Joe Bonamassa - Live at Carnegie Hall: An Acoustic Evening

Live At Carnegie Hall – An Acoustic Evening is a live album by American blues rock musician Joe Bonamassa, released in June 2017 by Provogue Records in Europe and J&R Adventures in the US.

Live at Carnegie Hall: An Acoustic Evening is the 15th live album Joe Bonamassa has released since 2002 but only the second acoustic live set. This means Live at Carnegie Hall, like 2013's An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House before it, stands out from his annual electric extravaganzas, sounding a little more subdued and relaxed than its companions. Bonamassa still spits out a flurry of notes, that's his signature, but the acoustic setting softens his aggression, and his band follows suit. The songs aren't so much reinterpreted as given a gentler touch, and in a catalogue filled with similar feeling records, that distinction is welcome.

The piano intro to Jethro Tull’s “Locomotive Breath” is a witty precursor to “This Train”, the opening track on this live recording from January 2016 of Bonamassa playing with an entirely acoustic 9-piece outfit, featuring familiar collaborators like Reese Wynans on piano and Anton Fig on drums, as well as some new faces who help to conjure up a fresh take on some familiar material.

“This Train” rattles along with real vim, with cellist Tina Guo providing fills that nicely counterpoint the riff and Bonamassa offering a steam whistle-ish guitar break. It heralds an impressive opening stretch that also includes “Drive” and “The Valley Runs Low” from Blues Of Desperation.

Along the way it’s apparent that this set-up suits Bonamassa’s voice, allowing him to throttle back and concentrate on feel. But for your money there’s also some spooky erhu (a ‘Chinese fiddle’) from Guo and a steely semi-classical solo from the main man on “Drive”; a Celtic feel to passages on the simple but exquisite “The Valley Runs Low”; and on “Dust Bowl” some interesting percussion from Fig and Egyptian maestro Hossam Ramzy. The laid back arrangement of “Mountain Time” features magnificent, perfectly pitched piano from Wynans, who is frequently the real star of this show.

Black Country Communion’s “Song Of Yesterday” is another highlight, an extended epic with a brooding opening, atmospheric cello and moaning backing vocals. With its driving, uptempo coda, it may be long but it’s well worth it. Then down the stretch “Woke Up Dreaming” serves up a “Flight Of The Bumblebee” style guitar and cello workout from Bonamassa and Guo, before things cool off towards with B.B. King’s “Hummingbird” and a lengthy encore of “The Rose”.

This is Joe Bonamassa’s 22nd solo album release in the last 15 years, never mind all his collaborations. That may feel like a relentless stream of product, but don’t let that put you off this outing. Live At Carnegie Hall: An Acoustic Evening contains some real gems.

Check out the tracks: “Woke up Dreaming”, “Drive”; “This Train” and “Song Of Yesterday”. 

This triple LP housed in a tri-fold gatefold sleeve with a digital download code, is pressed in the USA on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl.