* En anglais uniquement
Supersonic Blues Machine are a blues-rock "supergroup." Though only drummer
Kenny Aronoff is generally well-known, his bandmates -- bassist/producer
Fabrizio Grossi and guitarist/vocalist
Kris Barras -- are also highly respected first-call players. The trio share the unqualified respect of their peers, offering a raucous, guitar-driven sound that reflects a shared love of classic blues and riff-driven hard rock. 2016's
West of Flushing, South of Frisco showcased prominent guitar slingers as guests, including
Billy Gibbons, and
Warren Haynes. It inadvertently became a trademark, as each subsequent release has hosted them too: 2017's
Californisoul included appearances from
Eric Gales,
Robben Ford, and
Walter Trout. 2022's
Voodoo Nation included contributions from
Joe Louis Walker,
Sonny Landreth, and
Ana Popovic, among others.
In 2010,
Aronoff and
Grossi served as the rhythm section Goodfellas, an occasional jam band comprised of studio aces and led by
Toto guitarist
Steve Lukather. The pair wanted to continue expanding the Goodfellas concept, to create a touring and recording band rather than just a "session ensemble for hire."
Not long afterward,
Grossi was working on an album by guitarist and vocalist
Lance Lopez and introduced him to
Aronoff. When
Billy Gibbons contacted
Grossi to collaborate with him in writing and producing a song for a commercial,
Gibbons suggested he write nine more songs and start his own band. While the music they were working on didn't result in a commercial, it did evolve into "Running Whiskey," the first single off
Supersonic Blues Machine's 2016 debut album,
West of Flushing, South of Frisco, which included not only
Gibbons, but also
Warren Haynes,
Walter Trout,
Robben Ford, and
Chris Duarte. The set made its way to the blues album charts and the band hit the road playing gigs in greasy clubs as well as on festival stages across the U.S. and Europe.
Since then, they have operated continuously as a band of comrades and kindred spirits. Their revolving door line-up of guests extends to live performances when schedules permit. 2017's
Californisoul showcased a summery vibe, wedding blues-rock to the good-time funk made immortal by
George Clinton (with whom
Grossi worked extensively). They also added
Lukather and
Eric Gales to their guest mix of top-shelf guitarists.
Lopez left the band after the album's release but before the tour.
Supersonic Blues Machine hired English singer and guitarist
Kris Barras as his replacement. Deeply influenced by the British Isles blues-rock tradition -- from
Jimmy Page and
Rory Gallagher to
Gary Moore --
Barras had been leading his own recording and touring group since 2015. The trio hit the road hard in 2018, running across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. In 2019 they released the document
Road Chronicles: Live! as
Barras' debut. The set featured
Gibbons on six of its 14 tracks, and landed on blues albums charts.
After being sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic for most of 2020 and part of 2021,
Supersonic Blues Machine toured in the U.S. that summer and fall. Late in the year,
Barras and his band cut the album
Death Valley Paradise. Issued in March 2022, it went Top 30 in England. Before its release,
Supersonic Blues Machine recorded their third studio effort
Voodoo Nation. Issued in June, its massive guest list included old friend
Gales, and a slew of new ones, including Louisiana's
Sonny Landreth,
Ana Popovic, Charlie Starr (
Blackberry Smoke),
Joe Louis Walker,
Kirk Fletcher, King Solomon Hicks, and
Josh Smith. The set's overall sound was darker, more intimate, and immediate, with
SBM opening their sound up further to incorporate
Barras' influences and songwriting style into their mix. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Thom Jurek