets: £35, £40, £45, £50, £60, £75
Box Office: 020 7589 8212
** Hospitality packages available from the Royal Albert Hall **
Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP
www.royalalberthall.com

JOE BONAMASSA - BIOGRAPHY

Driving Towards The Daylight is Bonamassa’s 13th solo album released byProvogue Records in Europe and his J&R Adventures label (co-founded with manager Roy Weisman) in the US.  It’s also his 7th collaboration with the legendary classic rock record producer, Kevin “Caveman” Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Black Crowes, Black Country Communion).
Recorded at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles, California and Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada, Driving Towards The Daylight is a balanced back-to-basics album that highlights Bonamassa’s signature style of blues, roots and rock & roll.  
On the day of the release of the album, Bonamassa performed for the very first time on the hugely popular American chat show, Late Night With David Letterman.
In March 2012, Joe released the live DVD “Joe Bonamassa: Beacon Theatre – live From New York” filmed over two sold-out nights a New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre.  Special guests included Paul Rodgers, Beth Hart and John Hiatt.
During the same month of March 2012, Bonamassa embarked on an extensive UK Arena Tour selling out massive concert venues in Brighton, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Bournemouth and Birmingham.
In 2011, Bonamassa released his 12th solo album Dust Bowl, and followed this with a duet album with Beth Hart entitled Don’t Ask (the latter spawned two singles that received airplay on BBC Radio 2 in the UK.
In 2010, Bonamassa’s previous album, Black Rock, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Blues Albums Chart and #38 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart, a huge leap from 2009’s The Ballad of John Henry which debuted at #136 on the Top 200. The eleventh full-length solo release and ninth studio album of his career, this new disc will mark Bonamassa’s eighth collaboration with Kevin Shirley as producer.
In May 2010 he asked Ian Anderson to guest at his concert at London's Hammersmith Apollo on May 28th in London, and they played "A New Day Yesterday" along with “Locomotive Breath". The concert was the largest audience Joe had played to date (the capacity was 5,200).
Recently, Bonamassa has been splitting duties with his side project, the English-American rock group Black Country Communion with bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Billy Idol, Dream Theater).
BCC released their debut self-titled album, also produced by Shirley, on September 21, 2010. It entered the Billboard Top 200 Chart at #53 and is getting rave reviews. Mojo magazine gave the album four stars and Goldmine said it’s “Possibly, the best hard rock album of 2010.” Music Radar describes it as “a potent and stomping collection of riff-heavy rockers that will undoubtedly stun listeners.”
In addition to the success of Black Rock and Black Country Communion’s stellar debut, 2010 kicked off with Guitar World dubbing Bonamassa - “The Blues Rock Titan” and his song, “Lonesome Road Blues,” was included in Guitar Hero V’s New Blues Masters Track Pack. He was also honoured twice in Guitar Player Magazine’s June 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards winning “Best Overall Guitarist” for the first time and “Best Blues Guitarist” for the fourth consecutive year. On June 26, he played the main stage at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago.
In May 2009, he played a sold out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall, arguably the most prestigious concert venue in the world and had the added honour of being joined on stage by the legendary Eric Clapton. Released Oct. 6, 2009 and debuting at #6 on Billboard’s DVD Chart was Joe Bonamassa – Live From The Royal Albert Hall, a 2-disc live DVD capturing the intensity and excitement of that show which Bonamassa calls “a day 20 years in the making.” Also, in 2009, Bonamassa was awarded the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award at the UK’s prestigious Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.
A child prodigy, Bonamassa opened shows at age 12 for blues legend B.B. King, who said after first seeing him play, “This kid's potential is unbelievable…He's one of a kind.” Bonamassa’s recording career began in the early ’90s with Bloodline, a rock-blues group also featuring Robby Krieger’s son Waylon and Miles Davis’ son Erin. His solo debut was in 2000 with the Tom Dowd-produced A New Day Yesterday.
Bonamassa averages 200 shows every year, almost always playing to sold-out and ever-larger houses, and with each gig, he comes more into his own as a virtuoso and a vocalist. As he heads back to the road in support of his new album, Bonamassa remains infinitely passionate about playing live, connecting with his audiences and making new fans along the way like Slash, who recently said, “Just saw Joe Bonamassa on Jools Holland again. He's definitely my new favourite guitarist." 

Joe Bonamassa Essential Web Links:

Order Tickets for the London 2013 Concerts - 4 Shows Only!
www.thegigcartel.com/joevip

Joe Bonamassa – Official Website
www.jbonamassa.com

Joe Bonamassa – Facebook
www.facebook.com/joebonamassa

Joe Bonamassa – Twitter
http://twitter.com/jbonamassa

 

Black Country Communion's 'Afterglow' album released October 29th

Download Black Country Communion's FREE song "Confessor" HERE

THE BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM
AFTERGLOW
UK RELEASE: MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012

Black Country Communion the Anglo-American rock group comprising vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner), Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Alice Cooper, Billy Idol) and blues-rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa, release their third album, ‘Afterglow’, via Mascot Records on Monday October 29th.
Just like its two predecessors, ‘Afterglow’ was overseen by Kevin Shirley, whose catalogue of hit records for Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, Journey, The Black Crowes and many more has made him the hottest producer that rock music has to offer. Shirley – who had the idea of putting Hughes and Bonamassa together in a band together after seeing them jamming onstage in Los Angeles back in November 2009 – is the group’s unofficial ‘fifth member’.
The additions of Jason Bonham, esteemed son of Led Zeppelin’s John, who took his father’s place when the legendary group made musical history by reuniting at London’s O2 Arena in December 2007, and the in-demand Derek Sherinian, made them a force to be reckoned with. An air of expectancy and excitement greets the unveiling of ‘Afterglow’.
When issued in September 2010, BCC’s self-titled debut was described by Classic Rock magazine as “Possibly the best hard rock album of 2010”, whilst Mojo magazine awarded it 4 stars. Music Radar hailed the disc as “a potent and stomping collection of riff-heavy rockers that will undoubtedly stun listeners.”
During its first week of release in the UK the album hit the #1 spot in the Official Top 40 Rock Album Chart. It was voted #3 in Classic Rock magazine’s “Critics Album of the Year” poll, and listeners of Planet Rock Radio crowned BCC as the Best New Band of 2010.

