The Yardbirds - Making Tracks DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

It’s not exaggerating to suggest that The Yardbirds are one of the most important bands of the Rock and Roll era. Pushing the boundaries between blues, hard rock and psychedelia, the band helped launch the careers of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page and many of their songs are considered classics. These days, the band consists of original members Jim McCarty on drums and Chris Dreja on rhythm guitar, along with singer Andy Mitchell, lead guitarist Ben King and bassist Dave Smale. The band tours and plays their classic 1960s songs, along with newer material from 2003’s Birdland. The DVD, The Yardbirds – Making Tracks, captures live performances of the band from several locations between 2010 and 2012.

Read the rest of the review at www.blindedbysound.com by clicking here.

Simon Townshend - Looking Out Looking In CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

It’s hard to make a name for oneself when the shadow of their famous sibling looms so large, yet, in Simon Townshend’s case, he has managed to do just that. Besides lending his talents to The Who and Roger Daltrey’s live shows, Townshend has performed with the likes of Jeff Beck and Pearl Jam and began his musical career at a young age, contributing backup vocals to Tommy at age nine. He’s also released seven solo albums, the latest of which is called Looking Out Looking In.

Read the rest of the review at www.blindedbysound.com by clicking here.

Jeff Beck - Rock 'n' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

The legendary Les Paul spent the last 14 years of his life playing every Monday at New York City's famed Iridium Jazz Club. What better place for fellow legend Jeff Beck to honor one of his heroes on what would have been Paul's 95th birthday?

Read the rest of the review at http://www.blindedbysound.com/ by clicking here.

This is the Blues: Volume One and Two CD Review

Written by General Jabbo

The blues genre has been graced with many greats over the years — from Robert Johnson to B.B. King to Stevie Ray Vaughan — and to honor them all would arguably take hundreds of volumes. This is the Blues: Volume One and Volume Two focus mainly on two artists — John Lee Hooker and original Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green — whose songs make up 18 of the 30 tracks on these volumes.

Volume One starts out in fine fashion with Jeff Beck tackling Hooker’s “Hobo Blues.” Earl Green takes the lead vocals on this funky workout while Beck coaxes seemingly impossible sounds from his axe. Even in his fifth decade of playing, Beck still amazes. Hooker’s daughter, Zakiya, delivers a spirited version of her father’s “I Want to Hug You,” which features the late Johnnie Johnson, legendary pianist for Chuck Berry among others on piano. Jack Bruce reunites with his ex-BBM band mate Gary Moore for a down and dirty version of Hooker’s “I’m in the Mood,” with Moore’s fiery lead playing conjuring up memories of that other famous guitarist Bruce worked with in the 1960s.

Green’s “Black Magic Woman” gets a fine reading from Larry McCray, blending elements of the Fleetwood Mac and Santana versions with a touch of funk for good measure while Vince Converse and Innes Sibun trade some tasty leads on a hard-rocking “Rattlesnake Shake.” Luther Grosvenor and Jess Roden deliver a laid-back “Crying Won’t Bring You Back,” with a feel not unlike the Rolling Stone’s cover of “Harlem Shuffle.”

Speaking of the Stones, ex-guitarist Mick Taylor shows why he is considered a master slide guitarist with his 10-minute cover of Willie Dixon’s “You Shook Me” while his former bandmate, Mick Jagger, offers his underrated harmonica skills to his brother Chris’ take of Lonnie Johnson’s “Racketeer Blues,” a song that would not be out of place on Beggars Banquet.

The late Rory Gallagher opens Volume Two with a haunting version of Green’s “Leaving Town Blues” that features Gallagher on vocals, guitar, and mandolin while Jack Bruce returns on bass and harmonica on a spirited romp through Cyril Davies' “Send For Me.” Green is honored again with Savoy Brown’s acoustic version of the classic “Stop Messin’ Round” and Green himself appears on guitar and vocals alongside Nigel Watson in an authentic Delta Blues take of Robert Johnson’s “Travelling Riverside Blues.” Southside Johnny’s fine vocals make “Baby When the Sun Goes Down” another highlight of disc two with horns that recall those on the old Stax records.

John Lee Hooker makes Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House” his own with an even heavier blues interpretation than its writer’s and backed by a blues super group featuring Booker T. Jones on keyboards and the late Bruce Gary on drums. Hooker’s playing and singing shine on the track. The CD finishes with Hooker’s appropriately titled “I’m Leaving,” which features T.S. McPhee on guitar and vocals and Dick Heckstall-Smith with some spirited saxophone playing.

While not all encompassing by any means, This is the Blues: Volume One and Volume Two offer not only a nice introduction to some legendary artists — most notably Peter Green and John Lee Hooker — but to the artists giving the tributes themselves, some well known, some not as much. As a primer for someone getting into the blues, this may make a new listener delve deeper into the genre and for that reason it is worth a look.

Article first published as Music Review: Various Artists - This is the Blues: Volume One and Two on Blogcritics.

Jeff Beck - Performing This Week...Live at Ronnie Scott's DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

It’s not often a legendary guitarist at the height of his powers plays an intimate show, let alone a week’s worth of them, but that’s exactly what happened when Jeff Beck took a week-long residency at London’s famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in November of 2007, the opening night of which was captured for Performing This Week…Live at Ronnie Scott’s.

