One of the great phenomenons of rock ‘n’ roll are the “Guitar Gods.” Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck ... these are the stuff of which legends are made.

Contemporaries are fewer and further between, as much of popular music has strayed away from the guitar-driven blues rock that embodies the classic Guitar God. Enter a Guitar God for the 21st Century: Joe Bonamassa. Bonamassa actually played the Supper Club years ago, when he was an upstart God, and he has matured into a full-blown Guitar God with his latest album, “Black Rock.”

Truth be told, Bonamassa’s been making great blues-based rock music for years, and could claim the title from his last several efforts, but “Black Rock” goes all the way, even boasting a guest appearance from the master himself, B.B. King. “Black Rock” is a solidly consistent album throughout, intense even through the diversity of covering songs by John Hiatt, Leonard Cohen, Willie Nelson and Jeff Beck.

Opening with a signature blues-rocker called “Steal Your Heart Away,” Bonamassa lets you know right off the bat that he’s not messing around. This is what you might call “future classic rock,” as it emulates the guitar-driven excitement of ‘70s classic rock without copying it.

Bonamassa writes five of the 13 songs here, and covers the classic “Spanish Boots” from Jeff Beck, Otis Rush’s “Three Time A Fool,” James Clark’s “Look Over Yonders Wall,” Leonard Cohen’s “Bird On A Wire,"” and trades licks and vocals with the great B.B. King on Willie Nelson’s “Night Life.” But the real climax of the album comes on Bonamassa’s own “Blue And Evil,” a guitar anthem if I ever heard one. It’s really satisfying to sit down and hear a great new guitar-rock album, and Bonamassa does it with great style and panache.

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