Black Country Communion L-R: Joe Bonamassa (Guitar/Vocals), Derek Sherinian (Keyboards),
Glenn Hughes (Lead Vocals/Bass), Jason Bonham (Drums). Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

Issued a mere nine months later, in time for a well received slot at the High Voltage Festival in London, ‘Black Country Communion 2’ was darker and deeper than its predecessor.  Once again it topped the UK’s Rock Album Chart. The band were also the recipients of the Best Breakthrough Act award at Classic Rock magazine’s prestigious Roll Of Honour ceremony. Acknowledging that more than a single listen was required to fully appreciate its “depth and artistry”, the same magazine rightly called ‘BCC2’ “one stone-solid classic song after another”.
This time with Bonamassa busy notching up the miles to promote his biggest solo record to date – ‘Driving Towards The Daylight’ reached Number Two in the UK’s Top 40 Album Chart – BCC (the distinctive name is a reference to the industrial area in the Midlands of Great Britain where both Hughes and Bonham were born and raised) had far more time to prepare ‘Afterglow’… and it shows.
“There were six months to write this album, and I’m really excited by the way it came out,” comments Glenn Hughes, the man responsible for the bulk of its contents. “I wanted to make a record that stood up to the first two, but not to repeat either of those records. There would be absolutely no point beginning it with a song like ‘Black Country’ [the distinctively energetic track that kicked off the debut].”
The band assembled to record ‘Afterglow’ in a studio in Westlake Village, about 70 miles outside of Hollywood, during five supremely productive days. Its 11 songs are set to delight all fans of high quality hard rock, also those that admire singers of distinction. Hughes is not known as The Voice Of Rock for nothing.

Black Country Communion L-R: Jason Bonham (Drums), Derek Sherinian (Keyboards),
Glenn Hughes (Lead Vocals/Bass), Joe Bonamassa (Guitar/Vocals). Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

In terms of content, ‘Afterglow’ expands upon the progression that took place between ‘BCC’ and ‘BCC2’. Rich in hooks, melodies and choruses, it’s nonetheless another of those highly rewarding albums that bears additional fruit with repeated spins.
“I wanted this album to have more acoustic moments than the previous two,” explains Hughes. “I wanted to hear more of Derek [Sherinian] and I wanted the more angelic voice of Glenn as well as the more aggressive one which is there on songs like ‘Crawl’ and ‘Midnight Sun’. Above all, I wanted more drama.”
Hughes shares lead vocals with Bonamassa on the song ‘Cry Freedom’. “The vocal sound that Kevin got on this record is second to none – it’s his best work yet with BCC,” believes Hughes. “We butted heads a little on the first and second albums, simply because we’re both control freaks, but this was the record on which Kevin and Glenn became friends.”
Indeed, Hughes speaks of Shirley in the most glowing terms. “Kevin only needs three hours of sleep per night; he’s hyper and super-intelligent. He cracks the whip but he also knows exactly what he’s talking about when it comes to music.”
Black Country Communion hope to tour ‘Afterglow’ at the start of 2013.

Here’s a breakdown of the album’s contents in the words of Glenn Hughes:
BIG TRAIN
“It’s very quirky and British-sounding. Jason Bonham is an incredible timekeeper. I love the way he provides the engine room on that song.
THIS IS YOUR TIME
“Let’s give Jason Bonham a little more love. He writes his songs on an iPhone whilst driving his car, which is completely nuts. It really helps the groove factor. He emailed me some footage of him playing this song. He wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics. It has a huge chorus, too. Jason is not just a brilliant drummer – he’s a great songwriter.”
MIDNIGHT SUN
“I had my wallet stolen in a Starbucks and arrived late at the studio. When I got there the guys were fooling around with a song that sounds quite a lot like The Who, thanks to those Rabbit Bundrick-style keyboards. I picked up my bass and joined in. It’s quite a romp; there’s a definite vibe of Moon and Entwistle.”
CONFESSOR
“The first album had ‘No Time’, which was slow and groovy. I wrote ‘Confessor’ that way too, but when Jason heard it he insisted upon playing it – in his own words – like his dad would have done. We’re a democratic band and I went along with that. When he turbo-d it up it really came to life.”
CRY FREEDOM
“I sang this one alone originally until Kevin pointed out that the album didn’t have a song with split vocals. Joe and I sing well together. I’ve never had a problem sharing a microphone with other great singers. We really let rip off one another on this one, which has a ZZ Top/Humble Pie kind of a vibe.”
AFTERGLOW
“[At more than six minutes long] it’s an epic song. I was adamant that this album should have a proper title instead of a number. I played it to the band right at the end of sessions – purposely so. When they heard it on acoustic guitar, everybody agreed that it should name the album.”
DANDELION
“I wrote it slower than we recorded it; maybe I had too much coffee that day. Had we done it that way then maybe it would have sounded a bit dirge-like. Jason sets the tempos – he’s got a really good ear for the way that a song should sound.”
THE CIRCLE
“It’s one of my favourites on this record. It gives me the chance to use my ‘breathier’ voice. Kevin asked me to sing it an octave higher than I intended, and it worked. The high voice in the chorus is not my falsetto, it’s my upper register natural voice. I’m singing about being powerless; being in a dreamlike state. People have spoken about my voice and bass playing for so many years, I hope that this time they notice my lyrics because I’m very proud of them.”
COMMON MAN
“That’s another of the songs that came from Jason. When he sang me its melody acapella I could hear myself singing it. It could have been a song from Deep Purple’s ‘Stormbringer’ album; he wrote it for my voice.”
THE GIVER
“When you listen to the end of the song, if people are trying to figure out what key it’s in, I’m playing a capo [a device that raises the pitch of notes] on the fifth fret. When I wrote it, I deliberately held back from completing it because it needed Joe’s input. Kevin helped as well.”
CRAWL
“Some people may know that this song was going to be on ‘BCC2’ but we held it over because there simply wasn’t enough room. To me, it fits this album a lot better. It’s a really aggressive song – it’s dangerous and angry. I love it. It’s a great way to finish the record.”

