A promotional copy of Black Country Communion’s CD arrived in my mailbox on Saturday.

Black Country Communion Promo CD

After completing my first listen-through, I have to say that this is one kick-ass rock-n-roll collaboration of some great musical talent!

Black Country Communion is comprised of legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple Black Sabbath, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin), keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) and blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa.

“Black Country Communion is a devastating head-on collision between American and British rock influences-a true supergroup that delivers a titanic rock experience greater than the sum of its supremely talented parts.”

Black Country Communion Track List

Black Country Communion is the brainchild of producer Kevin Shirley (Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin). The band initially came to fruition when Shirley saw Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa join forces on stage in Los Angeles in November 2009 for an explosive performance at Guitar Center’s King of the Blues event. Shirley then recruited Bonham and Sherinian to complete the group.

Named after the industrial area in Britain where both Hughes and Bonham were born and raised, BCC began rehearsing and recording tracks written by both Bonamassa and Hughes at Shangri¬La Studios with producer Kevin Shirley in early 2010.

The result is a recording masterpiece with 12 tracks of superbly mixed rock n’ roll that includes enough bluesy grit to rip your ears off!

[CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN TO A PREVIEW OF: "THE REVOLUTION IN ME"]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“It sounds simple really. Make a record of the type of music you love to listen to. But after almost thirty busy, passionate years making records, there are only a handful I love.

My first loves are those that I, like so many, grew up with -Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Bad Company (I actually didn’t hear Free until much later) – so when I heard Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa tearing through an impromptu jam on Glenn’s song “Medusa”, a light bulb went off. Joe’s manager, Roy Weisman, was standing next to me at the House Of Blues in Hollywood, grinning like a stoned Cheshire Cat. saying “we got something here” – so I said “lets go!

Imagine putting together YOUR dream band! Here’s mine … ”

-Kevin Shirley, Producer

The official release date is September 21, 2010.

Black Country Communion Debut Album

Black Country Communion’s Self-Titled Debut Album Available For Pre-Order On Aug. 9, 2010!

Los Angeles, CA, August 9, 2010: Black Country Communion – the English-American rock supergroup featuring vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Trapeze), drummer Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin), keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) and blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa – will make their self-titled, 12-track debut album available for pre-order starting August 9 on the band’s website by CLICKING HERE.

Download The Brand New Single “One Last Soul” For Free!

Black Country Communion will also guest on the nationally syndicated radio show “Rockline” with host Bob Coburn on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 8:30pm PT/11:30pm ET. Fans are encouraged to speak with the band by calling 1-800-344-ROCK(7625).

The album will be officially released and available in stores in the UK and Europe through Mascot Records on Monday, September 20 followed by a North America release on Tuesday, September 21 through Bonamassa’s own J&R Adventures Label. The album was produced and mixed by Kevin Shirley (Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin), and mastered by the legendary Bob Ludwig. It was recorded at Shangri-La Studios in Malibu in early 2010.

All songs are sung by Glenn Hughes, with the exception of “Song Of Yesterday” and “The Revolution In Me”, which are both sung by Joe Bonamassa. Hughes and Bonamassa share lead vocals on “Sista Jane” and “Too Late For The Sun”. Also included is a new version of “Medusa”, the rock classic Hughes originally recorded with his first band Trapeze.

The seed for Black Country Communion was planted when Shirley saw Hughes and Bonamassa combine forces on stage in Los Angeles in Nov. 2009 for an explosive performance at Guitar Center’s King of the Blues event. Shirley then recruited Bonham and Sherinian for the project, which is named after the industrial area in the British Midlands where both Hughes and Bonham were born and raised.

Black Country Communion is planning a tour in 2011.

Black Country Communion

What’s in a name? A lot of problems if you don’t have the legal right to use it.

So it was for Jason Bonham, Glenn Hughes, Derek Sherinian and Joe Bonamassa… until now.

The band they formed was originally announced as “Black Country” until they learned that the name was already being used.

Apparently the problem has been resolved… Meet “Black Country Communion“:

The bands official web site is up. Check it out by clicking HERE.

Happy Birthday Joe Bonamassa!

Joe Bonamassa was born in Utica, New York on May 8, 1977.

He received his first guitar from his father at the age of 4, and by age 7 he was playing Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix tunes note for note. At the age of 11, he was mentored by Danny Gatton and learned to play country, jazz and heavy rock.

He opened for B. B. King when he was 12. After first hearing him play, King said, “He hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface. He’s one of a kind.”

B.B.’s analysis of Joe’s ability was right on track. Today, Joe Bonamassa is known as one of the finest electric blues-rock guitarists on the planet and is a favorite of GuitarDaddy and TheGuitarBuzz.com.
 

Happy 33rd Birthday Joe Bonamassa!

 
Read more…

Check this video out…Rock on Joe! No further description needed.

