This September, blues guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor returns home to the UK for five UK concerts, where she’ll be serenading fans with tracks from her new studio album Black & Gold, out now on Journeyman Records, along with a plethora of classic.
The tour kicks off at Bath Forum (Wednesday September 24th) and continues at York Barbican (Thursday 25th September), Wolverhampton Wulfren Hall (Saturday 27th September), Eastbourne Devonshire Park Theatre (Sunday 28th September), and London Cadogan Hall (Thursday 9th October).
Known for her blazing guitar work and soulful voice, Taylor fuses blues, rock, soul, and pop into an unforgettable live performance. The evening will include fan favourites from past albums and nods to blues greats. Widely regarded as one of today’s most electrifying live acts, Joanne Shaw Taylor guarantees an unforgettable night of musical brilliance.
Taylor will also perform songs from her rich back catalogue of albums including Heavy Soul, Nobody’s Fool, and The Blues Album which topped Billboard Magazine’s Official Blues Album Chart.
The Blues Album was also voted #1 Most Played Blues Album of 2021 by the Independent Blues Broadcaster’s Association. Taylor will also perform select songs from her older album Reckless Heart, Wild, The Dirty Truth, Almost Always Never, Diamonds In The Dirt, and White Sugar.
One of the highlights from Joanne’s new Black & Gold album is ‘Look What I’ve Become’- A haunting reflection on addiction, isolation, and the moment of choosing whether to fight or let go. The gripping track blends minor-key blues intensity with the cinematic sweep of a Bond theme, anchoring some of Joanne’s most confessional songwriting and driving it home with her incredible signature guitar tone.
“This song’s about hitting that crossroads,” said Taylor. “It’s about the moment where you either change everything or disappear. The lyrics came from a very honest place—and I wanted the music to match that intensity.”
You can watch the official music video here at RAMzine, as you can ‘Hell Of A Good Time’ and her latest single, a cover of The Faces‘ ‘Love Lives Here’.
“I’m a huge Rod Stewart fan. This is one of my favourite Faces songs,” Taylor confirmed. “Again, moving forward into what I see as another chapter in my life and music after ten albums, I wanted to put a lot of things behind me, but I also wanted to move forward on a positive note. Love lives here, says it all really.”
Dismissing the more obvious choice of applying her raspy vocals full on for a cover of The Faces‘ ‘Love Lives Here’ as her latest single, Joanne Shaw Taylor applies softer, slightly more hushed tones befitting her female protagonist role within the song, but make no mistake when she takes her guitar solo it’s a wicked dance taking no prisoners.
‘Look What I’ve Become’ is also soulful ballad but with a different lyrical perspective, but again featuring a blistering solo. And much as we’ve totally enjoyed Joanne Shaw Taylor’s soul and Americana explorations in recent years, it’s good to hear her continuing to whack out a slam-banging riff on the blues belting ‘Hell Of A Good Time’ – A tale of caution, but with the kind of rock ‘n roll swagger that tempts you regardless.
Varying emotions portrayed on all three songs, each with something to offer the listener.
Always one to push boundaries, Taylor’s union with Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records continues to flourish, ensuring that her music reaches her global fanbase. This relationship, alongside her innate creativity, guarantees a stream of sensational releases that cuts through the industry noise.
Discovered by Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics when she was a mere 16-years-old and subsequently invited to tour the world, Joanne’s rise to stardom, propelled by endorsements from music giants like Stevie Wonder and Annie Lennox, remains unmatched.
With a discography boasting several chart-topping albums already, Joanne Shaw Taylor will be celebrating her new studio album, Black & Gold, on tour in the UK, with Ferris & Sylvester appearing as special guests.
Tickets are available via Planet Rock, Gigantic.com, and Joanne Shaw Taylor’s website.
Black & Gold is available on vinyl, CD and digital here.
For more about Joanne Shaw Taylor at RAMzine click here.
