GRAMMY-nominated guitar superstar Joe
Bonamassa has announced that his brand new solo album Different Shades Of Blue
(J&R Adventures) to be released September 23, 2014. This is Bonamassa's
first studio album in two years and the first album of his career to feature
all original material. The result is a record with more of an experimental edge
than previous Bonamassa records. It's a blues record that explores the outer
reaches and the many different sounds that shape the genre.
"It's
been a while since I've been involved in the writing on an entire album. So I
decided I wanted to make a completely original blues album," said
Bonamassa. "I've really had to push myself to make everything I do better
than the last project. I know the fans expect it. And I feel like I owe it to
the fans to give them an original record after all these years."
To
prepare for the record, Bonamassa took 2013 off from releasing any new studio
material, a rarity in the tireless bluesman's career, and instead spent time in
Nashville writing with Jonathan Cain (Journey), known for hits "Who's
Crying Now," "Open Arms," and "When You Love A Woman;"
James House (Diamond Rio, Dwight Yoakam, Martina McBride), and Jerry Flowers
(Keith Urban).
"The
writers really inspired me, and having access to really great lyricists and
songwriters made it such a great experience," said Bonamassa.
Recorded
at Studio At The Palms in Las Vegas, NV, Different Shades Of Blue was produced
by Kevin Shirley (Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin), who has helmed
Bonamassa's last fifteen projects including his solo projects and collaborations
with Black Country Communion and Beth Hart. To compliment Bonamassa's signature
guitar style and vocals, Shirley brought together a group of musicians
including Reese Wynans (organ, piano), Carmine Rojas (bass), Michael Rhodes
(bass), Anton Fig (drums, percussion), Lenny Castro (percussion), Lee Thornburg
(trumpet, trombone), Ron Dziubla (saxophone), the Bovaland Orchestra (strings),
and Doug Henthorn and Melanie Williams (background vocals).
"It's
definitely my favorite Joe Bonamassa record to date," said Shirley.
"It's an album that deserves to be listened to in its entirety. Luckily
Joe's fan base really seems to appreciate a body of work and not just
songs."
Each
year, Bonamassa strives to deliver something new for his fans to thank them for
their loyalty, dedication, and enthusiastic activity on Twitter, YouTube,
Instagram and Facebook which has helped grow the guitarist's reputation
exponentially in the U.S. and abroad.
Shirley
said, "I think Joe has learned the value of not underestimating his
audience. He plays music as well as he can, and always tries to bring music of
depth to his audience. We try very hard to make the records as multidimensional
as possible and really try not to cut any corners in delivering them."
Bonamassa
has twelve #1 Billboard Blues Albums (more than any other artist) and received
his first GRAMMY nomination in 2013 for his collaboration with Beth Hart on the
duo's sophomore album Seesaw. His 2013 solo acoustic project An Acoustic
Evening at the Vienna Opera House was nominated by the Blues Music Awards for
Best DVD and his 2009 DVD Live From The Royal Albert Hall recently received
RIAA Platinum Certification.
No comments:
Post a Comment