Billy Gibbons and the BFG's

I saw this on Amazon. Took me by surprise as I had no idea this was in the works. Judging from the write-up and accompanying video, it might not be for everyone, especially coming from Billy. Not as much guitar as you'd think. But more open-minded music fans might find something enjoyable here.

Quote :

Concord Records is releasing Perfectamundo on November 6, 2015. It’s the debut solo album from Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top guitarist/vocalist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, who is backed by a handpicked group of musicians dubbed The BFG’s on this unique outing. As the title may suggest, the album takes on a bit of an Afro-Cuban flavor that may come as a surprise to some Gibbons fans and followers. Even before the blues-rock/hard-rock great’s first recordings back in 1967 with the Moving Sidewalks, his legendary pre-ZZ Top Houston psyche-punk garage band, Gibbons studied Latin percussion in Manhattan with none other than its preeminent virtuoso, “Mambo King” Tito Puente, a friend of Billy’s bandleader dad. Puente taught the young Gibbons the essential Latin rhythms via conga, bongo, maracas and, most importantly, timbales. “Banging away on ‘em came back like riding on a lost bicycle,” Gibbons relates of his return to the genre by way of Perfectamundo. But the concept for Perfectamundo which was produced by Gibbons and Joe Hardy and recorded in Houston, Los Angeles, Austin and Pontevedra, Spain, originated with Gibbons’ invitation to perform at the 2014 Havana Jazz Festival, delivered by his Argentine-born, Puerto Rico-raised friend and musical collaborator Martin Guigui. While he was unable to make it to Cuba, Billy did commence exploring the potential for an Afro-Cuban inflected album project at his Houston studio. Soon after presenting his engineering crew with a business card from a newly opened Cuban eatery called Sal Y Pimienta (salt and pepper), the first track finished for Perfectamundo took its title from that card.

Pretty cool. It's amazing how much music some people have inside them and the near endless fountain of creativity that runs through them. The video reminded me a lot of classic ZZ videos (not just for the hot chick; I don't think Billy will ever stop liking the female form, Ha) in that it's a story or "mini movie" that tells a quick story. Very Santana-esque. My only complaint is that the song was too short.

Interesting. I think it would have been much cooler with a bit more rock influence.

I expected something more bluesy and rockin'... If he mixed the Latin percussion stuff with some dirty blues, it may have been a lot more interesting.

For the right price, I think I'll give this a chance. Sounds like an interesting listen, when the mood is right. If I want more blues or rock, I'll just mix it in with a ZZ Top playlist.

I saw this last Friday night at the local Newbury's. $11-12 I think. I want it, but there's just so much other stuff ahead of it at the moment.