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Eric Clapton - Sessions For Robert J. (CD + DVD) Audio CD

A fair review of the Eric Clapton "Sessions For Robert J. (CD + DVD)" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Eric Clapton reviews here, or go back to the Eric Clapton tabs.

Eric Clapton Band: Eric Clapton
Title: Sessions For Robert J. (CD + DVD)
Rating:
Release Date: 2004-12-07
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Sweet Home Chicago 2: Milkcow's Calf Blues 3: Terraplane Blues 4: If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day 5: Stop Breakin' Down Blues 6: Little Queen of Spades 7: Traveling Riverside Blues 8: Me and the Devil Blues 9: From Four Until Late 10: Kind Hearted Woman Blues 11: Rambling on My Mind 12: Kindhearted Woman Blues [DVD] 13: Kind Hearted Woman Blues [DVD] 14: They're Red Hot [DVD] 15: Hell Hound on My Trail [DVD] 16: Sweet Home Chicago [DVD] 17: When You Got a Good Friend [DVD] 18: Milkcow's Calf Blues [DVD] 19: If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day [DVD] 20: Terraplane Blues [DVD] 21: Hell Hound on My Trail [DVD] 22: Me and the Devil Blues [DVD] 23: From Four Until Late [DVD] 24: Love in Vain [DVD] 25: Rambling on My Mind [DVD] 26: Stones in My Passway [DVD] 27: Love in Vain [DVD] 28: Little Queen of Spades [DVD][*] 29: Traveling Riverside Blues [DVD][*]

By far Clapton's best treatment of Robert Johnson material
What I found were a CD and a DVD that were both over the top in quality. When I first picked this one up, I had high hopes for what I'd find within the cardboard confines of the packaging. Simply stated, this is Clapton's best work in interpreting the songs of Robert Johnson.

The DVD opens up with Clapton rolling up in his Porshe to a very nice recording studio parked somewhere out in the English countryside. Once inside he finds some of his mates waiting for him:
- Nathan East, bass player (you might have seen him on Eric Clapton: Unplugged or with Phil Collins on LIVE and Loose in Paris)
- Billy Preston on Hammond B3 (the only other guy to play with the Beatles - that's him up on the roof of Apple Records with the Fab 4 doing Get Back among others, the Concert for George - tribute to George Harrison)
- Doyle Bramhall III on second/rhythm guitar (did the first half hour of an Austin City Limits where Robert Cray did the 2nd half, wrote TIGHTROPE and THE HOUSE IS ROCKIN' for Stevie Ray Vaughan, guitar on In the Flesh LIVE with Roger Waters)
- Steve Gadd on drums (veteran player with Clapton on tour, Simon and Garfunkel's Concert in Central Park, Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, and Chuck Mangione)
- Chris Stainton on piano (Joe Cocker on Mad Dogs & Englishmen and with the Who on Tommy - organ & acoustic guitar)

Basically a band constructed of lightweights and n'er do wells. . .

The DVD is nicely formatted with a segment of 'electric Blues' studio playing then some interview material with Clapton, a 2nd 'electric' studio segment played in Dallas, more interview material, a 3rd musical segment that's just Clapton and Bramhall on acoustics and the prettiest National Steel resonator guitar I've ever seen in my life playing in the building in Dallas where Johnson was recorded, a little more interview stuff and then Clapton in a hotel room by himself.

The few songs that you get to see and hear Clapton and Bramhall play acoustically without any production frills are worth the entire cost of this set. There is a warmth, a respect, and an honesty there that just blaze off of their fingertips and ring in Clapton's voice.

As for the CD, it is comprised of studio versions of 10 of the songs you see on the DVD and one not found there - Stop Breakin' Down Blues.

In conclusion, Robert Johnson is the guy who basically created Eric Clapton. Without Clapton's early exposure to his music courtesy of John Mayall and then his lifelong study of the quintessential Blues man of All Time, we would not have the Eric Clapton we see and hear today. This item is as nice a tribute by one musician to the music of another musician that I know about.

Mr. Clapton done Mr. Johnson proud on this little devil.


delta blues
if you love delta blues, or even just great guitar playing, you gotta have this dvd.


Sometimes the present is better than the past !
The DVD provided an insight to Clapton's deep interest in blues and the artists that influenced his early attraction to this form of music. I thought that Eric Claptons interpretation of Robert Johnson's blues was sensational. The numbers demand the most inricate guitar play and the artists accompanying Clapton on guitar are from the top draw. The session filmed in the building in America where Robert Johnson originally recorded the same numbers was particularly evocative and in some ways quite eerie.
Every generation will have its own view on the most appropriate blues interpretation but for me Clapton has somehow captured a special feeling and earthiness that exceeds even that generated in Johsons original numbers.


Sessions one of the best
I can't believe I waited so long to get this. I am a big fan of EC and think his Blues are the ultimate. A definate in any Eric Clapton collection.


One of the best blues albums of all time

The arrangements are first class, in other words!

The CD would only be half its value without the DVD - having watched that now seveveral times, I enjoy listening to the CD on its own even more. Eric Clapton and his fellow musicians manage to capture the spirit of Robert Johnson, despite their being a band and Johnson normally playing solo.

My one critique is that the sequence of songs played on the CD does not match those on the DVD.


You can see a complete list of all Eric Clapton discography, or go back to the Eric Clapton tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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