Bluesrock Trio or a real big Band? (Page 2 of 2)

Unless I'm sorely mistaken Kevin Shirley had a hand in putting this band together. 

whatdoesheknow
didntaskme

My point exactly.

MuchLove
jeff

B.B. King's not pure blues? T-Bone Walker?  Just saying.....

well I'm glad there are some out there who liked the trio more as well...I was feeling kinda alone earlier.  I just feel that the trio was way more powerful, inspiring, full, and tighter than the current lineup.  It was so rocking to watch those guys in the earlier days in a small venue just doing things that no other band could do.  They fed off each other so well and left me on edge never knowing what they were going to do.  I just didn't get that the last time I saw them with this current lineup.  They were incredibly good, but not the band that drew me in the first hundred times.  No matter what Joe does I will continue to listen and I am a HUGE fan...he'll always have my support no matter what...I am just conveying my honest feelings since this discussion was in question form.  I am surprised this question hasn't been asked before...because I know there are alot of JB fans out there who feel the same way I do but I guess hesitate to comment.

OK I have to jump in here again.  I LOVE this thread. 

I play in power trios.  But it might be a byproduct of my personality.  My brother comes to town and says it's not me ...completely.  The ones I like best are the multi-instrumentalists where everyone sings.  It's more work in some ways, but it's better than clashing with egomaniacs and upstarts.  OR maybe I'm the egomaniac.  dunno.

I went north awhile back and wandered into a Boston area blues jam and plugged in a bass.  There was 2 guitarists, 2 keyboard players, bass, drums and 2 horn players.  We rocked so hard it was goose pimply.  No noise, though.  Pure music.  All the young boys in the room went from arms folded and posing to screaming and pounding on the table and the girls had their hair flying and their hips shaking.  I loved that and nobody got in anybody's way.  It was the right mix of personnel.  The song was the most important thing.

So it depends on the players and the sound you're looking for.  The bottom line is I'm sitting in my underwear writing on this damn forum with y'all and the boys are on the road.  Let me call em & raise hell.  Just playing.  The band he has now is made up of world class musicians.  That don't hurt.

1) So it's all good.  Everybody's right.
2) Killer thread, Eva.
3) Whatever Joe does, he's got us...big time!

Gottago
coffeeskicking
bigjeffjones

This is a great thread! It certainly got me thinking about successful groups / bands / artists - why they were successful and what they did that was different enough to get them and keep them noticed above hundreds, no thousands of others.

Joe knows that it is his dream, his skill and his constant desire to evolve as a musician that is resulting in an eager and ever growing fan base. He knows too, I guess, that with a wider fan base, he is pitching to wider tastes and conceptions. Rick, Carmine and Lawrence (sorry Bogie) are perfect foils for Joe to achieve the next step on the ladder, but as we know, times change and band members change too, it's kind of inevitable. Rick and Carmine were introduced by Kevin Shirley I understand, and their undoubted skills have blended the powerhouse that was the Joe Bnamassa band into an experience that is now so highly regarded!

We have seen Joe move through blues, blues rock, heavy rock, balads and instrumentals - let's face it there are lots more genres of music that we all love that don't necessarily fall into these categories - what's to stop Joe putting his stamp on another genre. Joe freely admits he has copied the styles and techniques of other musicians - that's why he is so bloody good after all!

I agree with one or two others, Joe's undeniable skill is what people put their hand in their pocket for, time after time after time. If he were to keep the same recipe gig after gig or album after album, I'm pretty sure he would be back in the pre "You and Me" days, with a small but faithful following. No, for me Joe should have his head, try something different every now and then, maybe just on albums to start with and if the paying public like it, buy it and compliment Joe for his guts, then roll out whatever works, be it four, five, six, wind, strings, vocal backing. This is what many of the best have done and I for one think Joe is one of the best!

Geoff

I'll 2nd this.  I know that Blues purists criticize Joe for not being "blue enough", but I've also noticed a lesser degree of this from this forum at times.  I love The Blues, but it's not my favorite style.  Joe is my favorite Blues musician though.  But, I'm happy to hear whatever Joe creates.  I don't care whether Joe stays in the Blues genre or not.  As long as he stays true to his own vision I'll be happy.  Music is 99% expression.  If Joe does what he loves he will always produce amazing music.

L8r... JOhn