Joe Bonamassa - Christmas Boogie

Now that it's after Thanksgiving, it's officially Christmas music season.  Well, here at least.

Joe Bonamassa - Christmas Boogie

It's been almost a month since I posted any Blues.  Fixing that now.

Lightnin' Hopkins - Santa

He considered this one of his greatest hits.

Hugh Laurie - Louisiana Blues

You may remember him from the TV show "House", but he's got some decent musical chops.

Eric Clapton & Johnny Depp tribute to Jeff Beck

Who knew that Captain Jack Sparrow played the axe?  He's the one in the blue hat.

Full line up:
Eric Clapton
Doyle Bramhall II
Gary Clark Jr
Kirk Hammett (with Greeny)
Susan Tedeschi
Derek Trucks
Ronnie Wood
Johnny Depp
Billy Gibbons
John McLaughlin
Robert Randolph
Olivia Safe
Rod Stewart
Imelda May
Joss Stone

Joe Bonamassa & Eric Clapton - Further On Up the Road

 Because it's Clapton and Joe B - which means it's awesome.

George "Harmonica" Smith - Blowin' The Blues

Smoking' Joe Kubek & Bnois King - Armadillo Blues

Smokin' Joe died far too young (as did my younger brother).  You wonder what other music he would have recorded had he had his full three score and ten.

 

Joe Bonamassa - Drive

It's been a while since I've posted Joe B.  This is an interesting, sort of acoustic offering.

Elmore James - The Sky Is Crying

James died far too young at 45.  He wrote this song, which is one of the Blues classics.  You wonder what else he would have written if he had gotten his full three score and ten.

 

roy buchanan - peter gunn theme

You wonder what other music he would have made if he hadn't been found hanged in a jail cell in the '80s.  He's "the best guitarist most people have never heard of".

 

Rest in peace, Jeff Beck

When I think of Jeff Beck, I think of The Yardbirds, perhaps the greatest failed rock band ever.  Their lead guitarists included (in order) Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page.  These three are in pretty much everyone's list of top 10 guitarists, and they all played for the same band.

Thus, the greatest rock band.  And also the greatest failed rock band.

But he was never an easy member of any band.  Maybe that was part of the special mix that made The Yardbirds the greatest failed rock band.  But the music was great, and his guitar playing was spectacular.

Tonight The Choir Invisible has finer accompaniment. 

Joe Bonamassa - Christmas Boogie

Blues and Christmas, baby!

 

Gary Clark Jr. - The Healing

Adan Piggott (Gentleman Adventurer) posted this a few weeks back.  It's been quite a while since I've posted Thursday Blues, and this is an artist I'd never heard of.  Adam does a good job introducing him:

I first came across this guy back in 2015 when I purchased his album, ‘The Story of Sonny Boy Slim’. A great album, every track  is a winner. He has a unique sound which is hard to come by these days. And he seems to like to record his stuff analog style. I’m gonna let the music do the talking as opposed to me rabbiting on. Here he is playing one of the album tracks in a live studio session. I love how he is so understated on the guitar, draws you in, and then a killer knock out solo performance.

Killer blues guitar, indeed.  Thanks, Adam!

Duke Ellington - "Mood Indigo" from the film "Paris Blues"

Actually, it's more correct to call this "Academy Award nominated Duke Ellington" since he was nominated for the 1961 Best Original Score Oscar.  He (and fellow nominee Dmitri Shostakovitch) lost to the West Side Story steamroller (10 awards that year).  But "Paris Blues" is an interesting flick - stars include Sidney Poitier and Diane Carroll matched against Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, and Louis Armstrong made an appearance as well.

It's not the typical Sunday Classical fare but it's pretty terrific.

Joe Bonamassa & Eric Clapton - Further On Up the Road

It's been ages since I put up some blues here.  So here's Joe B. and Clapton.

You're welcome.

St. James Infirmary - Hugh Laurie

Who knew that Huge Laurie had blues chops?

Joe Bonamassa - Christmas Boogie

Long time readers know that I love me some blues.  And I love me some Christmas music.  And I love me some Joe B.

You're welcome.

Joe Bonamassa - Santa Claus is back in Town

The torch has been passed from B. B. King (rest in peace) and Eric Clapton (on his last tour).  Joe B. has got to be the best guitarist for our age.

The coolest business card of all time

 It was Billy Gibbons':

What's weird is that I can't find a video of him playing with Clapton - and Clapton played with everybody.  To try to make it up to you, here he is playing with Joe Bonamassa, Dusty Hill, and Derek Trucks.