Congratulations to Marcel L and John G. They have both won a copy of Joe’s DVD. You’re gonna love it! Thanks to everyone who entered…

I vividly recall my first audible memory being the song “Hideaway” from John Mayall and the Blues Breakers 1966 LP (commonly known as the Beano album) with Eric Clapton. Over the course of time that record along with Clapton’s influential and extraordinary playing is reflected upon by so many musicians and fans as a major influence in their love of music. Joe Bonamassa is one of those guys inspired by Clapton’s playing. And he also notes his father’s copy of Cream’s Farewell video and Clapton’s performance from that footage as a mesmerizing and defining moment in his career… So imagine the feeling Joe must have had when on May 4th,2009 he headlines a sold-out show at The Royal Albert Hall and gets to perform with his idol?

Born on Robert Johnson’s birthday on May 8th, 1977 in Utica, New York, Bonamassa began playing guitar at age five on a short-scale Chiquita given to him by his father. Graduating to a full scale guitar, he began mastering Stevie Ray Vaughan licks. At 11 years of age, he was mentored by Danny Gatton; learning country, jazz as well as heavy rock. And at the age of 12 he opened for blues legend B.B. King and officially began his professional career.

This Past Weekend

I finally got the opportunity to watch Joe’s Live From The Royal Albert Hall DVD. My 14 year old son insisted on watching with me, and he was anticipating his cue to crank the volume the second he heard his favorite Bonamassa number “The Ballad of John Henry.” My son’s keenness shows not only is Bonamassa gaining the respect from the more seasoned music listener, but is also generating a new segment of younger music fans that appreciate his masterful touch.

Watching the intro “The Road To The Royal Albert Hall” setup what was ahead, we both felt this overwhelming sense of enthusiasm and pride as Joe started to play the elegant and harmonious “Django,” while walking on stage to a sold out crowd of close to 5000 people… This is more than just a concert video; it’s the realization of a life long dream after 20 years of dedication and hard work. And the DVD captures that moment in time beautifully.

Disc #1 — Joe Bonamassa: Live From the Royal Albert Hall

1. The Road to the Royal Albert Hall [2:38]
2. Django [3:28]
3. The Ballad of John Henry [6:47]
4. So It’s Like That [2:54]
5. Last Kiss [7:18]
6. So Many Roads [6:20]
7. Stop! [5:42]
8. Introducing Eric Clapton [1:18]
9. Further On Up the Road [5:38]
10. High Water Everywhere [5:07]
11. Sloe Gin [8:22]
12. Intermission [:22]

Disc #2 — Joe Bonamassa: Live From the Royal Albert Hall

1. I First Met B.B. King [1:22]
2. Lonesome Road Blues [4:35]
3. Happier Times [6:51]
4. Introducing Paul Jones [:59]
5. Your Funeral My Trial [4:16]
6. Blues Deluxe [9:16]
7. Story of a Quarryman [5:16]
8. The Great Flood [8:04]
9. Just Got Paid [11:26]
10. Mountain Time [10:53]
11. Asking Around for You [11:06]
12. Credits [1:14]

More than a dozen cameras focusing on all possible angles are perfectly timed with broad shots of the stage and hall, helping give you the sensation of being there. But be forewarned, the results may make your heart skip a couple of beats.

There are so many great songs and moments on Live From The Royal Albert Hall that’s its impossible to go through them all in one blog post. Whether it’s Sloe Gin, Stop, Blues Deluxe or Mountain Time, the highlights here are many. Everyone who views the DVD is going to have their personal favorites. For me, I love the opening segments on both discs, the bonus features, and of course the introduction of Eric Clapton to perform “Further On Up The Road” (the first song Joe learned to play) is first rate.

Bonamassa & his band’s performance here is absolutely fantastic. The addition of veteran drummer Anton Fig together with a horn section adds a dimension that takes the music to a cool new level. Still only 32 years of age, Bonamassa shares his gift with an adoring touch along with a knowledge and respect for many of the great blues/rock artists before him.

Musicians

Guitar and Vocals
Joe Bonamassa

Keyboards, Tambourine and Backing Vocal
Rick Melick

Bass Guitar
Carmine Rojas

Drums
Bogie Bowles and Anton Fig

Brass Arrangement and Trumpet
Lee Thornburg

Saxophone
Sean Freeman

Trombone
Mike Feitham
(Photo by: Christy Goodwin)

Bonus Features Include

an interview with Joe shot on his tour bus. Bonamassa talks about several of the songs he performed on the DVD and plays segments from them that help enhance the story of their initial creation. He also includes the bonus acoustic number, “Woke Up Dreaming.”

It’s difficult for anyone who appreciates music in general not to be impressed here. Bonamassa’s whole team deserves a lot of credit for putting together a first class DVD package. This isn’t something stuffed into a cardboard box. It’s a well thought out project with a great graphic layout complete with a 28 page insert.