Backed by his crack band, including Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Jason Rebello on keyboards, and young virtuoso Tal Wilkenfeld on bass, Beck takes the crowd on a musical journey spanning 40 years and covering all aspects of his career.

The set opens with “Beck’s Bolero,” the song that originally served as the prototype for Led Zeppelin and a song Beck put at the beginning because it was one people know. Beck’s moody, psychedelic slide playing sets up the rocking middle section nicely. The Stevie Wonder classic “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers” finds Beck at his most emotive, while Wilkenfeld delivers a bass solo that had Beck bowing in reverence.

“Behind the Veil” and “Blanket,” the latter of which features guest star Imogen Heap on vocals, have Beck diving into reggae territory while “You Never Know” is a Jan Hammer-written party funk tune. Throughout the different styles, Beck still maintains a guitar style that is uniquely his. He doesn’t use a pick and as such, is able to use his entire picking hand to manipulate the strings, tremolo arm, and volume control in an effortless display of fret-board mastery.

Joss Stone guests on vocals for a moving version of “People Get Ready,” on which Beck first had a hit with Rod Stewart, and Eric Clapton jams with Beck on the blues classics “Little Brown Bird” and “You Need Love.” As Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were both in the audience, it’s possible “You Need Love” – the song that inspired “Whole Lotta Love” – was played as a tribute.

The band goes all out on the appropriately titled “Scatterbrain,” but the real highlight is Beck’s moving instrumental rendition of the Beatles masterpiece “A Day in the Life.”

The DVD includes a number of sound options, including Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Surround Sound. Also included are interviews with Jeff Beck about playing at Ronnie Scotts, his band, the set list, and the guest stars of the show. In addition, his band mates are interviewed about playing the shows and playing Jeff’s music in general

For fans of the guitarist, Performing This Week…Live at Ronnie Scott’s is a must-own. It shows that even at this stage of his career, Jeff Beck still pushes the boundaries of what is possible with the electric guitar.

Eric Clapton & Friends - Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

In 1998, after many years of dealing with his own drug and alcohol addictions, Eric Clapton founded the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, West Indies. In an effort to raise money for the facility, Clapton held a benefit concert - the Crossroads Guitar Festival - in Chicago last July. This two-DVD set features four hours of highlights from the all-day event.

Emceed by Bill Murray, Crossroads is a who's who of guitar greats from elder statesmen such as B.B. King and Buddy Guy to young axe-slingers such as Derek Trucks and Robert Randolph. Murray opened the show with a solo version of the only song he knew how to play on guitar, "Gloria." As Murray struggled along, Clapton watched from the side of the stage, puzzled, until he decided to join in on the song. Clapton later said if Murray "really knew how to play guitar, we'd all be in trouble."

Up next was Sonny Landreth, with his instrumental, "Uberesso," featuring many fast picking runs and a lot of excellent slide playing. Clapton joined Landreth onstage for "Hell at Home."

Jazz-fusion legend, John McLaughlin took the stage with an inspired version of "Maharina," while occasional Clapton band member, Doyle Bramhall II, dedicated his version of "Outside Woman Blues" to Clapton. Bramhall's arrangement stuck very close to the one Clapton used when he was in Cream.

The Derek Trucks Band did a set of their own material and also backed the likes of Susan Tedeschi and Johnny Winter, the latter turning in a searing version of Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited."

Robert Randolph, played a blistering version of "Nobodysoul" that had the whole crowd rocking. He plays the pedal steel guitar, an instrument usually associated with country music, more like Jimi Hendrix would.

Blues legend B.B. King joined the Robert Cray Band, as well as Jimmy Vaughan and Hubert Sumlin for "Paying the Cost to be the Boss" and "Rock Me Baby," with King playing his signature licks on his trademark "Lucille" guitar.

Vince Gill represented the coutry portion of the set and sang alone, as well as with Albert Lee, Sheryl Crow, Eric Clapton, and Willie Nelson with Clapton's "Tulsa Time" and Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" as highlights.

John Mayer dedicated "Every note from his guitar" to B.B. King, While Los Lobos played a rocking version of "Don't Worry Baby."

Up next was Jeff Beck with an incredible version of "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" with 21-year-old Tal Wilkenfeld on bass. She wowed both Beck and the audience with her nimble playing and pushed the guitar legend to give his best performance.

Clapton dedicated George Harrison's "Isn't it a Pity" to the late Beatle and his performance showed how much Clapton misses his longtime friend to this day. After a version of "Who Do You Love?" with Robbie Robertson, Clapton called to the stage Steve Winwood, his old bandmate in Blind Faith, for a mini reunion. In what was easily the biggest highlight of the night, the pair played inspired versions of "Can't Find My Way Home" and "Presence of the Lord," as well as "Crossroads." Winwood's voice sounded great and he stood out on both keyboards and guitar.

Chicago favorite Buddy Guy followed them with "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Damn Right I've Got the Blues" before joinging Clapton, Cray, Mayer, Sumlin, Vaughan, and Winter for an all-star jam on the blues standard "Sweet Home Chicago" - a fitting way to end the show.

The DVD has standard stereo as well as DTS 5.1 audio and includes highlights from the Crossroads Village Stage - a second stage featuring more guitar heroes.

Crossroads was an all-day festival and would have needed several more discs to include all the performances. Still, Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 is a good representation of a great day of music for a worthy cause.