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS

Black Country Communion: Official Website

Black Country Communion: Facebook

Black Country Communion: Twitter

Black Country Communion: YouTube

Joe Bonamassa to make recording history at 4 London venues

Borderline, London: 26/3/13
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London: 27/3/13
HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London: 28/3/13
Royal Albert Hall, London: 30/3/13

Following the May 21st release of Joe Bonamassa’s critically acclaimed 13th solo album Driving Towards The Daylight, which is currently #2 in the UK's official album chart, the renowned guitarist will perform a series of four significant London concerts that chronicles his rise from playing the intimate Borderline to the prestigious Royal Albert Hall.
Blues rock fans will be able to purchase tickets to see Joe perform at four different London venues including The Borderline (March 26), 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (March 27), HMV Hammersmith Apollo (March 28) and the Royal Albert Hall (March 30).
Concert tickets, plus a very special Borderline ticket entry go on sale on Friday June 1st from the 24 Hour Ticket Box Office: 0844 478 0898 or can be booked online from www.thegigcartel.com/joevip.
A special 48-hour ticket pre-sale on Planet Rock radio will start Wednesday May 30th, two days before tickets go on sale to the general public.

For those fans that purchase a special VIP ticket, this will enable them to attend all four concerts including admission to see Bonamassa perform an intimate concert at the Borderline in London on Tuesday 26th March 2013.
The rare Borderline concert is restricted to a limited run of 200 tickets, and will showcase Joe’s atmospheric rise to the top of the guitar world, in an intimate and a reduced capacity setting of this famous London West End venue where it all began for the critically acclaimed blues rock guitarist.
Now’s your chance to get up close and personal in London with Joe Bonamassa at what is being hailed as “The Guitar Event of the Year.”
Joe will perform all four of his London concerts with his touring band that features the talents of Carmine Rojas (bass), Rick Melick (keyboards) and Tal Bergman (drums).
VIP packages will include concert access and additional Joe Bonamassa exclusive content:

• The Borderline, London - VIP ticket only access to this capacity reduced show.
• O2 Shepherds Bush Empire (best seat in the house, plus access to exclusive VIP bar).
• HMV Hammersmith Apollo (best seat in the house).
• Royal Albert Hall (best seat in the house, plus 3 course meal, wine & champagne).
• Each VIP ticket will also include a £250 very special and limited edition high quality collectable lithograph personally autographed by Joe.
• £250 shopping spree at the Joe Bonamassa store with each ticket purchased.
• VIP ticket holders also will receive a limited edition golden tour laminate that entitles them to access to the exclusive bar, plus special VIP treatment.

"Joe Bonamassa is the new messiah for guitar music lovers."
– The Sun

 "Bonamassa's precision guitar playing is
something of a revelation."
– Classic Rock

"Bonamassa's guitar playing and singing are still on a strong upward curve.  Forget derivative – this couldn't be anyone but Joe."
- Guitarist

24 Hour Box Office: 0844 478 0898
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com/joevip

The Borderline, London
Tuesday 26 March 2012
VIP Tickets: Special limited run of 200
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Orange Yard, 16 Manette Street,
London, W1D 4JB

O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Wednesday 27 March 2012
Tickets: £40, £45, £50, £60
Box Office: 0844 477 200
Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8TT
www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk

HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Thursday 28 March 2012
Tickets: £35, £40, £45, £60
Box Office: 08448 44 47 48
2 Queen Caroline Street,
Hammersmith, London, W6 9QH
www.hammersmithapollo.net

Royal Albert Hall, London
Saturday 30 March 2012
Tickets: £35, £40, £45, £50, £60, £75
Box Office: 020 7589 8212
** Hospitality packages available from the Royal Albert Hall **
Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP
www.royalalberthall.com

JOE BONAMASSA - BIOGRAPHY

Driving Towards The Daylight is Bonamassa’s 13th solo album released byProvogue Records in Europe and his J&R Adventures label (co-founded with manager Roy Weisman) in the US.  It’s also his 7th collaboration with the legendary classic rock record producer, Kevin “Caveman” Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Black Crowes, Black Country Communion).
Recorded at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles, California and Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada, Driving Towards The Daylight is a balanced back-to-basics album that highlights Bonamassa’s signature style of blues, roots and rock & roll.  
On the day of the release of the album, Bonamassa performed for the very first time on the hugely popular American chat show, Late Night With David Letterman.
In March 2012, Joe released the live DVD “Joe Bonamassa: Beacon Theatre – live From New York” filmed over two sold-out nights a New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre.  Special guests included Paul Rodgers, Beth Hart and John Hiatt.
During the same month of March 2012, Bonamassa embarked on an extensive UK Arena Tour selling out massive concert venues in Brighton, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Bournemouth and Birmingham.
In 2011, Bonamassa released his 12th solo album Dust Bowl, and followed this with a duet album with Beth Hart entitled Don’t Ask (the latter spawned two singles that received airplay on BBC Radio 2 in the UK.
In 2010, Bonamassa’s previous album, Black Rock, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Blues Albums Chart and #38 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart, a huge leap from 2009’s The Ballad of John Henry which debuted at #136 on the Top 200. The eleventh full-length solo release and ninth studio album of his career, this new disc will mark Bonamassa’s eighth collaboration with Kevin Shirley as producer.
In May 2010 he asked Ian Anderson to guest at his concert at London's Hammersmith Apollo on May 28th in London, and they played "A New Day Yesterday" along with “Locomotive Breath". The concert was the largest audience Joe had played to date (the capacity was 5,200).
Recently, Bonamassa has been splitting duties with his side project, the English-American rock group Black Country Communion with bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Billy Idol, Dream Theater).
BCC released their debut self-titled album, also produced by Shirley, on September 21, 2010. It entered the Billboard Top 200 Chart at #53 and is getting rave reviews. Mojo magazine gave the album four stars and Goldmine said it’s “Possibly, the best hard rock album of 2010.” Music Radar describes it as “a potent and stomping collection of riff-heavy rockers that will undoubtedly stun listeners.”
In addition to the success of Black Rock and Black Country Communion’s stellar debut, 2010 kicked off with Guitar World dubbing Bonamassa - “The Blues Rock Titan” and his song, “Lonesome Road Blues,” was included in Guitar Hero V’s New Blues Masters Track Pack. He was also honoured twice in Guitar Player Magazine’s June 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards winning “Best Overall Guitarist” for the first time and “Best Blues Guitarist” for the fourth consecutive year. On June 26, he played the main stage at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago.
In May 2009, he played a sold out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall, arguably the most prestigious concert venue in the world and had the added honour of being joined on stage by the legendary Eric Clapton. Released Oct. 6, 2009 and debuting at #6 on Billboard’s DVD Chart was Joe Bonamassa – Live From The Royal Albert Hall, a 2-disc live DVD capturing the intensity and excitement of that show which Bonamassa calls “a day 20 years in the making.” Also, in 2009, Bonamassa was awarded the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award at the UK’s prestigious Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.
A child prodigy, Bonamassa opened shows at age 12 for blues legend B.B. King, who said after first seeing him play, “This kid's potential is unbelievable…He's one of a kind.” Bonamassa’s recording career began in the early ’90s with Bloodline, a rock-blues group also featuring Robby Krieger’s son Waylon and Miles Davis’ son Erin. His solo debut was in 2000 with the Tom Dowd-produced A New Day Yesterday.
Bonamassa averages 200 shows every year, almost always playing to sold-out and ever-larger houses, and with each gig, he comes more into his own as a virtuoso and a vocalist. As he heads back to the road in support of his new album, Bonamassa remains infinitely passionate about playing live, connecting with his audiences and making new fans along the way like Slash, who recently said, “Just saw Joe Bonamassa on Jools Holland again. He's definitely my new favourite guitarist." 

