How Many Band Members

Joe, bass, drums & keys is my favorite. Especially with Reese. He really adds depth, versatility and enormous quality to the band. After that backup singers, second guitar, horns all on certain occasions or songs. They're more fluff and fill. Nice but not a necessity.

My personal favorite would be guitar, bass, drums, keys and maybe backup singers... but I do enjoy that he mixes it up a lot.

I would say I follow  your thoughts.I like the horns too.Sometimes I just would like a  just 3 or 4 piece.He has been incorporating the horns for a while and a lot of songs of more recent vintage are designed for having them.So I think it makes sense to tour that way.
  Perhaps even a power trio Joe at this stage would be interesting just because he hasn’t done it for an album for so long.
  It may come back sometime but more likely not.A little more likely  four piece with keys.I will take that any day! If you look at BOD not every song is horns a blazin and I can dig an album with a mixture of tracks with and with out the horns.I will also take the back up singers any day.I know some have said they have been overpowering.I would think that’s a sound staging problem  as they seem properly balanced in the studio.
Everyone has there way to be Bonablown away.I do feel sorry for those that can’t enjoy most of the changes he’s gone through.I am not saying we all should blindly worship every twist and turn.It just as far a solo works go I think he’s done an even job of keeping with in the basic perimeter but doing a lot of different things to keep things from getting stale.Thats not easy and very few artists can do it successfully.Now when he steps out and does soul with Beth or hard rock with BCC or the jazz funk of RCFP those are meant to be off the blues path and take those as you like.I think that just adds something for everyone to take a bonaside offering as they please.Even Country ( disclaimer !!)

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Ooooppps! 2...

Unless Joe kicks even his guitar outta the band and takes up opera or Broadway musicals...or Elvis style dead end B-movies...

Rock ON & Keep The Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”