Few artists of recent years have been as relentlessly prolific as Joe Bonamassa. From his wonderful solo work to his tenure with Black Country Communion and from his many and varied live releases to his massively successful collaboration with noted singer Beth Hart, it seems that the man never actually stops and yet, so varied is his output that he never runs the risk of oversaturating the market. Previous collaboration ‘don’t explain’ saw Joe’s sublime guitar work backing Beth’s powerful, intimate vocals for a set that went on to sell some 150,000 copies, a huge quantity in the modern, cynical music market. Clearly the pair connected with audiences in a remarkable fashion and if you caught last year’s DVD release ‘live at Beacon theatre’ you will have seen the sparks fly from the duo as they run through ‘I’ll take care of you’ and ‘sinner’s prayer’, two tracks that receive such a warm response from the audience that a further record seemed inevitable.
Produced by a fellow workaholic, Kevin Shirley, ‘Seesaw’ gathers together eleven tracks covering artists such as Tina Turner, Etta James, Lucinda Williams and Billie Holiday for an album that proves to be wilfully eclectic, shifting between slow-burning, even sultry moments and flashes of white hot intensity where both Joe and Beth are able to push their considerable talents to the limits as they bring new flourishes to old standards. The choices are, in some cases, surprising – the decision to do a song as raucous as ‘Nutbush city limits’ for example, and yet Beth, in particular here, absolutely shines as she pushes her voice to the limits to deliver a smart, sassy take on the classic that makes it all her own.
The album opens with ‘them there eyes’, a cover of a track first made famous by Billie Holiday way back in 1939 and it is the perfect entry to the world of Hart and Bonamassa, a world tinged with smoke, whiskey and soul. With plenty of brass, Joe’s guitar filtered through vintage reverb and the rhythm section nailing the beat, it is Beth who emerges from the very centre of the mix with a vocal that is both out of time and timeless, capturing the rich, innocent feel of 1930s delivery with only the slightest hint of a knowing smile in evidence. ‘Close to my fire’ is a more contemporary entry, coming from Slackwax, and yet it fits perfectly into the feel of the set with Beth’s deeply sexy delivery and Joe’s subtle guitar flourishes powering the song without overpowering it. Similar in feel to Morcheeba at their most soulful, you can imagine this song being the perfect soundtrack to a romantic sunset with its promise of a deliciously impassioned night to follow. A dangerous track to take on, ‘Nutbush city limit’ is the sort of song you only indulge in if you exude confidence and skill. Fortunately Beth and Joe have the necessary skill to turn this tricky, fast-paced classic into a triumph, and you can feel the waves of energy pouring from out of the speakers as Beth wails the chorus like a lady possessed. It’s a brilliant, fiery rendition guaranteed to raise a smile to the most cynical of lips and it’s hard to imagine that the pair didn’t have fun blasting this out in the studio – it certainly sounds like they did and you can only hope they tackle it live sometime soon.
Slowing things down a touch (allowing all involved to draw breath) ‘I’ll love you more than you’ll ever know’ is a Donnie Hathaway song that also drew the interest of the late Amy Winehouse with its smoky, soulful feel. Joe gets a chance to shine with the opening solo oozing charisma, and then Beth enters with her voice set to stun over the quietest of musical backdrops which then slowly builds up to an epic solo at the conclusion. ‘Can’t let go’ (Lucinda Williams) puts the fire back under the band as they kick into the bluesy riff with gusto and it’s hard to imagine anyone hearing this not wanting to move some part of their body, especially when the sweet slide guitar that powers the song comes to the fore in the middle eight. Even more so, ‘Miss Lady’, a Buddy Miles song originally produced by Jimi Hendrix, is so demanding that Beth was initially reluctant to tackle it and it says much that she not only nails the song but puts her own distinctive stamp on it as Joe leads the band on their very own seek and destroy mission powered by his wah-inflected guitar work and stacks of hot brass.
A personal favourite, ‘if I tell you I love you’ is a smooth, sexy number that you can imagine would be best experienced in an underground cellar bar in a city such as Krakow, with only vodka, smoke and tears for company, as Joe’s beautifully understated guitar meanders over a lazy shuffle that once again lays bare the amazing skills Beth possesses. ‘Rhymes’ (the first of two Etta James numbers) is the type of laid back blues that demands to be played on hot journeys through expanses of deserted open road with its driving beat and soulful backing vocals. ‘Sunday kind of love’ slows the pace right down to a lovelorn croon backed by rich strings and the feeling that people just don’t make this kind of music anymore, a shame, because it’s a beautifully rendered version of the original and it resonates the love that these talented artists have for their roots. The title track has a powerful swing to it, proof that you can’t keep a good band down for too long, and you can see why this particular track provided the inspiration for the title. The final song, ‘strange fruit’, is a beautiful, subtly progressive work that is, perhaps, the darkest, most beautiful track Joe and Beth have ever worked on together. Heartbreakingly beautiful it sums up their unique combined talents and leaves you hoping that they will be drawn together once again in the future.
The blues has a grand tradition of reinvention and reverence and both Joe Bonamassa and Beth Hart clearly understand the importance of keeping the classics alive for an audience who may not know where to look in a crowded genre. There is plenty of room for both artists to showcase their talents on this album, but whilst Joe Bonamassa is content to provide support, only occasionally letting rip with a truly jaw dropping solo as and when a given song requires, it is Beth Hart who truly glows on this release, her voice equally adept at tackling tough numbers like ‘nutbush…’ or sultry gems like ‘strange fruit’. Ultimately, though, what makes this record special is that same quality found in Eric Clapton’s rich collection of covers released simply as ‘Clapton’ – it sounds as if everyone involved had great fun recording these old standards, and there’s an energy that Kevin Shirley has neatly bought to the fore with his sympathetic production. This is a hugely enjoyable, sometime poignant, often exciting release that once again demonstrates the electricity these two hugely successful artists can make when paired together.
