THE MUSIC SCENE
Joe Bonamassa Is A Blues Behemoth Blues guitar god gifts us with a concert
The Sound Of Humanity If you ask local composer and musician Ben Van Winkle why he makes music, he’ll tell you: “To express our humanity. And express that we are all just humans.” I would have to agree that his music does just that. Van Winkle successfully captures the essence of the human experience with unique arrangements, stirring vocals, and just the right amount of poignancy to take your breath away. And you can experience his music yourself at the pre-release party for his debut album Saunter On this Saturday. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Palace Theater, and here’s a heads up: if you pre-order the album, you get in for free! Saunter On has been two years in the making and twenty-two different musicians contributed to the creation of this album, many of whom will be available to meet at the event. Van Winkle says of this album, “It’s personal, extremely detailed and rich with texture and emotion in ways I didn’t know I was capable of creating.” For the very first time, all the contributors to this album will listen to their creation together—you don’t want to miss being a part of this joyful, passionate community. — Halley Andrews
I
HAVE BEEN WRITING ABOUT MUSIC ON AND OFF for well over two decades now; I’ve written several hundred articles just for The Pulse alone. There are more than a few common elements that run through that body of work but I suspect the most readily apparent would be that I’m not stingy with praise. By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor
Recognizing that, I worry at times it may seem more like ad-copy than review. Let me assure you, I have never written a word that wasn’t heartfelt. Whatever the limitations of my writing, and they are undoubtedly many, let it never be
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said that I am insincere. It is necessary to preface today’s article with that bit of explanation/ disclaimer because of what I am going to say next. It is an impression I have wrestled with for days now and yet, now that it’s time to write, it is an impression I am compelled to share. Anything less would be insincere.
Joe Bonamassa may be the greatest blues guitarist living today. I think he is, and I am extremely hesitant to label anything “the best”, but after two weeks of total immersion in his enormous catalog of music, I cannot think of a better way to say it. Like every kid who ever picked up a guitar, I was introduced to the litany of “guitar gods” we are all supposed to worship. For a while, I did but I could never shake the nagging suspicion that I and my peers, along with generations of musicians who came before and after us, repeated those names with reverence because we were
