News
The Village records another hit album
27 September 2011
Bonamassa/Hart CD goes top five within hours of release
Hits (and Neve consoles) have long been the common currency at The Village in Los Angeles. There’s an A-Z of artists starting with Aerosmith, ending with Frank Zappa and Rob Zombie – and in between taking in just about anyone who’s anyone (including Beck, Bono, Ray Charles, Dylan, Aretha, Franz Ferdinand and Frank Sinatra) – to prove it. Adding to that list is the hottest property on today’s blues scene, Joe Bonamassa.
Bonamassa was a child prodigy guitarist who opened for BB King at the age of 12 and featured in a South Bank Show documentary before he was 16. He’s paid his dues, graduating from small clubs to major tours, and selling out the Albert Hall two years ago (with Eric Clapton, no less, guesting with him at that gig). Now he’s the most sought after artist in his genre – and standing on the brink of super-stardom.
He’s busy, playing an average of 200 gigs a year in additional to being an astonishingly prolific recording artist. This year he’s already released a solo album (Dust Bowl) and one of the most acclaimed rock albums of the year (2, with Black Country Communion, a supergroup featuring Bonamassa along with Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian). Now he’s collaborated with singer/songwriter Beth Hart on an album of soul covers.
| For the recording – seeking a ‘live-in-the-studio’ feel – the producer,
Kevin Shirley (known for his work with Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The
Black Crowes and a host of others), booked a week in Studio D at The
Village. Assisting him at the Neve 88RS
were Jared Kvitka (who regularly engineers for Shirley’s recording
sessions) together with live mixing specialist James McCullagh, who
handles front of house mixing for Journey and INXS. |
 |