Joe Bonamassa Essential Web Links:

Order Tickets for the London 2013 Concerts - 4 Shows Only!
www.thegigcartel.com/joevip

Joe Bonamassa – Official Website
www.jbonamassa.com

Joe Bonamassa – Facebook
www.facebook.com/joebonamassa

Joe Bonamassa – Twitter
http://twitter.com/jbonamassa

 

Jason Bonham triumphs on new Black Country Communion album

Download Black Country Communion's FREE song "Confessor" HERE

THE BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM
AFTERGLOW
UK RELEASE: MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012

Black Country Communion the Anglo-American rock group comprising vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner), Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Alice Cooper, Billy Idol) and blues-rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa, release their third album, ‘Afterglow’, via Mascot Records on Monday October 29th.
Just like its two predecessors, ‘Afterglow’ was overseen by Kevin Shirley, whose catalogue of hit records for Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, Journey, The Black Crowes and many more has made him the hottest producer that rock music has to offer. Shirley – who had the idea of putting Hughes and Bonamassa together in a band together after seeing them jamming onstage in Los Angeles back in November 2009 – is the group’s unofficial ‘fifth member’.

The additions of Jason Bonham, esteemed son of Led Zeppelin’s John, who took his father’s place when the legendary group made musical history by reuniting at London’s O2 Arena in December 2007, and the in-demand Derek Sherinian, made them a force to be reckoned with. An air of expectancy and excitement greets the unveiling of ‘Afterglow’.
When issued in September 2010, BCC’s self-titled debut was described by Classic Rock magazine as “Possibly the best hard rock album of 2010”, whilst Mojo magazine awarded it 4 stars. Music Radar hailed the disc as “a potent and stomping collection of riff-heavy rockers that will undoubtedly stun listeners.”
During its first week of release in the UK the album hit the #1 spot in the Official Top 40 Rock Album Chart. It was voted #3 in Classic Rock magazine’s “Critics Album of the Year” poll, and listeners of Planet Rock Radio crowned BCC as the Best New Band of 2010.

Black Country Communion L-R: Joe Bonamassa (Guitar/Vocals), Derek Sherinian (Keyboards),
Glenn Hughes (Lead Vocals/Bass), Jason Bonham (Drums). Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

Issued a mere nine months later, in time for a well received slot at the High Voltage Festival in London, ‘Black Country Communion 2’ was darker and deeper than its predecessor.  Once again it topped the UK’s Rock Album Chart. The band were also the recipients of the Best Breakthrough Act award at Classic Rock magazine’s prestigious Roll Of Honour ceremony. Acknowledging that more than a single listen was required to fully appreciate its “depth and artistry”, the same magazine rightly called ‘BCC2’ “one stone-solid classic song after another”.
This time with Bonamassa busy notching up the miles to promote his biggest solo record to date – ‘Driving Towards The Daylight’ reached Number Two in the UK’s Top 40 Album Chart – BCC (the distinctive name is a reference to the industrial area in the Midlands of Great Britain where both Hughes and Bonham were born and raised) had far more time to prepare ‘Afterglow’… and it shows.
“There were six months to write this album, and I’m really excited by the way it came out,” comments Glenn Hughes, the man responsible for the bulk of its contents. “I wanted to make a record that stood up to the first two, but not to repeat either of those records. There would be absolutely no point beginning it with a song like ‘Black Country’ [the distinctively energetic track that kicked off the debut].”
The band assembled to record ‘Afterglow’ in a studio in Westlake Village, about 70 miles outside of Hollywood, during five supremely productive days. Its 11 songs are set to delight all fans of high quality hard rock, also those that admire singers of distinction. Hughes is not known as The Voice Of Rock for nothing.

Black Country Communion L-R: Jason Bonham (Drums), Derek Sherinian (Keyboards),
Glenn Hughes (Lead Vocals/Bass), Joe Bonamassa (Guitar/Vocals). Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

In terms of content, ‘Afterglow’ expands upon the progression that took place between ‘BCC’ and ‘BCC2’. Rich in hooks, melodies and choruses, it’s nonetheless another of those highly rewarding albums that bears additional fruit with repeated spins.
“I wanted this album to have more acoustic moments than the previous two,” explains Hughes. “I wanted to hear more of Derek [Sherinian] and I wanted the more angelic voice of Glenn as well as the more aggressive one which is there on songs like ‘Crawl’ and ‘Midnight Sun’. Above all, I wanted more drama.”
Hughes shares lead vocals with Bonamassa on the song ‘Cry Freedom’. “The vocal sound that Kevin got on this record is second to none – it’s his best work yet with BCC,” believes Hughes. “We butted heads a little on the first and second albums, simply because we’re both control freaks, but this was the record on which Kevin and Glenn became friends.”
Indeed, Hughes speaks of Shirley in the most glowing terms. “Kevin only needs three hours of sleep per night; he’s hyper and super-intelligent. He cracks the whip but he also knows exactly what he’s talking about when it comes to music.”
Black Country Communion hope to tour ‘Afterglow’ at the start of 2013.

