Epiphone's Les Paul King
Joe Bonamassa talked to Music Rader about the "pure joy" of his new album, Rock Candy Funk Party, which features a dizzy mix of early 70s R&B and Jimmy Smith-inspired instrumentals. "I really love being in a group, and in this situation," said Bonamassa, "I'm by far the most untrained, unqualified musician in the room. I like that. It makes me a better player."
It's hard to imagine any situation where Bonamassa would be the most "unqualified" musician in the group. But you can't argue with Bonamassa's performances which are spirited and creative in ways that we haven't heard on his previous albums. Drummer Tal Bergman and guitarist Ron DeJesus have plenty to offer and it's easy to see why everyone sounds so at home on the record. "The point was just to have fun. If something was outrageous and wacky, that's exactly the kind of thing that was encouraged," said Bonamassa. We can't wait to see where this will lead since Joe has several more records already slated for 2013.
Read Epiphone's exclusive
interview with Bonamassa where Joe talks tone, true grit, and the secret ingredients behind his vintage Les Pauls and how they made their way into his Epiphone signature model. Check out the quartet in action below.