IN THE LAST 25 years, Joe Bonamassa has dropped 16 studio records. That’s a lot of music, meaning it’s hard to keep things fresh — and his latest, Breakthrough, despite its title, doesn’t even try to

THE RUMOR WAS that Buddy Guy planned to retire — and considering that he’s pushing 90, no one would blame him — but it seems that, despite Guy’s age, rumors of his retreat were, well, premature. Still

Richard Barrett is on a mission to make you a better blues player – with full audio examples and backing tracks

Improvisation. For many pianists, the very word can feel intimidating. We see a jazz player fly across the keys and assume they are simply making it up. But improvisation is not a random act. It is ro

Is there a special sorcery in Seoul? Cunning creativity in Canada? Preternatural pizzazz in Paris? Oh, why do so many great pianists come from this or that country? We even have some in Britain; is th

PART III