A glittering list of blues rock guitarists – namely, Joe Bonamassa, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Carmen Vandenberg and Josh Smith – have teamed-up for a cover of B.B. King track Ain’t Nobody Home.
The song and accompanying in-studio video went live on Sunset Sound Recorders’ YouTube channel yesterday (June 8) in celebration of King’s 1972 session at the storied LA recording facility.
King’s original recording at the studio was released on the Live At Sunset Sound - Hollywood January, 10th 1972 album and now the four artists have paid tribute to the blues legend with their own take on the track – here interspliced with the set’s original intro.
Former Jeff Beck and current Bones UK guitarist Vandenberg gets the honor of the lead solo on the track, putting her Duesenberg through the wringer with a superbly off-kilter, almost-rockabilly take on the lead, before vocalist Taylor tags in with her Tele to nail the next section in a manner that is, frankly, unfairly off-the-cuff.
Later, things bounce back to Vandenberg who provides an invigorating fuzz-laden passage and then bats it to Bonamassa. The blues-rock ace responds with a solo that feels like more of a direct tribute to King’s fingertone.
From there, the lead guitar baton passes back to Taylor, then Vandenberg, before Bonamassa, Taylor, and you get the picture… essentially, it’s just a cycle of killer blues tag from that point out.
Josh Smith, meanwhile, contents himself with ably holding down the (unbelievably tight) rhythm section alongside bassist Sean Hurley and drummer Lamar Carter.
King’s original cut at the studio can be heard on the Live At Sunset Sound - Hollywood January, 10th 1972 vinyl reissue and while that session isn’t on YouTube, you can hear an earlier recording from the blues great below, for comparison.
Back on the new clip, guitar geeks will note that as with Bonamassa’s recent cover of Back In Black with Scary Pockets (another pro-packed, super-hi-fi session in a classic studio) – he’s once again favoring his Bigsby-equipped Gibson SG.
We still don’t know exactly what vintage that is, but let’s just assume it is worth more than your average suburban home and, therefore, is relishing the exercise.
While we’re on the blues ace’s guitar habit, Joe Bonamassa has been discussing what it’s like trying to live amongst “the sheer magnitude” of his 500-strong vintage guitar and amp collection at his LA home.
