{"product_id":"tab-benoit-blues-masters-live-acoustic-sounds","title":"Tab Benoit - Blues Masters Live (Acoustic Sounds)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTab Benoit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e performance was recorded in October 2002. His guitar has real presence, bite and texture while the rhythm section sounds powerful and natural. The record has excellent dynamics, strong bass and a wonderfully open sound that allows the performance to breathe. It captures the energy of a live blues show without sounding overly polished or restrained. ... I know, I know. Saying that a record sounds like the musicians are right there in the room with you may be one of the oldest audiophile clichés around. But with these (White and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTab Benoit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e), it really is true. ... What a joy these records are.\" — Steve Westman, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ewww.liveaudiophileroundtable.com\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, September 2026 • Issue 11\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen Tab Benoit stepped onto the Blue Heaven Studios stage in October 2002 for the fifth annual Blues Masters at the Crossroads, the room was already vibrating with anticipation. Benoit wasn't just a rising Louisiana bluesman at the time — he was a full-force phenomenon. With a full house brimming with excitement, ready for the fire and finesse that Benoit promised — what he delivered was nothing short of a Louisiana storm!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBorn Nov. 17, 1967, Benoit grew up in Houma, Louisiana and began playing country and Cajun guitar at 9 years old. He found the blues as a teenager at the Blues Box, a ramshackle music club in nearby Baton Rouge run by guitarist \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTabby Thomas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Benoit played guitar alongside Thomas, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRaful Neal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHenry Gray\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and other high-profile regulars, learning from this cast of living blues legends.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis unreleased album captures Benoit at a pivotal moment in his career. Already acclaimed for his searing tone, soulful delivery and swamp-thick grooves, with something to prove — and proved it from the very first notes of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Muddy Bottom Blues.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e His guitar didn't just ring; it testified. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Her Mind Is Gone\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e followed with a razor-sharp sting, and by the time he tore into \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Nice and Warm,\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e the crowd was fully under his spell — every bend, every slide, every vocal phrase greeted with roars that filled the vaulted ceilings.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBenoit's appearance at Blues Masters came during his tour behind \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWetlands\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (2002), the album that put him firmly on the national map. LP 1 Side B shows Benoit in complete command, shifting from the soulful uplift of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Let Love Take Control\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to the raw, rhythmic thump of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Dog Hill.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat night, Chad Kassem packed the bill with a powerhouse lineup he called the \"Louisiana Legends,\" featuring \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLil' Bob\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWarren Storm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLazy Lester\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarol Fran\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJerry \"Boogie\" McCain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. For Benoit, it was a dream come true — a chance to share the stage with the very artists he grew up admiring in the bayou. The night hit its peak when a Legends crew stormed the stage with Benoit for a high-octane run through \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLil' Bob \u0026amp; The Lollipops\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e' party anthem \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"I Got Loaded,\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sending the crowd into a frenzy and sealing the moment as one for the books.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLP 2 dives even further into the heart of Benoit's Louisiana roots. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Louisiana Style\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Crawfishin'\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e carry the unmistakable flavor of the bayou, dripping with authenticity and Benoit's effortless swagger. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Mardi Gras Medley\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a feast of New Orleans spirit — horn lines implied by Benoit's guitar, rhythms lifted straight from Bourbon Street, and an audience clapping along like they'd been transported south for the night.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe finale — \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Cherry Tree Blues\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e into \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Bayou Boogie\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e — is pure heat. Benoit stretches out, letting his Telecaster snarl and sing as the crowd pushes him higher. It's the kind of performance that reminds fans why his solid guitar skills and Cajun-spiced vocal attack made him one of the most authentic voices in modern blues.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAll of the night's action was captured in full pristine sound by the recording engineers — the late David Baker, the noted former chief engineer for Vanguard Records — and Katsuhiko Naito, leading New York City jazz recording engineer, and a chief engineer for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAl Di Meola\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e's Churchill Studios.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCapturing it all in glorious fashion, this 33 1\/3 RPM 2LP will put you the center of the action. Mastered from the original analog tapes by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab, and pressed on flawless super-silent vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, you get a direct-to-board gatefold jacket to house the records.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis live set is a snapshot of Tab Benoit at his finest. A packed house, a historic studio, and a bluesman at full power. For all fans of Louisiana blues and electric guitar mastery!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apo Records","offers":[{"title":"180g Vinyl 2LP","offer_id":59610289078617,"sku":"SDZ-53401","price":67.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3455\/0945\/files\/AAPO_1001__196738__11132025094808-7387.jpg?v=1790611915","url":"https:\/\/spindizzyrecords.com\/products\/tab-benoit-blues-masters-live-acoustic-sounds","provider":"Spindizzy Dublin","version":"1.0","type":"link"}