Joe Bonamassa and Marcus King locked fretboards somewhere on the North Pacific Ocean last month as they traded licks over an Albert King classic.
The inter-generational jam between the celebrated blues of Bonamassa and the fiery playing of Marcus King ensured the Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea Alaska cruise lived up to its name. There were guitar solos galore.
The two guitar stars were at the top of the event’s billing, with Little Feat and Joanne Shaw Taylor other notable inclusions. It was during Bonamassa’s headline set when he invited King to the stage to bring a new energy to Albert King's Breaking Up Somebody's Home, and there was plenty to admire.
King was playing his gorgeous Cherry Red Gibson ES-335, which had been recreated for his first signature guitar, and showed just why blues lovers, young and old, have been championing his fast-moving fingers and tasteful ear.
Bonamassa, who went toe-to-toe with him on another Cherry Red Gibson, offered a slinkier approach, weaving in and out of the pocket of the song's groove. Their trade-offs got quicker and more fierece as the song developed, but not a shred of rivalry was detected.
Speaking on his Live From Nerdville podcast in 2021, Bonamassa hailed Marcus King as “the future” of the blues, saying, “You lit a fire under this genre. You're the talk of the town.”
Four years later, JoBo’s appreciation of King’s take on the blues hasn’t diminished, and their fretboard blazing is met, understandably, by a hugely appreciative crowd.
Elsewhere, King recently discussed the time he forgot he'd bought a vintage guitar after one too many drinks, and reflected on taking Rory Gallagher's legendary Isle of Wight Telecaster for a spin.