Enjoy!!

OK, I admit it. I am certified Bona-holic.

Consider this my public admission that I have no control over my Bona-diction. That’s step one in the twelve-step program and I feel so much better now that the truth is out.

I have said it before and I will say it again: Joe Bonamassa is the King of modern day blues.

Nobody can touch this guy live. Don’t misunderstand me – there are dozens of quality players in the “top 5 percent of modern day blues guitarists,” but Joe is in 1st position and he is starting to pull away.

Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths over the best of the rest. I believe we are witnessing the same type of excellence…and separation.

Joe Bonamassa in Phoenix, 3-19-10, Photo by GuitarDaddy

I had the pleasure of being invited to meet Joe in person last Friday night before the show.

There were 6 of us in the private audience (just a few less than the 1,250 who attended the concert later that evening) including 3 guests of mine (2 who were seeing Joe live for the first time).

The meeting was arranged in the lobby of the Orpheum Theater. We spoke about the “BUZZ”, my review of Black Rock, how the Royal Albert Hall show came to be and how Joe pulled off the score-of-a-lifetime by having Eric Clapton join him on stage that night in London.

Our talk continued as Joe shared that $250,000 was on the line that night (to make the DVD) and the pressure he felt to not miss a note, his view on amps, watts and how he produces the ultimate tone. He surprised us by leaking some news about another new signature guitar that is coming very soon… (I will let Joe make that announcement himself). We covered a lot of ground in 25 minutes.

All in all, he was gracious and relaxed. I was in awe and humbled to have a private audience with the 2010 Blues God. I thanked Joe for taking time to meet and talk with us and for letting us get a little closer to the man with the golden GoldTop.

The concert started at EXACTLY 8:00pm as Joe walked out with the double neck strapped over his tailored suit (and sneakers). I took the picture you see from my front row seat in the Orpheum where the sound was dialed in at a perfect 10.

I was mesmerized for the entire 135 minute performance that included 9 guitar changes and enough electric guitar mastery to fill my hungry soul and yet still leave me craving for more — all because the taste was so good.

Joe mixed up the set by playing many of his classic staples like “If Heartaches Were Nickles,” “Blues Deluxe” and “Slow Gin” while also introducing the audience to a taste of the new Black Rock CD with “Blue and Evil” and “Bird on a Wire.” The guy sitting next to me screamed “Mountain Time!” after every song until Joe finally looked at him and said, “Be patient!” Those close enough to catch it had a good laugh. Mountain Time came along 30 minutes later.

Joe’s band was spot-on the entire night. Bogie Bowles is one of the most under-rated drummers on tour. He understands the dynamics of every song and ripped it all night long. Carmine Rojas sported an eye-patch from his recent eye-surgery and played his amazing bass staying seated in front of Bogie. Great to see the recovery is going well and he has not had to miss the tour. Rick Melick adds the keyboard flair that fills, rounds and compliments each track. While the rumors are all true about Joe and the “new band,” I certainly hope he does not abandon these guys. They are a tight group and as a quad, they are capable of creating consistent blues magic.

The lone acoustic song of the evening, “Woke up Dreaming,” gave the band members a rest while Joe showed that his skills go far beyond playing electric riffs. Playing completely alone, Joe showcased his ability to combine a myriad of complicated scale patterns and arpeggios at warp speed all while simulating the percussive beat on the bass strings. It is something every guitar player needs to see — even if only once. I have seen it a dozen times and am still blown away that the human fingers can move that fast.

When the “Flying V” came out I knew I was in for a full dose of Bona-Rock as Joe blasted out his rendition of the solo from Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed & Confused,” perfectly integrated into his own wicked version of “Just Got Paid”. He raised the “V” high in the air at the end – reminiscent of the conclusion at Royal Albert Hall.

While I realized that the night was over, I knew the memories would be eternal.

If Joe Bonamassa is within 3-States of where you live, DON’T MISS THE SHOW.

Check out his tour schedule by CLICKING HERE.

Joe Bonamassa With Some Of His Guitars

Joe Bonamassa (photo courtesy of Robert Knight)

There’s no way else to say it: The man and his music are explosive.

Joe Bonamassa can make his guitar scream and then weep like none other I have ever heard.

Joe will be playing in Phoenix Friday night and I was lucky enough to score front row seats as well as an invite to a pre-show “meet and greet”. Can you say pumped-up?

I have been following the set lists for Joe’s recent tour stops and (as expected) he is incorporating several songs from the brand new “Black Rock” album that officially releases next week. 

I am looking forward to hearing the live rendition of one of my new favorites “Blue and Evil” – a track destined to be a mega-hit.

[Click the Arrow to play the Studio Version of "Blue and Evil"]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

While I love the new stuff, I also hope Joe takes 8 minutes and 31 seconds to treat us to the same wicked version of “Blues Deluxe” that he did in Portland 2 weeks ago.

