April 7, 2013

THE ALBUM OF THE DAY
JOE BONAMASSA...An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House  (2013)
An Acoustic Evening At The Vienna Opera House is currently number 52 on the U.S. Billboard album charts.  There are probably many of you that have still not heard the name Joe Bonamassa, which is a shame because this guy is an extremely talented guitarist.  I would put his talents and abilities on the axe right up there with the Jimi Hendrix-Eric Clapton-Eddie Van Halen-Stevie Ray Vaughan club (yes, I said it).  He is that good.  This is recorded at the Vienna Music Hall and this is a great listen, with the 2 CD's lasting an hour and 40 minutes.  I found myself really immersed into the music, hearing acoustic versions of some of Joe's best tunes, but without that scorching electric guitar I'm used to hearing Joe play.  "Athens to Athens" was one of my highlights, with my foot stompin' as if I was on a porch somewhere in the south listening to some good 'ol musicians.  Other highlights include (but not limited to) "Woke Up Dreaming" and "Dust Bowl." Highly recommended with 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
(CD, vinyl, DVD, blu-ray, Allmusic review)

ROCK BIRTHDAYS FOR APRIL 7
Mick Abrahams formerly with Jethro Tull is 70;

ON THIS DATE
1952 Bruce Gary of the Knack was born. Gary died in 2006 in Tarzana, California of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
1962 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards see Brian Jones perform at The Ealing Club in London. They ask Jones to join their group which eventually will be called the Rolling Stones
1975 Ritchie Blackmore leaves Deep Purple to start Rainbow
1995 At a Burbank airport Eddie Van Halen is detained after a Beretta semi-automatic pistol in his carry-on luggage that is loaded is discovered
1998 Cozy Powell, drummer for Whitesnake, Rainbow and Black Sabbath, dies in a car accident
2004 A misdemeanor battery charge against Vince Neil of Motley Crue is dismissed in a Beverly Hills court following 100 hours of community service