Here’s a breakdown of the album’s contents in the words of Glenn Hughes:
BIG TRAIN
“It’s very quirky and British-sounding. Jason Bonham is an incredible timekeeper. I love the way he provides the engine room on that song.
THIS IS YOUR TIME
“Let’s give Jason Bonham a little more love. He writes his songs on an iPhone whilst driving his car, which is completely nuts. It really helps the groove factor. He emailed me some footage of him playing this song. He wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics. It has a huge chorus, too. Jason is not just a brilliant drummer – he’s a great songwriter.”
MIDNIGHT SUN
“I had my wallet stolen in a Starbucks and arrived late at the studio. When I got there the guys were fooling around with a song that sounds quite a lot like The Who, thanks to those Rabbit Bundrick-style keyboards. I picked up my bass and joined in. It’s quite a romp; there’s a definite vibe of Moon and Entwistle.”
CONFESSOR
“The first album had ‘No Time’, which was slow and groovy. I wrote ‘Confessor’ that way too, but when Jason heard it he insisted upon playing it – in his own words – like his dad would have done. We’re a democratic band and I went along with that. When he turbo-d it up it really came to life.”
CRY FREEDOM
“I sang this one alone originally until Kevin pointed out that the album didn’t have a song with split vocals. Joe and I sing well together. I’ve never had a problem sharing a microphone with other great singers. We really let rip off one another on this one, which has a ZZ Top/Humble Pie kind of a vibe.”
AFTERGLOW
“[At more than six minutes long] it’s an epic song. I was adamant that this album should have a proper title instead of a number. I played it to the band right at the end of sessions – purposely so. When they heard it on acoustic guitar, everybody agreed that it should name the album.”
DANDELION
“I wrote it slower than we recorded it; maybe I had too much coffee that day. Had we done it that way then maybe it would have sounded a bit dirge-like. Jason sets the tempos – he’s got a really good ear for the way that a song should sound.”
THE CIRCLE
“It’s one of my favourites on this record. It gives me the chance to use my ‘breathier’ voice. Kevin asked me to sing it an octave higher than I intended, and it worked. The high voice in the chorus is not my falsetto, it’s my upper register natural voice. I’m singing about being powerless; being in a dreamlike state. People have spoken about my voice and bass playing for so many years, I hope that this time they notice my lyrics because I’m very proud of them.”
COMMON MAN
“That’s another of the songs that came from Jason. When he sang me its melody acapella I could hear myself singing it. It could have been a song from Deep Purple’s ‘Stormbringer’ album; he wrote it for my voice.”
THE GIVER
“When you listen to the end of the song, if people are trying to figure out what key it’s in, I’m playing a capo [a device that raises the pitch of notes] on the fifth fret. When I wrote it, I deliberately held back from completing it because it needed Joe’s input. Kevin helped as well.”
CRAWL
“Some people may know that this song was going to be on ‘BCC2’ but we held it over because there simply wasn’t enough room. To me, it fits this album a lot better. It’s a really aggressive song – it’s dangerous and angry. I love it. It’s a great way to finish the record.”

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS

Black Country Communion: Official Website

Black Country Communion: Facebook

Black Country Communion: Twitter

Black Country Communion: YouTube

  If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Black Country Communion's only UK show is cancelled - Free Download

Download Black Country Communion's FREE song "Confessor" HERE

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION'S ONLY UK SHOW CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES

WOLVERHAMPTON CIVIC HALL
SATURDAY 5th JANUARY 2013

Black Country Communion, the Anglo-American rock group featuring Joe Bonamassa (guitar, vocals), Glenn Hughes (vocals, bass), Jason Bonham (drums), and Derek Sherinian (keyboards), today announced that their only UK concert at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Saturday January 5th has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
Planet Rock Radio launched a 48-hour ticket pre-sale on Wednesday 19th September. Customers who purchased tickets will receive a full refund, however if you have any queries, please email customerservice@eventim.co.uk.
The one-off concert was originally intended to be Black Country Communion’s only UK appearance in 2013. The band chose Wolverhampton due to their geographical and spiritual ties to the area (Glenn Hughes was born in Cannock, and Jason Bonham was born in Dudley).
In 2011, Black Country Communion’s last studio album, “2”, scored the No.1 spot in the Official UK Rock Album Chart. The band’s upcoming third album Afterglow, produced by Kevin Shirley, will be released in the UK by Mascot Records on Monday October 29th.

                                                 All photos: © Christie Goodwin except Derek Sherinian: © Simon Jay Price

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION OFFICIAL WEB LINKS:

Black Country Communion: Official Website
www.bccommunion.com

Black Country Communion: Official Facebook
www.facebook.com/bccommunion

Black Country Communion: Official Twitter
http://twitter.com/bccommunion

Black Country Communion: Official Youtube
www.youtube.com/bccommunion

 

Joe Bonamassa to release Beacon Theatre double live album

RELEASED ON CD AND VINYL FOR THE FIRST TIME!

UK RELEASE: MONDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 2012

Joe Bonamassa: Beacon Theatre – Live From New York’ is released as a 2-CD and double vinyl album for the very first time. The double live album features 20 stunning tracks that spans Bonamassa's career with smoky vocals complementing the guitar wizardry and rapid-fingered ease with which his fans know and love.

Alongside the great chemistry he shares with his band mates Carmine Rojas (bass), Tal Bergman (drums) and Rick Melick (keyboards), the Beacon Theatre concert double live album is an exhilarating listening experience from start to finish.

Rick Melick & Joe Bonamassa Live at The Beacon Theatre. Photo Credit: © Arnie Goodman

Bonamassa kicks the festivities off with 72nd St. Subway Blues, followed by Slow Train, from 2011's solo album Dust Bowl, plus fan favourites Cradle Rock, Midnight Blues, Dust Bowl, When The Fire Hits The Sea, Bird On A Wire, Blue & Evil, Mountain Time, and many more.

Former lead singer of Free and Bad Company, Paul Rodgers is featured on the tracks Fire And Water and Walk In My Shadows.

