At 20 years old, Amani Burnham already plays with the kind of confidence most artists spend decades chasing. The Connecticut-based guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader makes his official debut with Roots & Wings, a 12-song introduction that feels both deeply grounded and impatient to move forward.

Burnham first cut through the noise online, where videos of his power trio performances spread fast and wide. One clip in particular stopped people cold: a teenage Burnham tearing into Muddy Waters’ "Hoochie Coochie Man," white Stratocaster in hand, playing with a ferocity that felt anything but nostalgic. The phrasing was sharp, the tone dangerous, the confidence undeniable. It was less revivalism than reclamation. The blues sounded alive again because it was being played by someone who meant it.

That sense of immediacy runs through Roots & Wings. Burnham’s guitar work is the obvious entry point, especially his right-hand thumb technique that gives his playing a percussive snap and vocal-like phrasing. Tracks like the instrumental "Fastlane" hit hard out of the gate, all torque and momentum, while the title track slows things down and turns inward, reflecting on identity, heritage, and the push and pull between where he comes from and where he’s headed. Born in Ethiopia and adopted at a young age, Burnham doesn’t frame his story as a talking point. It’s woven into the music, present without being overstated.

Recorded at Carriage House Studios with a classic power-trio setup, the album thrives on feel. The sessions lean into spontaneity, capturing performances that breathe rather than polish. There’s groove and space to let the solos stretch, but the songs always come first. Burnham writes with structure and intention, pairing tough blues-rock frameworks with lyrics that search rather than posture.

His path to the guitar wasn’t immediate. Burnham started on drums, inspired by Gene Krupa, and only fully committed to guitar during the Covid lockdown. Those isolated years became a proving ground. He practiced relentlessly, wrote constantly, and built the foundation for what would become Roots & Wings. When he finally stepped out publicly, the response was overwhelming, with millions of views across platforms and a fanbase that spans generations.

Despite the momentum, Burnham doesn’t sound interested in being boxed in. He sees the blues as a living form, one that has always mutated and expanded. You can hear that perspective in the way his playing nods to Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Dylan, and Chuck Berry without settling into imitation. The album respects the lineage while refusing to freeze it in time.