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Joe BonamassaModern Bluesman

Joe Bonamassa Hammersmith2010 52.jpg

Ashley Smith - Music 1010

1Thursday, April 25, 13

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Early History

Born May 8th, 1977

By age 7, was considered a childhood prodigy

Age 10, met B.B. King

At age 12, Joe started opening for bands such as Foreigner, Gregg Allman and Robert Cray

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Awards & Honors2009 he was placed as #48 in Guitar Worlds 100 Greatest Guitar Players of All Time.

2009, Joe received “Breakthrough Artis of the Year” at Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards in England

2010 he became the #1 Blue’s Artist on Billboard

In 2011, Joe Bonamassa was name “Guitarist of the Year” by Guitarist International

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Albums & Works

Joe Bonamassa has released a total of 16 albums

Each of Joe’s albums have made it to the billboards as the “Top Blues Album”

In the early 90s, Joe recorded his first album with the band “Bloodline”

In 2000, Joe released his debut album “A New Day Yesterday”

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Driving Towards the Daylight

13th album of Joe Bonamassa’s to be released in 2012

Combines his blue’s roots with a very Rock N’ Roll sound and feel

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Dust Bowl

Joe’s 12th album to be released in 2011

Synthesizes Joe’s techniques and sounds from his early days to his more mastered sound

A hint of country and folk genres can be heard in this album

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Black Rock

Joe’s 11th album that was released in 2010

Named so because it was recorded in the Black Rock Studios in Greece

This album has a more cultured or “World” genre of music to it from the use of the Greek instruments “bouzouki” and “clarino”

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The Ballad of John HenryJoe’s 10th album released in the year 2009

Argued to be one of Joe’s best works

Marked Joe’s 20th year in the music industry

This album employed some of Joe’s most personal experiences in his life

Remained on the billboard’s #1 spot for 6 consecutive months

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Listening Guides

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Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go

Song is in a verse pattern: Introduction, Chorus, Verse 1, 0:01 Arch contour w/ keyboard playing staccato 0:03 cymbals come in0:05 the electric guitar, drums, keyboards & bass begin a melody w/ an emphasis on every other beat as a duple meter.0:22 the lead guitar and drums begin w/ a repeated riff twice 0:38 is the Chorus “Devil had a daughter, took me to deep water, tried to kill me with a kiss”Same tempo w/ flucuation of lyrics is repeated1:01 lead guitar, bass & drums slow the tempo down and the first verse is sung; repeats1:20 Chorus begins w/ “Take me, take me, somewhere trouble don’t go”1:51 Verse 22:07 Chorus2:42 lead guitar solo by Joe Bonamassa w/ drums keeping time3:30 chorus begins again after solo. RepeatsLast 40 seconds the instruments repeat the main melody of the song until it ends at 4:59

< click to play song or click on link for Rhapsody

http://www.rhapsody.com/search?query=somewhere+trouble+dont+go

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Black Lung Heartache

This song is written in verse motif. The chorus is a simple one liner “hang on, hang on, black lung heartache” that is sung at the end of each verse.

0:01 opens with bouzouki picking a 8 note themed riff repeatedly. Emphasis is played on the first note.

0:11 baglama plays in contrast w/ the bouzouki in a 5 note melody w/ emphasis on first note. In the background, a tambourine keeps time w/ a beat set in quarter notes.

0:21 Verse 1 w/ only the baglama and bouzouki accompanying Joe

1:00 Verse 2 w/ same accompanying instruments as verse 1

1:28 acoustics slows down and electric guitar, bass and drums pick up the same melody

1:38 guitar solo

1:49 Verse 3 w/ electric instruments accompanying

2:17 drums, bass and lead play out a jam session

2:49 guitar solo 2 w/ the last note fading

2:57 Bridge w/ the acoustic version w/ the baglama & bouzouki

3:08 Verse 4 w/ acoustic accompaniment

3:47 Coda w/ acoustic instruments

< click to play song or click on link for Rhapsody

http://www.rhapsody.com/search?query=black+lung+heartache

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Blue and EvilSang in a verse/chorus motif

0:01 solo electric guitar opens w/ a set rhythm in eighth notes and in a triple meter and than into a quicker rhythm of sixteenth notes. This rhythm is the main melody of the song and almost sounds acoustic.

0:17 cymbals begin to accompany the electric guitar

0:23 electric guitar and drums take over the acoustic sound and change it into a heavier beat and more rock n’roll sound.

0:45 Verse 1 w/ guitar carrying a continuous note for 8 seconds before two more chords are struck. Drums ar carrying the tempo of the song in a triple meter.

1:13 Chorus of “Blue & Evil.” During the chorus, the guiar carries the last note plucked and the drums continues to play. Most of the beats are emphasized by the cymbals.

1:29 Joe introduces Verse 2 w/ only a quiet tap of the cymbals accompanying him when singing “Ooh so i take a drink, ease my evil mind.”

1:34 has a break before carrying on w/ verse 2 with only the instruments playing main melody of the song.

1:46 Verse 2

2:09 Chorus

2:34 Guitar solo w/ drums and bass repeating the rhythm of the song

3:20 Verse 3 with only the cymbals accompanying Joe and keeping time

3:26 Verse 3 continues w/ all accompanying instruments and in the same fashion as verse 1

3:43 Chorus

4:28 guitar fades out for a few seconds w/ only Joe singing and the cymbals accompanying.

4:38 Guitars come back in and repeats main melody

5:11 instruments begin to fade out and only the acoustic-like guitar sounds are played until end at 5:44

< click to play song or click on link for Rhapsodyhttp://www.rhapsody.com/search?query=blue+and+evil

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Bibliography

"About Joe." Joe Bonamassa. Jbonamassa.com, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.

http://jbonamassa.com/about-joe/bio/

Blackett, Matt. "Working Class Hero: Joe Bonamassa Tells How Loud Amps, Heavy Strings, and Hard Work Created His Best Record Ever." Jbonamassa.com. Guitar Player Magazine, Apr. 2009. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. .

Wilson, MacKenzie. "Joe Bonamassa on AllMusic." AllMusic. Rovi Corp, 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. .

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