Paul Rodgers and Joe Bonamassa Live at The Beacon Theatre. Photo Credit: © Arnie Goodman

Beth Hart joins Bonamassa on stage for soulful duets on I'll Take Care of You and Sinner's Prayer, which is featured on the recent duet album Don't Explain – a collection of iconic soul covers Hart recorded with Bonamassa.

Beth Hart Live at The Beacon Theatre. Photo Credit: © Arnie Goodman

John Hiatt, a Nashville Music Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and American Music Award (AMA) winner, joins Bonamassa for a rendition of Down Around My Place and I Know A Place.

John Hiatt joins Joe Bonamassa on stage at The Beacon Theatre.
Photo Credit: © Arnie Goodman

"This show is a testament to an artist at the top of his game, and still growing," says Bonamassa’s producer Kevin Shirley. "Soulful songstress Beth Hart digs deep on a couple of songs with Joe from their duet album, and music legends John Hiatt and Paul Rodgers get up alongside Joe. The interactions are a joy to behold."

The Beacon Theatre double live album precedes Bonamassa's upcoming London March 2013 Concerts including the Borderline (March 26), o2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (March 27), Hammersmith Apollo (March 28), and Royal Albert Hall (March 30). Tour info here.

Joe Bonamassa, Tal Bergman & Carmine Rojas Live at The Beacon Theatre
Photo Credit: © Arnie Goodman

In 2011, the Beacon Theatre concert capped a year of achievements for Bonamassa the blues rock titan. At that time, his 12th solo album Dust Bowl debuted at #1 on Billboard's Blues Chart and #37 on Billboard's Top 200, making it his highest-selling and chart-ranking U.S. debut to date.

The album charted #12 in the UK, and was nominated for a 2012 Blues Music Award (Best Blues Rock Album). Bonamassa was honoured as 2011's Guitarist of the Year by Guitar International. In January 2012, Bonamassa graced the front cover of Classic Rock which created major impact outside of the blues arena.

On May 27th, 2012, Bonamassa’s 13th solo album, Driving Towards The Daylight entered the Official UK Album Chart at #2.

Joe Bonamassa and Carmine Rojas Live at The Beacon Theatre
Photo Credit: © Arnie Goodman

Bonamassa's hard rock band Black Country Communion – with band mates Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian – was named "Best New Band of the Last 10 Years" by VH1 Classic's That Metal Show, and Best Breakthrough Act at 2011's Classic Rock Magazine Awards. BCC’s third studio album “Afterglow” will be released by Mascot Records on Monday October 29th, 2012.

Bonamassa music continues to drive the blues and guitar music to a new level. He supports the guitar industry by keeping the guitar alive, helping great companies like Guitar Center, Gibson, Epiphone, Ernie Ball, Dunlop, Seymour Duncan, Clear Sonic and Klotz Cables, all of whom have signature products with the guitar phenomenon. Bonamassa's style of guitar playing has breathed new life and excitement back into the instrument as legions of new fans are once again beginning to familiarise themselves with guitar-based rock music.

Joe Bonamassa Live at The Beacon Theatre. Photo Credit: © Arnie Goodman

Joe Bonamassa – Official Website
www.jbonamassa.com

Joe Bonamassa – Facebook
www.facebook.com/joebonamassa

Joe Bonamassa – Twitter
http://twitter.com/jbonamassa

Provogue Records
http://bit.ly/wnfBFB

If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Black Country Communion announce new album "Afterglow"

THE BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM
AFTERGLOW
UK RELEASE: MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012

Black Country Communion the Anglo-American rock group comprising vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner), Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Alice Cooper, Billy Idol) and blues-rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa, release their third album, ‘Afterglow’, via Mascot Records on Monday October 29th.

Just like its two predecessors, ‘Afterglow’ was overseen by Kevin Shirley, whose catalogue of hit records for Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, Journey, The Black Crowes and many more has made him the hottest producer that rock music has to offer. Shirley – who had the idea of putting Hughes and Bonamassa together in a band together after seeing them jamming onstage in Los Angeles back in November 2009 – is the group’s unofficial ‘fifth member’.

The additions of Jason Bonham, esteemed son of Led Zeppelin’s John, who took his father’s place when the legendary group made musical history by reuniting at London’s O2 Arena in December 2007, and the in-demand Derek Sherinian, made them a force to be reckoned with. An air of expectancy and excitement greets the unveiling of ‘Afterglow’.

When issued in September 2010, BCC’s self-titled debut was described by Classic Rock magazine as “Possibly the best hard rock album of 2010”, whilst Mojo magazine awarded it 4 stars. Music Radar hailed the disc as “a potent and stomping collection of riff-heavy rockers that will undoubtedly stun listeners.”

During its first week of release in the UK the album hit the #1 spot in the Official Top 40 Rock Album Chart. It was voted #3 in Classic Rock magazine’s “Critics Album of the Year” poll, and listeners of Planet Rock Radio crowned BCC as the Best New Band of 2010.

Black Country Communion L-R: Joe Bonamassa (Guitar/Vocals), Derek Sherinian (Keyboards),
Glenn Hughes (Lead Vocals/Bass), Jason Bonham (Drums). Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

Issued a mere nine months later, in time for a well received slot at the High Voltage Festival in London, ‘Black Country Communion 2’ was darker and deeper than its predecessor. Once again it topped the UK’s Rock Album Chart. The band were also the recipients of the Best Breakthrough Act award at Classic Rock magazine’s prestigious Roll Of Honour ceremony. Acknowledging that more than a single listen was required to fully appreciate its “depth and artistry”, the same magazine rightly called ‘BCC2’ “one stone-solid classic song after another”.

This time with Bonamassa busy notching up the miles to promote his biggest solo record to date – ‘Driving Towards The Daylight’ reached Number Two in the UK’s Top 40 Album Chart – BCC (the distinctive name is a reference to the industrial area in the Midlands of Great Britain where both Hughes and Bonham were born and raised) had far more time to prepare ‘Afterglow’… and it shows.

“There were six months to write this album, and I’m really excited by the way it came out,” comments Glenn Hughes, the man responsible for the bulk of its contents. “I wanted to make a record that stood up to the first two, but not to repeat either of those records. There would be absolutely no point beginning it with a song like ‘Black Country’ [the distinctively energetic track that kicked off the debut].”