I enjoyed this DVD in a big way. This is a magical event taking things to a level of mystical proportions that defines the stuff dreams are truly made of. This is a definite must own for anyone looking to be swept away in a solid dose of positive and entertaining energy.

If you’re looking for the latest tour schedule or any further information regarding Joe Bonamassa, you can go to Joe’s website by clicking here. Given the opportunity you will not want to miss Bonamassa and his band perform when they come to your area.
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Want To Win A Copy Joe Bonamassa’s Latest DVD?

I’m giving all email subscribers of The Blues Blogger anywhere in the world the opportunity to win 2 possible copies of Joe’s DVD “Live From The Royal Albert Hall” in yet another giveaway…

The Rules Are Simple

You will need to subscribe to my e-mail list at the top of the page where it says “Receive Updates by Email.” Enter your email address and press click here. When you submit the form, you will receive a verification message in your in-box. Once you respond to this message you are subscribed. That’s it! I promise no spam and you can always unsubscribe at anytime… All current Blues Blogger subscribers are automatically entered. This random prize giveaway will end November 30th, 2009 at 11:00 pm eastern time in the U.S. When the winners are notified, they’ll have 24 hours to respond or a new name will be drawn.

How familiar are you with Joe Bonamassa’s work? Have you ever been fortunate enough to see him perform live? Is there a favorite album in particular that you enjoy? As usual I love hearing from you. If you leave a valid comment regarding Joe and his band, the DVD or anything about his work over the past 20 years, I will give you an extra 2 entries into the random draw for a total of 3 possible ballots.

Good Luck and Let’s Hear From You,

The Blues Blogger

Congratulations to CoolBus!!! He won the Amazon Gift Certificate Random Draw. Your $50.00 gift card has been emailed… Thanks everyone for your overwhelming support! I have a few more surprises in store in the weeks to come… Stay tuned!!!

As I mentioned in my previous Delta Blues Book Giveaway post last week, I wanted to give some of my readers outside North America a chance to win something as well. So I’m offering one Amazon gift certificate valued at $50.00 dollars U.S. The winner will be able to use this for many of the terrific items on the Amazon website. This gift certificate is available for my readers in the United States, France, Germany, UK, Japan, Canada and China. When the winner is drawn and confirmed, I will send the certificate by email… Not a major prize here, just a way of saying thanks for being there and stopping by The Blues Blogger’s home on the net. And for celebrating my 2nd Anniversary this month!

The Rules Are Simple

You will need to subscribe to my e-mail list at the top of the page where it says Receive Updates by Email. Enter your email address and press click here. When you submit the form, you will receive a verification message in your in-box. Once you respond to this message you are subscribed. That’s it! I promise no spam and you can always unsubscribe at anytime… All current Blues Blogger subscribers are automatically entered.

For Extra Entries Into The Draw

You will still need to subscribe for 1 entry and for the chance to win… But I will also add 1 extra entry for anybody that adds a comment to this post and another for anyone who re-tweets this post on Twitter by hitting the green retweet button below. (If you retweet you should really leave a comment here on the blog letting me know you did. This will allow better tracking and gives you 3 entries into the draw.)

Deadline

The random prize draw will end November 4th 2009 at 11:00 pm eastern standard time in the U.S. The winner will have 24 hours to respond or a new entry will be drawn… Of course it wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t end a blues blogger post with a song. Here’s one to get you rockin’

Have Fun and Good Luck,

The Blues Blogger

Congratulations to Jan R-B!!! She is the winner of the Delta Blues Book Giveaway. Jan is also known as @LOLAsFeedAnFuel on twitter… Thanks to everyone who entered the draw.

Delta Blues: The Life and Times of the Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Music

As a way of saying thank you to all readers of TheBluesBlogger, and at the same time have a little fun, I’m giving away one copy of the book Delta Blues by Ted Gioia. This is the hard cover edition of the book that takes a historical journey through time and examines the mood and atmosphere that is the basis for most popular music we know and love today. Gioia provides insight into the early life and career of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf and B.B. King. From the novice lover of the blues to the most knowledgeable music fan, this is a book I’m sure you’ll find intriguing.

Take a Peek Inside the Book.

Five Possible Entries In The Random Draw – Here’s How –

Clicking the link here on this line will open an email form that is good for 1 entry:

Of course I’ll need your name and email address:
On the subject line put: Delta Blues Giveaway
In the message body: This can be anything. Just let me know you want to be entered in the random giveaway.

(The above information will be kept confidential. No spam I promise!)

Copy and Paste the Following Message on Twitter For 1 Entry:

RT @thebluesblogger Retweet & follow for 1 entry in the Delta #Blues book giveaway. More info at http://ow.ly/thlK #deltabluesdraw

My StumbleUpon Friends

Thumbs up this post and write a brief comment on SU for 1 entry.

