Yesterday, Joe Bonamassa invited his new favorite guitar player – Matteo Mancuso – on stage at the Uber Arena in Berlin. In a social media post, Mancuso expressed his gratitude for the opportunity.
“Yesterday I had the chance to play with the legend Joe Bonamassa at the Uber Arena,” he wrote. “Such an otherworldly experience to play with Joe and his band in a huge arena like this one! It honestly felt like daydreaming! Thank you so much Joe and all the band for this unforgettable moment. It was simply one of the best musical experiences I ever had.”
In fan-shot video footage, Bonamassa and Mancuso can be seen exchanging blistering solos over Ann Peebles' I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home Tonight – and it's safe to say the audience enjoyed the collaboration.
In a 2020 livestream, Joe Bonamassa referred to Mancuso as his new favorite guitarist. “It's the most incredible thing I've ever seen since I first saw Stanley Jordan. This kid from Italy rips like Eric Johnson, then he'll play over changes and then he'll play Iron Maiden. I mean, it's the most versatile thing I've ever seen... he's playing it like a jazz bass, but he's ripping!”
Mancuso is already well-known for his unique fingerstyle technique — one inspired by his classical training. In an interview with Guitar World, he explained: "I started to apply some rules on my right-hand technique, based on what I learned from the classical world.
“It really helped me a lot in terms of technique and economy of motion. Also, studying other instruments’ solos inspired me a lot in terms of finding new solutions for the right hand.”
In addition to Bonamassa, Mancuso has also been praised by Al Di Meola, who called him “an absolute talent; his improvisational ability is light years ahead. It would take two or three lifetimes.” Steve Vai went a step further, saying: “The evolution of guitar is firmly secure in the hands of these kinds of players.”
It's unclear whether Mancuso will join Bonamassa on any other dates of his current European tour. However, Mancuso is set to headline the Casino Barrière, in Montreux, Switzerland, on April 26. Meanwhile, Joe Bonamassa will embark on his Blues Deluxe Tour this summer, which kicks off on July 17 in Selbyville, Delaware.
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