The band assembled to record ‘Afterglow’ in a studio in Westlake Village, about 70 miles outside of Hollywood, during five supremely productive days. Its 11 songs are set to delight all fans of high quality hard rock, also those that admire singers of distinction. Hughes is not known as The Voice Of Rock for nothing.

Black Country Communion L-R: Jason Bonham (Drums), Derek Sherinian (Keyboards),
Glenn Hughes (Lead Vocals/Bass), Joe Bonamassa (Guitar/Vocals). Photo Credit: © Christie Goodwin

In terms of content, ‘Afterglow’ expands upon the progression that took place between ‘BCC’ and ‘BCC2’. Rich in hooks, melodies and choruses, it’s nonetheless another of those highly rewarding albums that bears additional fruit with repeated spins.

“I wanted this album to have more acoustic moments than the previous two,” explains Hughes. “I wanted to hear more of Derek [Sherinian] and I wanted the more angelic voice of Glenn as well as the more aggressive one which is there on songs like ‘Crawl’ and ‘Midnight Sun’. Above all, I wanted more drama.”

Hughes shares lead vocals with Bonamassa on the song ‘Cry Freedom’. “The vocal sound that Kevin got on this record is second to none – it’s his best work yet with BCC,” believes Hughes. “We butted heads a little on the first and second albums, simply because we’re both control freaks, but this was the record on which Kevin and Glenn became friends.”

Indeed, Hughes speaks of Shirley in the most glowing terms. “Kevin only needs three hours of sleep per night; he’s hyper and super-intelligent. He cracks the whip but he also knows exactly what he’s talking about when it comes to music.”

Black Country Communion hope to tour ‘Afterglow’ at the start of 2013.

Here’s a breakdown of the album’s contents in the words of Glenn Hughes:

BIG TRAIN
“It’s very quirky and British-sounding. Jason Bonham is an incredible timekeeper. I love the way he provides the engine room on that song.

THIS IS YOUR TIME
“Let’s give Jason Bonham a little more love. He writes his songs on an iPhone whilst driving his car, which is completely nuts. It really helps the groove factor. He emailed me some footage of him playing this song. He wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics. It has a huge chorus, too. Jason is not just a brilliant drummer – he’s a great songwriter.”

MIDNIGHT SUN
“I had my wallet stolen in a Starbucks and arrived late at the studio. When I got there the guys were fooling around with a song that sounds quite a lot like The Who, thanks to those Rabbit Bundrick-style keyboards. I picked up my bass and joined in. It’s quite a romp; there’s a definite vibe of Moon and Entwistle.”

CONFESSOR
“The first album had ‘No Time’, which was slow and groovy. I wrote ‘Confessor’ that way too, but when Jason heard it he insisted upon playing it – in his own words – like his dad would have done. We’re a democratic band and I went along with that. When he turbo-d it up it really came to life.”

CRY FREEDOM
“I sang this one alone originally until Kevin pointed out that the album didn’t have a song with split vocals. Joe and I sing well together. I’ve never had a problem sharing a microphone with other great singers. We really let rip off one another on this one, which has a ZZ Top/Humble Pie kind of a vibe.”

AFTERGLOW
“[At more than six minutes long] it’s an epic song. I was adamant that this album should have a proper title instead of a number. I played it to the band right at the end of sessions – purposely so. When they heard it on acoustic guitar, everybody agreed that it should name the album.”

DANDELION
“I wrote it slower than we recorded it; maybe I had too much coffee that day. Had we done it that way then maybe it would have sounded a bit dirge-like. Jason sets the tempos – he’s got a really good ear for the way that a song should sound.”

THE CIRCLE
“It’s one of my favourites on this record. It gives me the chance to use my ‘breathier’ voice. Kevin asked me to sing it an octave higher than I intended, and it worked. The high voice in the chorus is not my falsetto, it’s my upper register natural voice. I’m singing about being powerless; being in a dreamlike state. People have spoken about my voice and bass playing for so many years, I hope that this time they notice my lyrics because I’m very proud of them.”

COMMON MAN
“That’s another of the songs that came from Jason. When he sang me its melody acapella I could hear myself singing it. It could have been a song from Deep Purple’s ‘Stormbringer’ album; he wrote it for my voice.”

THE GIVER
“When you listen to the end of the song, if people are trying to figure out what key it’s in, I’m playing a capo [a device that raises the pitch of notes] on the fifth fret. When I wrote it, I deliberately held back from completing it because it needed Joe’s input. Kevin helped as well.”

CRAWL
“Some people may know that this song was going to be on ‘BCC2’ but we held it over because there simply wasn’t enough room. To me, it fits this album a lot better. It’s a really aggressive song – it’s dangerous and angry. I love it. It’s a great way to finish the record.”

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS

Black Country Communion: Official Website

Black Country Communion: Facebook

Black Country Communion: Twitter

Black Country Communion: YouTube
If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Joe Bonamassa announces 4 London concerts in March 2013

Borderline, London: 26/3/13
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London: 27/3/13
HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London: 28/3/13
Royal Albert Hall, London: 30/3/13

Following the May 21st release of Joe Bonamassa’s critically acclaimed 13th solo album Driving Towards The Daylight, which is currently #2 in the UK's official album chart, the renowned guitarist will perform a series of four significant London concerts that chronicles his rise from playing the intimate Borderline to the prestigious Royal Albert Hall.

Blues rock fans will be able to purchase tickets to see Joe perform at four different London venues including The Borderline (March 26), 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (March 27), HMV Hammersmith Apollo (March 28) and the Royal Albert Hall (March 30).

Concert tickets, plus a very special Borderline ticket entry go on sale on Friday June 1st from the 24 Hour Ticket Box Office: 0844 478 0898 or can be booked online from www.thegigcartel.com/joevip.

A special 48-hour ticket pre-sale on Planet Rock radio will start Wednesday May 30th, two days before tickets go on sale to the general public.

For those fans that purchase a special VIP ticket, this will enable them to attend all four concerts including admission to see Bonamassa perform an intimate concert at the Borderline in London on Tuesday 26th March 2013.

The rare Borderline concert is restricted to a limited run of 200 tickets, and will showcase Joe’s atmospheric rise to the top of the guitar world, in an intimate and a reduced capacity setting of this famous London West End venue where it all began for the critically acclaimed blues rock guitarist.

