Eric Clapton - Nothing But The Blues

Album: Nothing But The Blues
Size: 176,1 MB
Time: 76:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

1. Blues All Day Long (4:19)
2. Standin' Round Crying (4:51)
3. Forty-Four (4:17)
4. It Hurts Me Too (3:18)
5. Early In The Morning (5:05)
6. Five Long Years (5:22)
7. Crossroads (6:18)
8. Malted Milk Blues (2:46)
9. Motherless Child (2:57)
10. How Long Blues (3:24)
11. Reconsider Baby (3:39)
12. Sinner's Prayer (3:49)
13. Everyday I Have The Blues (4:50)
14. Someday After A While (3:43)
15. Have You Ever Loved A Woma (6:51)
16. I'm Tore Down (3:25)
17. Groaning The Blues (7:10)

Eric Clapton’s lifelong passion for the blues burns brightly in Nothing But The Blues. The CD of the soundtrack features 17 previously unreleased live performances recorded at the Fillmore in San Francisco in November 1994 during the legendary guitarist’s tour supporting From The Cradle, his Grammy-winning, multi-platinum blues album. Clapton’s longtime co-producer, Simon Climie, has remixed the audio from those performances from the original multi-tracking recordings.

The previously unreleased live performances on Nothing But the Blues serve as a vital counterpart to From The Cradle, which was recorded in the studio. While several songs appear on both (“Motherless Child,” “Standing ’Round Crying,” and “I’m Tore Down”), the performances are entirely different. The release also includes songs that did not appear on From the Cradle, including Jimmy Rogers’ “Blues All Day Long” and Robert Johnson’s “Malted Milk,” as well as the standards “Every Day I Have The Blues” and “Forty-Four.”

Nothing But The Blues mc
Nothing But The Blues zippy

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Eric Clapton - The Lady In The Balcony: Lockdown Sessions (Live)

Size: 168.3 MB
Time: 72:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Acoustic/Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (3:05)
02. Golden Ring (3:24)
03. Black Magic Woman (4:21)
04. Man Of The World (3:07)
05. Kerry (2:27)
06. After Midnight (5:00)
07. Bell Bottom Blues (4:32)
08. Key To The Highway (3:41)
09. River Of Tears (6:54)
10. Rock Me Baby (4:17)
11. Believe In Life (4:52)
12. Going Down Slow (4:27)
13. Layla (5:29)
14. Tears In Heaven (4:34)
15. Long Distance Call (3:46)
16. Bad Boy (3:44)
17. Got My Mojo Working (4:44)

Rock and blues guitar legend Eric Clapton gives his fans a heartfelt career and character retrospective on his new album The Lady In The Balcony: Lockdown Sessions. Set to drop November 12th, 2021 via Mercury Studios, the mostly acoustic set was an in-studio concert performed by Clapton and his band of Nathan East (bass and vocals), Steve Gadd (drums) and Chris Stainton (keyboards). They played unplugged versions of an assortment of Clapton standards along with a selection of other blues, country, and seldom-heard original tunes.

Eric’s longtime Grammy-winning producer Russ Titelman (James Taylor, George Harrison, Brian Wilson, Randy Newman, Rickie Lee Jones) ran the session, which was captured live at Cowdray House in West Sussex, England.

The record was an outgrowth of Clapton’s concerts scheduled for May 2021 at the Royal Albert Hall being forcibly cancelled due to the ongoing Covid pandemic. Clapton felt that his best alternative to playing for live crowds was playing for microphones and cameras, which led to this intimate set coming into existence. EC’s views on all things Covid have generated much discussion in recent months and have been covered extensively. No matter which side of the virus issue you’re on, a new Clapton release is also worthy of discussion because of his impact and influence on the guitar community and rock music in general. As we aren’t a political blog, we feel we can acknowledge his new music here and still debate his views elsewhere.

Clapton opens with a gently-shuffling version of Bessie Smith’s 1929 standard “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out” that highlights the vocal melody and story of this hard-luck hymn. This kind of early blues sound doesn’t get nearly enough attention and it’s cool to hear someone of Clapton’s stature put it up front. EC also works his acoustic magic on the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac jam “Black Magic Woman.” He does it with a feel that references the ever-popular Santana version but converts the groove to a rough-and-tumble shuffle on the back end. Smooth and soulful, it’s everything people dig about our man Slowhand.

“After Midnight” appears in a pulsating new form that adds some muscle to this Clapton staple. Nathan East’s upright bass work is especially strong here and carries much of the vibe. Clapton’s vocals and guitar work are both tight and he grooves within the band like a master. “Bell Bottom Blues” is heartfelt and sweet, delivering some of Clapton’s most melodic playing on the record. The entire band sparkles in this mellow context and plays for the song like the pros they are.