The Last Way to Enter

is to simply write any insightful comment regarding this post. For example it could be something about your favorite Delta Blues artist. Or perhaps a memorable song from the past. Maybe you just want to mention an article you read that struck a chord. It’s really up to you… For adding any comments to this post I will add 2 entries into the random draw…

This random prize giveaway will close 11:00 pm eastern time in the U.S. on October 30th. Winners will be contacted by email and must reply by twelve noon November 1st eastern time in the United States, otherwise a new entry will be drawn… Good luck and have fun!

This random prize giveaway is only available in The United States and Canada… But don’t be too disappointed, soon I will announce an additional giveaway that will be available in a few more countries internationally just to be fair to all my readers… Stay tuned!

This blog started as a therapeutic means for me to deal with the aftershock of my heart attack 2 years ago this month. TheBluesBlogger was a comfortable vehicle for me to share my personal experiences and merge them together with my love of music and writing… Since then it has grown beyond my wildest expectations. Over the past 2 years, I’ve received some extremely positive and heart felt messages in which I’m eternally grateful. To all readers of this blog old and new, thanks for letting me share my thoughts along with the music and the times I so fondly remember. And of course the new sounds that continue to inspire and motivate me. Your comments, input and words of encouragement mean more to me than I can ever say…

All The Best,

TheBluesBlogger

Congratulations To:

songstress51

Thanks to everyone who entered… Asa’s latest release on Mercer Street Records is a wonderful album. I look forward to hearing more from this incredibly gifted artist in the future.

Songstress51, I’ll be emailing you shortly to get your mailing address. Thanks for subscribing to TheBluesBlogger.com.

Stay tuned everyone, I will be back soon with my latest post…

The Blues Blogger

Occasionally I like putting together posts which venture slightly outside TheBluesBlogger norm… It’s interesting, because when I do, they end up being some of the more popular articles on my site. An example of this is two pieces I wrote on singer Sade. One called Sade: The Wait Continues, and the other Where Is Sade? They’re both very popular posts for comments from Sade fans… When information of artist Asa, (pronounced Ah-sha) an upcoming Nigerian singer/guitarist and composer was sent to me, it immediately caught my attention… Not knowing much about Asa, I listened and absorbed her captivating and evocative grooves. I found the music on this album very uplifting, and the songs were helping with the abysmal mood I was in from a grueling prior week…

So as usual, I got on the treadmill, loaded Asa’s album on my player and got lost in my thoughts…

ASA

was born Bukola Elemide, in September 1982, in Paris, France. She spent the first two years of her life in the French capital before her family moved back to their native country of Nigeria. Elemide was schooled in Lagos…

She was the only girl in a family with three brothers, and was a lonely child that didn’t seem to fit into the usual clichés. Sad and feeling out of place, music became her escape. Asa developed the desire to sing. And like many aspiring artists, was influenced by her father’s extensive record collection. These albums exposed Asa to many popular soul artists such as Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley and Aretha Franklin… She secretly started playing guitar at an early age, and by her teens was writing her own songs.

Asa returned to Paris in her early twenties when she received a grant to study music. It was around this time that she started playing professionally in local clubs.

Back in Lagos in 2007, Asa went into the studio to record her album with blind multi-instrumentalist Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo. Afterwards, she returned to Paris to test her new songs on the French music scene. Her singles started getting airplay in Nigeria… Suddenly, Asa found herself opening for artists like Femi Kuti, John Legend, Beyonce and Snoop Dogg amongst others.

Asa’s Latest Album

is very personal and thought provoking. Making its debut in France about a year ago, it reached number 1 on the country’s digital music charts. In England, she has performed on Jools Holland and has been on the cover of Music Week. Her music has an infectious blend of soul, R&B, folk, reggae and pop with strong African roots. Asa has often been compared to Tracy Chapman.

“I want my music to touch people. As an African, I want to give hope back to my people, but also to speak in their name. I want to show the world that something beautiful and positive can come out of the black continent and inspire young people all over the world.”

One of the coolest things about being TheBluesBlogger is the amount of information I receive on a number of upcoming artists on the music scene. It’s nice to feature some of these on my blog. Especially when they generate such creative, inspiring and catchy tunes. Asa is definitely someone we’ll hear more of soon.

It was the perfect choice for my run on the treadmill. The music on this release definitely brightened up my weekend. And I had a great workout… I have a feeling I’ll be listening to this one several more times.

Have any of you heard of Asa and her latest release? Please add your comments below… If you’re looking for more information on Asa, you can go to her website or MySpace page.

Want to Win a Copy of Asa’s Eponymous Debut on Mercer Street Records?

Entering is simple… All you have to do is subscribe to TheBluesBlogger.com by using the “RECEIVE UPDATES BY E-MAIL” form on the top of this page. All subscribers will be entered into the random draw. If you currently subscribe, then you’re automatically entered… Winner will be announced Thursday February 19th 11:00 pm eastern time in the U.S.

Good Luck,

The Blues Blogger