Topic: jamming with joe
Hey all,
my name is Jamey and I am a 20 year old guitarist from Colorado. I began playing at age twelve, and became intrested in the blues soon after. When I was about 14, my guitar teacher gave me a video cassette he said was essential for my musical growth. I eagerly put the tape in the VCR, only to find a short segment from a Bravo show on a 16 year old guitarist named Joe Bonamassa. I was amazed at not only his virtuosity on the instrument, but humilty as a person, as well as his fluency in various idioms of music. I began learning all the licks on the video, and I soon took an interest in country and jazz as Joe recommended in the interview (I am currently a jazz guitar major at Oberlin Conservatory). I searched the internet for Bonamassa, and found nothing at this time. I got the Bloodline CD and continued my guitar education propeled by the influence of Joe. A few months later, my periodic Yahoo! searches on Bonamassa led me to A New Day Yesterday which was to be released shortly thereafter. I bought the album the day it was released and ever since have been constantly amazed by the mastery of the instrument as displayed by Joe through concerts, dvds and recordings.
As I mentioned, I am a music student of jazz, but am still frequently playing my roots, the blues, and on the quest to expand my knowledge and ideas regarding all kinds of music. Last year I had the oppurtunity to sit in with Robert Randolph & The Family Band , and it was an enlightening experience. Being able to share the stage with one of my guitar influences taught me so much about what I still needed to work on, and how to communicate musically in that situation. I know Joe experienced this at an early age when sitting in with B.B., John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins and various other blues masters. Its part of the tradition to sit in with the more experienced players of the music. I recently came across a video on youtube of a young guitarist named Mike jamming with Joe (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Dni_xKJTD2g) and the idea struck me to inquire about having this same honor. I feel my playing is at a similar level with Mike and I would learn a great deal from this experience, playing alongside one of my great influences.
Joe will be playing in Beaver Creek, Colorado at the end of the month, and I would love to have this opportunity with him at this show. I understand Joe and his band have a set to keep, and I don't want to impose on that, but if its at all possible I would be interested. If anyone knows how to get ahold of Joe, or if the man himself reads this, please contact me.
even if I got some critiques on my playing from him, it would mean a lot to me, because I have plenty to learn about the instrument and the music.
my playing can be heard @ www.myspace.com/jameyarent
thanks all...
-Jamey
