IMAGE BY: Maryam-Wilcher
This is Joanna Connor’s fourteenth album. It follows on from her highly acclaimed release Rise.
Here she has got in tow with producer and acclaimed guitarist Joe Bonamassa. He assembled the stellar band for Joanna that has Josh Smith on guitar throughout. Her version of Josh’s It’s My Time, the finale;is spoken by Joanna with a slide duet with Joe that is mesmeric. The album was recorded in Ocean Way Recording Studios in Nashville, but is full of Chicago flavours. Other band members include Reese Wynans on keyboards, Calvin Turner on bass and Lemar Carter on drums.
There is a fantastic horn section, especially noted on Trouble Trouble. All ten tracks are reinterpreted with edginess, class and passion. Destination, cuts the scene with incendiary guitar playing and thumping drums, an old Assassins Band song with added vocals from Jimmy Hall. Come Back Home, is full on keyboard melting under Joanna’s powerful vocal. The haunting tones bring new dynamics to Luther Allison’s Bad News, a blues classic. I Feel So Good is a boogie tune. Albert King’s, For The Love Of A Man has a wonderful groove to it. Hound Dog Taylor’s Please Help gets the full treatment. Cut You Loose is a wall of sound, Joanna’s vocals are stunning. Part Time Love oozes style.
Always loved Joanna’s guitar playing and vocals, here she brings everything of herself with depth of feeling. Her best album to date, raw, pure and traditional blues.
COLIN CAMPBELL
Joanna Connor’s new album “4801 South Indiana Avenue” is released by KTBA Records on February 26th. Pre-order the album from – https://jbonamassa.com/albums/
Check out our interview with Joanna in the February/March issue of Blues Matters and find out more about the new tracks from the lady herself!