“Rock Me” gets a lowdown, late-night articulation that lets Clapton shine while still leaving plenty of space between his notes. His unhurried lines hit a lot of happening spots in the form and his feel is timeless. “Layla” gets a gentle, almost jazzy treatment that gives it new legs and features some fine keyboard work from Chris Stainton. “Tears In Heaven” is as emotive as it’s ever been and Clapton seems to have a deeper relationship with this song in the years since the loss of his son. His always-understated style hits the mark right on and he gives the track a beautiful performance.

By the time he closes with the electrified “Got My Mojo Working,” Clapton has given us a glimpse of everything he does and is. Equal parts hardcore blues lover, expressive songwriter, bereaved father, and rock legend, Clapton is as complexly human as the rest of us and makes no bones about it. The Lady In The Balcony: Lockdown Sessions is a fun, career-spanning set that Slowhand’s faithful will be spinning all winter. Take it for a ride and see. ~Mike O’Cull

The Lady In The Balcony: Lockdown Sessions (Live) MP3
The Lady In The Balcony: Lockdown Sessions (Live) FLAC

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Otis Rush & Friends - Live At Montreux 1986

Size: 126.1 MB
Time: 53:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Chicago Blues
Art: Full

01. Tops (4:39)
02. Natural Ball (5:37)
03. Right Place, Wrong Time (6:09)
04. Mean Old World (5:18)
05. You Don't Love Me (3:45)
06. Crosscut Saw (With Eric Clapton) (7:04)
07. Double Trouble (With Eric Clapton) (5:11)
08. All Your Love (I Missing Loving) (With Eric Clapton) (7:07)
09. Everyday I Have The Blues (With Eric Clapton & Luther Allison) (9:07)

Southpaw guitarist Otis Rush made his debut in 1956 with a cover of Willie Dixon?s "I Can?t Quit You Baby", charting his first Top Ten R&B hit. Over the course of his 50-year career, Rush has established himself as one of the premiere bluesmen on the Chicago circuit.

Often credited with being one of the architects of the West side guitar style, Rush?s esteemed status as a prime Chicago innovator is eternally assured by his trademark sound. Blues fans have said that his combination of ringing, vibrato-enhanced guitar work with an intense vocal delivery is powerful enough to force the hair on the backs of their necks upwards in silent salute.

Otis Rush Live At Montreux 1986 features the Chicago blues legend at his spine-tingling best. For his first appearance at the Montreux Festival, Rush is joined on stage by fellow blues stars Eric Clapton and Luther Allison for a truly special show. The CD features nearly an hour-and-a-half of performances of Rush classics, including "All Your Love (I Miss Loving)", "Double Trouble" and many more.

Live At Montreux 1986 MP3
Live At Montreux 1986 FLAC

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B.B. King & Eric Clapton - Riding With The King (Deluxe Edition)

Size: 166,1 MB
Time: 71:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front & Back

01. Riding With The King (4:23)
02. Ten Long Years (4:40)
03. Key To The Highway (3:40)
04. Marry You (4:59)
05. Three O'clock Blues (8:36)
06. Help The Poor (5:06)
07. I Wanna Be (4:45)
08. Worried Life Blues (4:25)
09. Days Of Old (3:00)
10. When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer (7:09)
11. Hold On I'm Coming (6:20)
12. Come Rain Or Come Shine (4:12)
13. Rollin' And Tumblin' (4:32)
14. Let Me Love You (5:07)

Two guitar legends - Eric Clapton and B.B. King - first performed together in NYC in 1967. Over 30 years later, in 1999, the two longtime friends joined forces to create a collection of all new studio recordings of blues classics and contemporary songs. The resulting album Riding with the King would be released in June 2000 and go onto sell over 2 million copies and win the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. To celebrate the 20th anniversary, the album will be expanded and remastered by Bob Ludwig will be released on June 26th. Two additional previously unreleased tracks have been added to the album: The blues standard “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and a cover of Willie Dixon’s “Let Me Love You Baby”. Both tracks were recorded during the original sessions and were produced and mixed especially for this release by Simon Climie, who produced the original album with Clapton. The album features five Dixon originals, plus a selection of covers from writers as diverse as Isaac Hayes (“Hold On I’m Coming”), Johnny Mercer (“Come Rain Or Come Shine”) and “Big” Bill Broonzy (“Key To The Highway”). John Hiatt wrote the album’s title track. The album features an all-star line-up of musicians: Andy Fairweather Low, Steve Gadd, Nathan East, Joe Sample, Doyle Bramhall II, Susannah and Wendy Melvoin, and Jim Keltner. The celebrated producer and arranger Arif Martin contributed string arrangements and orchestration to two tracks.

