There are few finer sights in music than that of legendary blues man Buddy Guy walking onto the Hollywood Bowl stage, like a man a fraction of his age. Guy turned 90 in July of this year, and he's one of the few old school artists of any genre, never mind the blues, still performing.
At the iconic Hollywood Bowl, Guy was ably supported by Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, with special guest Joe Bonamassa. Those two men have done as much as just about anyone to carry the blues forward, and they sounded wonderful here. Kingfish in particular is a very natural player, bursting with groove and authenticity. He plays with a smile on his face, and it's easy to fall in love with his take on the genre.
But even Kingfish would concede that Buddy Guy is a class apart. He's a force of nature, and he seems to defy Father Time. The opening "Damn Right, I've Got the Blues" showcased the fact that Guy's throaty singing only gets better with age. The man simply purred through that song, plus the following "Hoochie Coochie Man," while his fingers danced across the fretboard.
There were excellent covers, including Denise LaSalle's "Someone Else is Steppin' In" and Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love," before a spectacular jam with the aforementioned Kingfish and Bonamassa.
Ultimately, this was all about being in the presence of greatness.
Photos by Alex Kluft
