John Mayer has covered a lot of musical ground since first album, Inside Wants Out. From pop singer-songwriter, to blues-rock guitar hero, Americana songsmith to his retro, ’80s-inspired latest album, Sob Rock. But to many musician-fans of Mayer, some of his greatest work has been with the John Mayer Trio, featuring the heavyweight rhythm section that is drummer, Steve Jordan and bassist, Pino Palladino.
On March 9th, Mayer reassembled the John Mayer Trio for a short, yet exceedingly sweet live set at the Love Rocks NYC charity concert at New York’s Beacon Theatre.
Introduced by Bill Murray, and Mayer armed with his signature PRS Silver Sky, the set kicks off with the Hendrix-y, Who Did You Think I Was. Next up, Jordan - who has been drumming with The Rolling Stones since August 2021 following the death of Charlie Watts - ushers-in Vultures on a Rogers kit with his unmistakeable groove.
Mayer grabs his Fender Custom Shop Monterey Strat before introducing the band and launching into a set-closing cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Wait Until Tomorrow.
Incredibly, the John Mayer Trio has never released a full-length studio album, instead recording the live album, Try! released in 2005, along with a set on the Mayer live album, Where The Light Is in 2008.
Despite teasing a full album, studio sessions featuring the trio line-up as the core band were eventually used as Mayer solo release, The Search For Everything, the 2017 tour for which marks the last time the trio performed live together.
Mayer and Palladino later joined an all-star line-up of musicians including James Taylor, Warren Haynes, St. Vincent, Sheryl Crow, Gary Clark Jr, Pat Benatar and more for the closing of Love Rocks NYC. The collective played an emotional version of People Get Ready in tribute to late guitar legend, Jeff Beck, who passed away in January aged 78.
Love Rocks NYC is a live music benefit - now in its seventh year - run by God’s Love We Deliver, a charity providing support for adults and children living with HIV/AIDS.
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