Joe Bonamassa

The Spirit of Rory – Live from Cork

Keeping the Blues Alive Records

Rory Gallagher was met with acclaim right out of the gate in 1969 and was lauded by his peers— Clapton, Page, Hendrix, Winter, etc. —as a textbook “musician’s musician.” Although most any blues and rock-leaning player or listener since has regarded him with similar awe, the late Irish guitarist, singer, and songwriter never achieved the monumental mainstream success he deserved. Gallagher was inspired by American rock ‘n roll, rockabilly, jazz, folk, and largely, the blues. He cut a wide-ranging, magnificent body of songs but was at his most electrifying on the stage. Gallagher’s Taste and solo albums all provide deep, thrilling listening experiences. His inventive song structures, cut-to-the-bone singing, and of course his masterful guitar phrasings, all jump out as his alone whether through his rough electric or thoughtful acoustic renderings. Rory Gallagher was truly one of the greatest multi-faceted blues-rockers ever.

There have been festivals, statues, and even coins made in his honor, but besides never receiving commercial stardom while he was alive, no major artist has ever made a proper Rory Gallagher tribute album. Leave it to guitarist and singer Joe Bonamassa to correct that oversight, appropriately live onstage and with typical fire in his belly. The Spirit of Rory – Live from Cork features 14 selections from three concerts Bonamassa and a specially assembled band presented in July of 2025 at the Marquee in Cork, Ireland, Gallagher’s hometown. An exemplary guitarist and fine singer himself, Bonamassa plays with plenty of heat, but more stylishly than Gallagher did with his pure, raw grit. He shines by not only his incredible talents, but by the spirit he exudes, as this album’s title rightly proclaims.

Following a flurry of notes as if he were Edward Scissorhands sculpting the intro, Bonamassa commences a thundering “Cradle Rock” to open the album. Right off, one can tell that he and the band came well prepared and ready to ramp up audiences likely comprised of many more fans of the honoree than the host. Bonamassa not only chose the perfect one of Gallagher’s storming songs to open this album but followed it with a program that never lets up. “Walk on Hot Coals” burns as it should. “Tattoo’d Lady” features twists and turns only the most gifted of guitarists could navigate. Yet with “Calling Card,” they settle into an addictive, jazzy lilt seamlessly.

The band—Bonamassa with second guitarist Conor O’Farrell Brady, keyboardist Lachey Doley, bassist Aongus Ralston, and drummer Jeremy Stacey—is not only one powerhouse outfit, but the players also update the Gallagher band’s delivery with as much finesse as elated abandon. Gallagher didn’t always employ a keyboardist, but when he did, the sound opened widely. Doley, who recently replaced the retired Reese Wynans in Bonamassa’s regular band, adds enormously to these proceedings. He plays animated barrelhouse piano and waves of organ practically simultaneously during the rockabilly-leaning “Bullfrog Blues,” adding to the propulsion of the song right along with the rhythm section. For his part, Bonamassa slashes determinedly on slide guitar, his performance riveting. For a special treat during that piece de resistance, Bonamassa invited Gallagher’s longtime bassist Gerry McAvoy to join in, and the man certainly appears to have enjoyed himself, as agile as ever while immersed in the beat.

The audio and video production quality are both top of the line. CD versions are packaged with either a DVD or a BLURAY, and watching each song at home galvanizes, certainly enhancing the experience. The album is also available digitally and in either a 180 or 140-gram double vinyl package.

Rory Gallagher passed away in 1995 at the young age of 47. He must be loving The Spirit of Rory – Live from Cork from the other side of “Heaven’s Gate” just as new admirers and those who’ll never forget him undoubtedly are.

Tom Clarke for MAS

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