Check out the blues master himself at work in this VIDEO:

For a limited time… you can download “Blue and Evil” from Joe’s new Black Rock CD for FREE.

Click the image to the left, or CLICK HERE to do directly to the download site.

I’d suggest you do it soon, as this offer took Joe’s servers down over the weekend – but as of a few minutes ago… they were back up and running.

Note the promotional code that you must enter is: BNE2010.

If you missed my previous blog posts about the upcoming CD, you can find follow the links below:

Posted January 20th, 2010: Joe Bonamassa’s BLACK ROCK CD Review

Posted January 4th, 2010: Joe Bonamassa Black Rock CD Coming

Jason Bonham, Glenn Hughes, Derek Sherinian and Joe Bonamassa have formed a new super group calling themselves Black Country.

They are in the studio NOW with legendary producer Kevin Shirley.

My initial thought was… “is Joe breaking up the current band?”  Joe responded to that question on his own forum saying “…My solo band has about 140 shows booked this year.. So the answer is nothing will happen with my current lineup.  It means a bit more work for me but I am very happy with the way everything is going on…”

Shirley made the announcement on his website:

“So there it is folks – the cat is out the bag! This is Black Country.

The songs are all original and what a lineup. They are all the very best players in the world, for my money!”

Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) is a totally unique drummer and a supreme, yet oh-so-tasty powerhouse. Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Billy Idol, Alice Cooper) is super versatile, and is playing mostly overdriven Hammond organ in this ensemble and is the color on the palette. Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Trapeze) plays bass and sings with a range VERY, VERY few can even get close to, and Joe Bonamassa, perhaps the best Blues guitarist around, plays hard riffing guitar as well as adding his signature vocals alongside Glenn.

“You’ll just have to wait – we’re planning to get this out late summer, and it’s promising to be phenomenal!”, said Shirley.

Well Kevin… we can hardly wait!

(note: the photo is a compilation courtesy of GuitarDaddy and TheGuitarBuzz.com and is NOT an official band photo…)

This morning started out as just another day at the office…  I had a full backlog of “to-do’s” that were all part of playing catch-up after a busy NAMM week.  But along about 10am the mailman arrived and neatly camouflaged in a brown bubble envelope was a promotional copy of Joe Bonamassa’s BLACK ROCK CD.

CANCEL ALL APPOINTMENTS!

BLACK ROCK was recorded at, and named for, Black Rock Studios in Santorini, Greece.

“With this album, we wanted to explore a “world feeling”, and this was the inspiration behind going to record in Greece and using some of the best Greek musicians to add a little flavor to a couple of the tracks.  But it’s by no means a “world” album.  We wanted Joe’s usual youthful and energetic tones to play alongside the worldly vibes of the Greek bouzouki and clarino,” said Kevin Shirley, producer (Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Led Zepplin and most recently “The Ballad of John Henry”).

Bonamassa added: “It’s the kind of record Kevin and I wanted to make.  We needed to rock again a bit like on my first album”.  And rocking is exactly what they did.

Joe scored big-time when he signed up blues legend B.B. King for a duet on a rendition of “Night Life” whigh originally appeared on King’s 1967 album, “Blues is King”.

Other tracks include Jeff Beck’s “Spanish Boots”, Leonard Cohen’s poetic “Bird on a Wire” (which I have had on auto-repeat for about an hour…), Otis Rush’s “Three Times A Fool”, Bobby Parker’s “Steal Your Heart Away”, Blind Boy Fuller’s “Baby, You Gotta Change Your Mind”, John Hiatt’s “I Know A Place” and James Clark’s “Look Over Yonder’s Wall” as well as the Bonamassa originals “Quarryman’s Lament”, “When The Fire Hits The Sea”, Wandering Earth”, “Athens to Anthens” and “Blue and Evil”.

Joe Bonamassa has been on quite a roll over the past 2 years with the release of the double CD “Live From Nowhere in Particular”, followed by “The Ballad of John Henry” and then the double DVD “Live From the Royal Albert Hall”.  He was named “Best Blues Guitarist” in Guitar Player Magazine’s 2009 Readers Choice Awards for the 3rd consecutive year and recently awarded the “Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award” at the U.K.’s prestigious Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.  Guitar World Magazine dubbed Bonamassa “The Blues Rock Titan” and finally… (demonstrating the true measure of musical success in the 21st Century), his single “Lonesome Road Blues” is a part of Guitar Hero V’s New Blues Masters Track Pack!

Even with all of that, Joe is not taking a break.  BLACK ROCK demonstrates truly ground-breaking territory for the young blues legend by integrating international sounds with sizzling blues and good old fiery rock n’ roll.

BLACK ROCK will be in stores on March 23, 2010 and you won’t want to miss it!