Who doesn’t love s bit of Blues to kick off the year? Chicago-based slide guitar virtuoso and singer-songwriter, Joanna Connor, who is best known as one of the reigning Queens of blues rock guitar, releases her 14th album ‘4801 South Indiana Avenue’ on Joe Bonamassa’s new independent blues record label Keeping The Blues Alive on 26th February 2021. The album is available to pre-order.
The new album, recorded at Ocean Way Recording Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and which follows upon her last well-received album ‘Rise’, was produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith and sets out to capture “an authentic, alive and kicking non-derivative set of Chicago Blues”. The title itself comes from an actual club “(4801 South Indiana Avenue) was the actual street address of the hallowed funky blues sanctuary ‘Theresa’s Lounge.’ We want the listener to open that door, walk in and feel to their core some of the magic that a place like that brought night after night. It was an honor to bring this to you, the listener.”
As a listen it’s a real joy too, with a set chosen by Bonamassa and Smith, Connor is allowed to set her considerable skills to a real authentic Chicago Blues setlist. From the crash and clatter of the very Rock and Roll ‘Destination’ (originally by the little known band ‘The Assassins’) there’s a wonderful joyful Gospel aspect amidst the flurry of keys and chaos. It’s like being thrust immediately into the middle of party that’s been in full swing for hours!
The more old-school ‘Come Back Home’ that follows sports some wonderful shuddering slide and Connor’s sublime vocal against Reese Williams driving piano and the take on Luther Allison’s ‘Bad News’ really hits the spot – it’s a moving rendition.
This is the kind of album where you can’t go wrong no matter where the needle lands – and I love the variety – from the heavy and fast boogie of ‘I Feel So Good’ and the beautifully worked Albert King’s standard ‘For The Love of a Man’ to the stylish horns and sweet wail of ‘Trouble Trouble’ all the way to the stomp and groove of ‘Cut You Loose’ which is a real treat.
The quality runs through to the very end here though, with the Chicago staple ‘Part Time Love’ and the Josh Smith-penned ‘It’s My Time’ with its wonderful slide duet featuring Joe and Joanna rounding things out in style. Blues album of the year? In January? There’s a real good chance. I’ll be spinning this for the foreseeable future!
8.5/10
Track Listing
1. Destination (3:31)
2. Come Back Home (4:19)
3. Bad News (6:26)
4. I Feel So Good (3:35)
5. For The Love Of A Man (4:20)
6. Trouble Trouble (3:40)
7. Please Help (4:14)
8. Cut You Loose (4:09)
9. Part Time Love (5:06)
10. It’s My Time (4:39)
Joanna Connor’s new album “4801 South Indiana Avenue” is released by
KTBA Records on February 26th via
www.jbonamassa.com/albums/2021/joannaconnor/4801
