Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

30/01/2010

North London Blues performer Marcus Bonfanti plays live for Bob after midnight. He'll be talking about his second album, influenced by everyone from Tony Joe White to Led Zeppelin.

Marcus Bonfanti plays live for Bob after midnight.

He'll be talking about his second album featuring influences from Tony Joe White to Led Zeppelin. But he describes it as his own style. 'What Good Am I To You' is the sound of the North London blues.

27-year-old Marcus was born in London to an English mother and a "dangerously Italian" father.
A self-taught guitarist, he has already packed plenty in, from LIPA (the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts) to top level session work.

Bonfanti knows that comparisons are customary at this point. "Someone called me the lovechild of Tom Waits and Van Morrison once," he laughs. "I quite like that one."

He admits that 'What Good Am I To You' does bear some American hallmarks. "But there's something British about it that I can never quite put my finger on. It's rooted in blues, that's my favourite genre of music to play and listen to. But I don't think the end product sounds like a traditional blues record, in fact I know it doesn't. I listen to a lot of other music, country, soul, bluegrass, jazz, some quite heavy rock stuff as well, and I think it all feeds in."

Playing trumpet in brass bands and orchestras throughout his school life, Marcus didn't own a guitar until he was 15 . "From 15 till now, all I've done is sit there with a guitar," he says, reminiscing about playing Cat Stevens and Beatles tunes, Buddy Holly and Crosby, Stills & Nash. "Then when mum was out, I could play Zeppelin. Soon as she came back in, I would put a Beatles CD back on."

Jimmy Page became a lasting inspiration, right through Bonfanti's time at LIPA. He opted not to complete his three years there, but was asked back to play in the band at the graduation party he hadn't qualified for.

A 2008 debut album, 'Hard Times' followed.

3 hours

Last on

Sat 30 Jan 2010 23:00
麻豆社 Radio 2

More episodes

Previous

23/01/2010

Next

06/02/2010

See all episodes from Bob Harris Sunday

Music Played

  • Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23

  • Joan Armatrading

    This Charming Life

    • This Charming Life.
    • Hypertension.

  • The Band

    Rag Mama Rag

    • The Band.
    • EMI.

  • Beth Chapman

    How We Love

    • Back to Love.
    • BNC Records.

  • Joe Bonamassa

    Bridge To Better Days

  • Marcus Bonfanti

    Devil Girl

  • Marcus Bonfanti

    Tweed Blazer

    • What Good Am I To You?.
    • The Guitar Label.

  • Marcus Bonfanti

    Give Me your Cash

  • Marcus Bonfanti

    What Good Am I To You

  • Dick Dale

    Surf Beat

    • King of The Surf Guitar.
    • Rhino.

  • The Doobie Brothers

    Black Water

    • Greatest Hits of The Doobie Brothers.
    • WARNER BROTHERS.

  • Kris Drever

    Mark The Hard Earth

    • Mark The Hard Earth.
    • Navigator.

  • Bob Dylan

    Tangled Up In Blue

    • Blood On The Tracks.
    • CBS.

  • First Aid Kit

    Heavy Storm

    • The Big Black and the Blue.
    • Witchita.

  • Slim Harpo

    I'm A King Bee

    • The Best Of Slim Harpo.
    • ACE.

  • Jack Rabbit Slim

    The Gift

    • Hairdo's and Heartaches.
    • Western Star.

  • Ben E. King

    Spanish Harlem

    • Leiber & Stoller Vol 2.
    • LEIBER & STOLLER MUSIC.

  • Professor Longhair

    Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand

    • Sue's Rock 'n' Blues.
    • ACE.

  • Mamer

    Mountain Wind

    • Eagle.
    • Real World.

  • Kate McGarrigle

    Complainte Pour Ste Catherine

    • Anna Mcgarrigle.
    • FRENCH RECORD.

  • Kate McGarrigle

    Skip Rope Song

    • Anna McGarrigle.
    • The McGarrigle Hour.

  • Mumford & Sons

    The Cave

    • The Cave.
    • CHESS CLUB.

  • Mus茅e M茅canique

    Our Changing Skins

    • Hold This Ghost.
    • Souterrain Submissions.

  • Queen

    Now I'm Here

    • Sheer Heart Attack.
    • EMI.

  • Del Shannon

    Keep Searchin'

    • Looking Back His Biggest Hits.
    • CONNOISSEUR.

  • Show of Hands

    Evolution

    • Evolution.
    • HANDS ON.

  • Steely Dan

    Janie Runaway

    • Two Against Nature.
    • GIANT.

  • Angus & Julia Stone

    And The Boys

    • And The Boys (Single).
    • Flock.

  • The Storys

    Long Hard Road

    • (Cd Single).
    • HALL.

  • Tindersticks

    She Rode Me Down

    • Falling Down a Mountain.
    • 4 AD.

  • Don Varner

    Mojo Mama

    • Mr Success: The Bert Burns Story.
    • Ace.

  • Loudon Wainwright III

    Father & A Son

    • History.
    • Virgin.

  • Martha Wainwright

    Bleeding All Over You

  • Martha Wainwright

    Le Foule

    • Sans Fuslils, Ni souliers, a Paris. Mart Cooperative music.

  • Rufus Wainwright

    I Don't Know What It Is

    • Want One.
    • DREAMWORKS.

  • Tom Waits

    Chocolate Jesus

    • Tom Waits Mule Variations.
    • EPITAPH.

Broadcast

  • Sat 30 Jan 2010 23:00
    麻豆社 Radio 2

Happy 70th Birthday Bob!

Find out how we celebrated 'Whispering Bob's' 70th birthday.