4901 - BETH HART JOE BONAMASSA - Seesaw (2013)

BETH HART JOE BONAMASSA
''SEESAW''
MAY 20 2013
49:17

1/Them There Eyes
Maceo Pinkard / Doris Tauber / William Tracey/2:32
2/Close to My Fire
Peter Hoppe / Stephanie Popp/5:14
3/Nutbush City Limits
Tina Turner/3:36
4/I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
Al Kooper/7:04
5/Can't Let Go
Randy Weeks/4:02
6/Miss Lady
Buddy Miles/4:56
7/If I Tell You I Love You
Melody Gardot/3:38
8/Rhymes
Al Green / Mabon Hodges/5:05
9/A Sunday Kind of Love
Barbara Belle / Anita Nye / Louis Prima / Stanley Rhodes/3:57
10/See Saw
Don Covay / Steve Cropper/3:26
11/Strange Fruit
Lewis Allen/5:47

Joe Bonamassa /Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Bova /String Arrangements
Lenny Castro /Percussion
Blondie Chaplin /Guitar (Rhythm), Percussion, Vocals (Background)
Ron Dziubla /Saxophone
Anton Fig /Drums, Percussion
Doug Henthorn /Vocals (Background)
Michael Rhodes /Bass
Carmine Rojas /Bass
Arlan Schierbaum /Organ, Piano
Lee Thornburg /Brass Arrangement, Trombone, Trumpet

BIOGRAPHY
by Jason Ankeny
Los Angeles-based blues-rocker Beth Hart began playing piano at age four, later attending L.A.'s High School for the Performing Arts as a vocal and cello major. By 1993, she was a regular fixture of the local club circuit, by 1993 collaborating with bassist Tal Herzberg and guitarist Jimmy Khoury; with the addition of drummer Sergio Gonzalez early the following year, the Beth Hart Band was complete, and after signing to Atlantic's Lava imprint, the group issued its debut album, Immortal, in 1996. Screamin' for My Supper followed three years later. In 2003, Hart released Leave the Light On, followed by both audio and DVD versions of Live at Paradiso in 2005. In 2007, she released 37 Days, which was only released in Europe and Japan. It was followed by Beth Hart & the Ocean of Souls in 2009 on Razz Records. In 2010, Hart released My California in Europe, followed by release in the United States in early 2011. Hart emerged later in the year in collaboration with blues guitar superstar Joe Bonamassa on a searing collection of soul covers entitled Don't Explain. 2012 saw the release of Hart's eighth studio album, Bang Bang Boom Boom.
DoWnLoAd

1153 - BETH HART & JOE BONAMASSA - Don't Explain (2011)

BETH HART AND JOE BONAMASSA
''DON'T EXPLAIN''
SEP 27, 2011
J&R ADVENTURES
50:44
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1/Sinner's Prayer/Fulson, Glenn/4:27
2/Chocolate Jesus/Brennan, Waits/2:39
3/Your Heart Is as Black as Night/Gardot/5:00
4/For My Friends/Withers/4:11
5/Don't Explain/Herzog, Holiday/4:34
6/I'd Rather Go Blind/Foster, Jordan/8:06
7/Something's Got a Hold on Me/James, Kirland, Woods/6:05
8/I'll Take Care of You/Benton/5:13
9/Well, Well/Bramlett/3:42
10/Ain't No Way/Franklin/6:47

Joe Bonamassa/Guitar, Vocals
Jeff Bova/Orchestration
The Bovaland Symphonic Orchestra/Orchestra
Blondie Chaplin/Guitar
Anton Fig/Drums, Percussion
Beth Hart/Piano, Vocals
Carmine Rojas/Bass Guitar
Arlan Scheirbaum/Keyboards

REVIEW
by Thom Jurek
Fans of guitar master Joe Bonamassa will be delighted that 2011 was such a prolific year in his career. First came the fine, rootsy Dust Bowl, then 2, the second chapter in his Black Country Communion project's catalog. Don't Explain, a collection of soul, blues, and jazz-oriented covers in collaboration with vocal firebrand Beth Hart marks his third entry this year. The ten-song set of blues and soul is a logical extension of her vocal contribution to "No Love on the Street" from Dust Bowl. Opening is a thoroughly raucous contemporary blues reading of Ray Charles' "Sinner's Prayer," followed by a quirky version of Tom Waits' "Chocolate Jesus," and an unusual cover of contemporary jazz-pop singer/songwriter Melody Gardot's "You Heart Is as Black as Night." On this cut, a string orchestra adds a touch of perversity; it offers the impression of a femme fatale singing a Brecht-Weill number in a smoky cabaret in front of a moody string orchestra, buoyed by a brooding electric blues quintet. "For My Friends," a Bill Withers' tune, is a big, nasty, jagged blues number that keeps the funky groove intact. The title track, a number closely associated with Billie Holiday, falls flat. Hart tries too hard to employ Holiday's phrasing, the string orchestrations are overblown, and Bonamassa's crew is too reverent. This formula also mars the remake of Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way" that closes the set. Far better are readings of Etta James' signatories "I'd Rather Go Blind," and "Something's Got a Hold on Me." Hart's emotive, throaty delivery is perfectly suited to both songs, and she resists trying to ape James' phrasing. Since they follow one another directly, the musical difference between them also showcase's Hart's diverse abilities. The former is a soul burner, the latter a gospel blues. Bonamassa and band accent her every phrase with requisite rowdiness, sting, and grit. The pair's only vocal collaboration is a burning read of Delaney & Bonnie's "Well, Well." With Anton Fig's breaks and rim shots underscoring Arlan Scheirbaum's electric piano fills, Bonamassa's burning leads, the chunky, rhythmic foundation from guitarist Blondie Chaplin, and Carmine Rojas' bassline, Hart and the lead guitarist trade whip-smart call and response vocals with enough raw country-soul to bring the song to a new audience. While not a perfect recording, Don't Explain is a good one, whose strengths are numerous enough to warrant a second go round.