John Mayer

Recently my taste of John Mayer music has increased nearly exponentially. Now I guess I've always been kind of a fan, because when he started it was the chill acoustic music that everybody was doing, and that sat well with me. Also some of his lyrics are pretty incredible and many of his songs bring good memories when hearing them (Comfortable, for example).

And then the other week I heard something that blew my mind. Eventually I was able to figure out that it was John Mayer and Herbie Hancock doing a song called Stitched Up off of Hancock's album "Possibilities". Then I remembered that John Mayer also did a sweet version of the song "I Don't Need No Doctor" with John Scofield off of his new album, neither song being the chill acoustic stuff I've been accustomed to hearing from him. So then I went out and bought the album "Try!" by the John Mayer Trio.

It is incredible.

On this album John is joined by Steve Jordan (a studio drummer who was in the Blues Brothers Band) and Pino Palladino (a bass player who has played with numerous bands on uncountable albums). These guys are tight. And John Mayer proves beyond a doubt to anybody who still thought that he was just another acoustic pop artist that he can wail along with the best of them on blues electric guitar. The song "Out of my Mind" is a long slow blues number with solos reminiscent of a Stevie Ray Vaughn or Eric Clapton laying down some slow blues riffs. Not only is his guitar right on, but the live emotion of his voice is incredible. He's putting everything into it. It's tough to come up with a favorite off the CD, but I would say that the three I like the best are the cover of Ray Charles "I Got A Woman", the Trio's song "Who Did You Think I Was" and John Mayer's song "Gravity".

If you're a fan of John Mayer, or a fan of good blues in general definitely check it out.