A week ago marked the 100th birthday of B.B. King, and in celebration Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith have put together a new album titled B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100. The record showcases many of King’s most memorable songs, brought to life once again by some of the finest Blues musicians of today. The project will be rolled out gradually, with 32 songs arriving in monthly batches leading up to the official release in February next year.
 
This first release introduces the opening five tracks from the album. Bonamassa has been a passionate admirer of King’s music for years, and it was B.B. King himself who gave a 12 year old Joe Bonamassa one of his earliest breaks, sharing the stage with him all those years ago.
 
“Very few musicians can be said to define the very style they perform in, and B.B. King is one of those rare figures,” Bonamassa explains. “When B.B. was alive and performing, he was the essence of the blues – he was the sun that every other star revolved around. Only a handful of artists become that guiding light for their genre, but he was without question that beacon.”
 
The opening set highlights five standout guest performers: Bobby Rush, Michael McDonald, Susan Tedeschi with Derek Trucks, George Benson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and D K Harrell.
 
Each of the five songs is a King classic, performed with real passion and skill. “Why I Sing The Blues” features Bobby Rush on vocals, “To Know You Is To Love You” showcases Michael McDonald alongside Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, George Benson reconnects with his Blues roots on “There Must Be A Better World Somewhere,” Kenny Wayne Shepherd with Noah Hunt bring energy to “Let The Good Times Roll,” and the collection closes with D K Harrell delivering “Everyday I Have The Blues.”
 
The project has the unmistakable atmosphere of a heartfelt tribute, unlike some collections that feel routine or predictable. Every track feels full of life and sincerity. These first five songs come across vibrant and inspired, setting the tone for what is to come. It already leaves you eager to hear the next installment arriving next month.

Aphex Twin quietly shared two new songs on his SoundCloud account, surprising fans with the sudden upload.

Read More: Aphex Twin at Printworks, London: still one of the greatest electronic shows on earth
The tracks are called ‘Zahl am1 live track 1’ and ‘Zahl am1 live track 1c f760m1 unfinshd’. They seem to be two different takes on the same piece of music and were added to his page (username: user18081971) yesterday (November 27).

Both songs use cover photos that show the artist, real name Richard D. James, in the ocean with his partner. In the description for ‘Zahl am1 live track 1c f760m1 unfinshd’, he wrote, “Got many requests for this one from a few years back. Italy, pic with my love from Sicily recently. Need sun, relentlessly raining in the UK. Mixed down on the Zähl, think there are better mixes, will upload them if I find them.”

You can listen to the songs below:

The electronic musician’s most recent project was the 2024 compilation ‘From The Merch Desk (2016-2023)’, which also arrived without advance notice. It collects everything the celebrated producer and DJ had released through eight years of vinyl editions that fans could only get from the merch stand at his live performances.

The release followed a new expanded version of his 1994 album ‘Selected Ambient Works II’ in October for its 30th anniversary. His most recent full studio album is 2014’s Grammy Award winning ‘Syro’.

In 2025, Aphex Twin has put much of his attention into his work with streetwear brand Supreme. This has included creating a playlist for the company that features nearly 200 songs, most of which lean toward calm and slow moving styles.

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