Joanne Shaw Taylor shares scorching Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith-produced single, If That Ain’t a Reason

Joanne Shaw Taylor has dropped her scorching new single If That Ain’t A Reason, taken from an upcoming album that is set to be produced by blues guitar gurus Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith.

The single – a blues-infused reimagining of Little Milton’s 1979 track – is accompanied by a live studio performance video, which shows Taylor take her position behind the microphone while Smith serves up some typically tasty blues-infused treble stabs courtesy of his newly announced Ibanez signature guitar.

With JoBo behind the desk, the UK-based guitar phenom then ditches the mic stand for the six-string, and delves into a blistering extended solo filled with fierce, vibrato-drenched punches, thunderous chromatic runs and a neat over-hand right-hand bend.

Taylor, who once told Guitar World that she approaches tone from a “very old-school point of view”, can be seen donning her Fender Telecaster 1966 Esquire in the video, which you can check out below.

If That Ain’t A Reason, which was created at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, follows on from Taylor’s previous effort, 2020’s critically acclaimed Reckless Heart. 

The single has been described as a “delicious taste of what’s to come next”, with fans of Taylor’s repertoire – and all fans of the blues, for that matter – being best advised to keep their eyes and ears peeled for more details about the album as they emerge.

Taylor’s forthcoming album is set to be the latest production effort from the JoBo-Smith dream team, with the pair having already flexed their studio skills in albums from a handful of blues greats, including Joanna Connor's 4801 South Indiana Avenue and an as-yet unreleased Eric Gales record.

As well as helming the desks, the pair will also wield their respective electric guitars and line up alongside drummer Greg Morrow, bass guitar whizz Steve Mackey and keys player Reese Wynans for the album’s backing material.

Trumpet player Steve Patrick, sax man Mark Douthit and trombonist Barry Green are also slated to appear on the album, which currently has no official release date.

It promises to be quite the spectacle when it finally arrives, so we’ll bring you updates on the upcoming offering as and when they come in.