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I first heard of StudioJams.com after seeing a video on YouTube with Joe Bonamassa jamming in a studio (see above), I was amazed at this intimate footage of the blues virtuoso so I wrote to StudioJams.com for more info on how they managed to create such fantastic Jam sessions and it seems I’ve been missing out for some time! The series has been broadcasting in the US on BET and BET J their digital Jazz channel for 5 seasons, how awesome is that. They were kind enough to send out a few episodes for me to watch seeing as we aren’t lucky enough to get the show in Australia. I just watched a few tracks from the best of series 1 DVD and have to say my favourite was of course G.E. Smith singing “Empire State Blues” featuring Joe Bonamassa playing his Gigliotti GT Custom. You get close up camera shots of everyone in the band because it is a totally controlled environment, a giant live room in a studio. The audio is obviously studio quality and perfectly mixed so you catch every nuance of every performance.

The cool thing about these episodes is that you also get some behind the scenes footage of the musicians talking before they jam together and some of the rehearsals which gives you an idea of how talented these guys are especially the Jazz guys, it sometimes sounds so rehearsed and yet the drummer may have just quickly pointed to the percussionist to play a solo so you can see a lot of improvisation not just in the solos but in the overall arrangements.

Each 1-hour episode features a diverse group of talented jazz and blues musicians, gathered together in a recording studio for the sole purpose of creating fresh, new music. Many are working with one another for the very first time.

So who can you expect to see? Well check out the Episode listings. Episode 1 features Tuck Andress and one of my favourite blues guitarists at the moment Derek Trucks on guitar and Victor Wooten on Bass. Episode 4 features legendary jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan. Episode 6 features Larry Carlton and Episode 8 features Vernon Reid and Derek Trucks together! I would like to see the entire Episode 29 with Joe Bonamassa as well as Episode 30 which features one of my favourite acoustic guitarists Peppino D’Agostino. Luckily I can, because StudioJams.com also have an online store where you can purchase individual tracks from the various Episodes as audio tracks or you can buy the DVD with all the tracks for $15 each, audio prices vary according to track length some of these jams go in excess of 10 mins!

So if you are unlucky like me and don’t get to see this show on TV check out the Ace Entertainment Inc YouTube channel for some high quality tracks from the Jam Episodes or if you would like an entire Episode head over to the StudioJams.com online store.

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