Now’s your chance to get up close and personal in London with Joe Bonamassa at what is being hailed as “The Guitar Event of the Year.”

Joe will perform all four of his London concerts with his touring band that features the talents of Carmine Rojas (bass), Rick Melick (keyboards) and Tal Bergman (drums).

VIP packages will include concert access and additional Joe Bonamassa exclusive content:

• The Borderline, London - VIP ticket only access to this capacity reduced show.
• O2 Shepherds Bush Empire (best seat in the house, plus access to exclusive VIP bar).
• HMV Hammersmith Apollo (best seat in the house).
• Royal Albert Hall (best seat in the house, plus 3 course meal, wine & champagne).
• Each VIP ticket will also include a £250 very special and limited edition high quality collectable lithograph personally autographed by Joe.
• £250 shopping spree at the Joe Bonamassa store with each ticket purchased.
• VIP ticket holders also will receive a limited edition golden tour laminate that entitles them to access to the exclusive bar, plus special VIP treatment.

"Joe Bonamassa is the new messiah for guitar music lovers."
– The Sun

"Bonamassa's precision guitar playing is
something of a revelation."
– Classic Rock

"Bonamassa's guitar playing and singing are still on a strong upward curve. Forget derivative – this couldn't be anyone but Joe."
- Guitarist

24 Hour Box Office: 0844 478 0898
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com/joevip

The Borderline, London
Tuesday 26 March 2012
VIP Tickets: Special limited run of 200
Book Online: www.thegigcartel.com
Orange Yard, 16 Manette Street,
London, W1D 4JB

O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Wednesday 27 March 2012
Tickets: £40, £45, £50, £60
Box Office: 0844 477 200
Shepherds Bush Green, London, W12 8TT
www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk

HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London
Thursday 28 March 2012
Tickets: £35, £40, £45, £60
Box Office: 08448 44 47 48
2 Queen Caroline Street,
Hammersmith, London, W6 9QH
www.hammersmithapollo.net

Royal Albert Hall, London
Saturday 30 March 2012
Tickets: £35, £40, £45, £50, £60, £75
Box Office: 020 7589 8212
** Hospitality packages available from the Royal Albert Hall **
Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP
www.royalalberthall.com

JOE BONAMASSA - BIOGRAPHY

Driving Towards The Daylight is Bonamassa’s 13th solo album released byProvogue Records in Europe and his J&R Adventures label (co-founded with manager Roy Weisman) in the US. It’s also his 7th collaboration with the legendary classic rock record producer, Kevin “Caveman” Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Black Crowes, Black Country Communion).

Recorded at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles, California and Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada, Driving Towards The Daylight is a balanced back-to-basics album that highlights Bonamassa’s signature style of blues, roots and rock & roll.

On the day of the release of the album, Bonamassa performed for the very first time on the hugely popular American chat show, Late Night With David Letterman.

In March 2012, Joe released the live DVD “Joe Bonamassa: Beacon Theatre – live From New York” filmed over two sold-out nights a New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre. Special guests included Paul Rodgers, Beth Hart and John Hiatt.
During the same month of March 2012, Bonamassa embarked on an extensive UK Arena Tour selling out massive concert venues in Brighton, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Bournemouth and Birmingham.

In 2011, Bonamassa released his 12th solo album Dust Bowl, and followed this with a duet album with Beth Hart entitled Don’t Ask (the latter spawned two singles that received airplay on BBC Radio 2 in the UK.

In 2010, Bonamassa’s previous album, Black Rock, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Blues Albums Chart and #38 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart, a huge leap from 2009’s The Ballad of John Henry which debuted at #136 on the Top 200. The eleventh full-length solo release and ninth studio album of his career, this new disc will mark Bonamassa’s eighth collaboration with Kevin Shirley as producer.

In May 2010 he asked Ian Anderson to guest at his concert at London's Hammersmith Apollo on May 28th in London, and they played "A New Day Yesterday" along with “Locomotive Breath". The concert was the largest audience Joe had played to date (the capacity was 5,200).

Recently, Bonamassa has been splitting duties with his side project, the English-American rock group Black Country Communion with bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Billy Idol, Dream Theater).

BCC released their debut self-titled album, also produced by Shirley, on September 21, 2010. It entered the Billboard Top 200 Chart at #53 and is getting rave reviews. Mojo magazine gave the album four stars and Goldmine said it’s “Possibly, the best hard rock album of 2010.” Music Radar describes it as “a potent and stomping collection of riff-heavy rockers that will undoubtedly stun listeners.”

In addition to the success of Black Rock and Black Country Communion’s stellar debut, 2010 kicked off with Guitar World dubbing Bonamassa - “The Blues Rock Titan” and his song, “Lonesome Road Blues,” was included in Guitar Hero V’s New Blues Masters Track Pack. He was also honoured twice in Guitar Player Magazine’s June 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards winning “Best Overall Guitarist” for the first time and “Best Blues Guitarist” for the fourth consecutive year. On June 26, he played the main stage at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago.

In May 2009, he played a sold out show at London’s Royal Albert Hall, arguably the most prestigious concert venue in the world and had the added honour of being joined on stage by the legendary Eric Clapton. Released Oct. 6, 2009 and debuting at #6 on Billboard’s DVD Chart was Joe Bonamassa – Live From The Royal Albert Hall, a 2-disc live DVD capturing the intensity and excitement of that show which Bonamassa calls “a day 20 years in the making.” Also, in 2009, Bonamassa was awarded the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award at the UK’s prestigious Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.

A child prodigy, Bonamassa opened shows at age 12 for blues legend B.B. King, who said after first seeing him play, “This kid's potential is unbelievable…He's one of a kind.” Bonamassa’s recording career began in the early ’90s with Bloodline, a rock-blues group also featuring Robby Krieger’s son Waylon and Miles Davis’ son Erin. His solo debut was in 2000 with the Tom Dowd-produced A New Day Yesterday.

Bonamassa averages 200 shows every year, almost always playing to sold-out and ever-larger houses, and with each gig, he comes more into his own as a virtuoso and a vocalist. As he heads back to the road in support of his new album, Bonamassa remains infinitely passionate about playing live, connecting with his audiences and making new fans along the way like Slash, who recently said, “Just saw Joe Bonamassa on Jools Holland again. He's definitely my new favourite guitarist."