Riding With The King MP3
Riding With The King FLAC

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Various Artists - What's Shakin'

Year: 1966/2005
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:38
Size: 89,8 MB
Styles: Electric blues, R&B
Scans: Full

1. The Lovin' Spoonful - Good Time Music (3:09)
2. The Lovin' Spoonful - Almost Grown (1:52)
3. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Spoonful (3:04)
4. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Off The Wall (2:07)
5. Al Kooper - Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes (4:35)
6. Eric Clapton & The Powerhouse - I Want To Know (2:18)
7. Eric Clapton & The Powerhouse - Crossroads (2:18)
8. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Lovin' Cup (2:43)
9. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (2:24)
10. Eric Clapton & The Powerhouse - Steppin' Out (3:17)
11. Tom Rush - I'm In Love Again (2:07)
12. The Lovin' Spoonful - Don't Bank On It Baby (1:55)
13. The Lovin' Spoonful - Searchin' (3:15)
14. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - One More Mile (3:29)

When we launched our Elektra reissue program, we honestly didn't think we would land this legendary 1966 rarities compilation, because it boasted a couple of big-name artists, the Lovin' Spoonful and Eric Clapton, who were not known for their association with the label. But the lawyers checked, the label signed off, and here we are, with one of the decade's most notorious compilations!

The Lovin' Spoonful tracks stem from the band's almost having signed with the label; Jac Holzman states in the notes that it was John Sebastian's way of making amends, and these four tracks - "Good Time Music", "Almost Grown", "Don't Bank on It Baby", and "Searchin'" - were never recorded by the band, not even in different versions. The Clapton tracks, meanwhile, feature him with Powerhouse, a supergroup composed of Jack Bruce, Stevie Winwood and Manfred Mann lead singer Paul Jones; produced by Joe Boyd, the tracks are "I Want to Know", "Crossroads", and "Steppin' Out".

Five Paul Butterfield Blues Band tracks appear here from their ill-fated debut recording session for Elektra: "Lovin' Cup", "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", "Spoonful", and two that appear nowhere else,"Off the Wall" and "One More Mile". Tom Rush's "I'm in Love Again" is an outtake from his 1966 LP "Take a Little Walk with Me", and Al Kooper's "I Can't Keep from Crying Sometimes" is something of a rehearsal for the later, fuller Blues Project version. A collector's dream - a Collectors' Choice Music exclusive!

What's Shakin' mc
What's Shakin' zippy

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Eric Clapton - Blues

Size: 336 MB
Time: 146.48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Full

Studio Disk
1. Before You Accuse Me (Take a Look at Yourself) (version 1) [4:38]
2. Mean Old World [3:52]
3. Ain’t That Loving You [5:30]
4. The Sky Is Crying [4:00]
5. Cryin’ [2:55]
6. Have You Ever Loved a Woman [6:54]
7. Alberta [2:50]
8. Early in the Morning [7:58]
9. Give Me Strength [2:54]
10. Meet Me (Down at the Bottom) [6:58]
11. County Jail Blues [4:00]
12. Floating Bridge [6:35]
13. Blow Wind Blow [3:01]
14. To Make Somebody Happy [5:13]
15. Before You Accuse Me (Take a Look at Yourself) (version 2) [4:43]

Live Disk
1. Stormy Monday [12:49]
2. Worried Life Blues [ 5:57]
3. Early in the Morning [ 7:10]
4. Have You Ever Loved a Woman [ 7:47]
5. Wonderful Tonight [ 6:23]
6. Kind Hearted Woman [ 5:10]
7. Double Trouble [ 8:02]
8. Driftin’ Blues [ 6:57]
9. Crossroads [ 5:48]
10. Further On up the Road [ 8:32]

There's a telling subtext to this retrospective of Eric Clapton blues sides. Culled from recordings cut between 1970 (the Layla sessions) and 1980 (when Clapton cut his final Polydor album, Another Ticket), these sides finds EC exploring his beloved blues while in a fragile state of mind and body. After all, he was on heroin when he concocted Layla, and though he kicked that habit in the early '70s, he continued to test his tolerance for alcohol throughout the decade. When you think of the Clapton of the '60s, you think of the fire and ice of his playing with the Yardbirds, John Mayall, and Cream. When you think of his '70s playing, it's wearier and perhaps more reflective. (It was easy to mistake melancholic for mellow at the time.) The 25 selections included on these two discs find the temporarily deflated rock superstar leaning on the blues for support as he draws on likes of Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Little Walter for inspiration. Hardcore fans will appreciate previously unreleased versions of Bo Diddley's "Before You Accuse Me," a solo take on the traditional "Alberta," a 1974 cover of Willie Dixon's "Meet Me (Down at the Bottom), and a remixed live 1976 version of "Further on Up the Road" with Freddy King sitting in. Just about anyone, however, will be able to appreciate how this music reflects Clapton's strengths as a musician... and weaknesses as a man.

Blues

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Eric Clapton - Happy Xmas

Size: 132,1 MB
Time: 56:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock, Xmas
Art: Front

01. White Christmas (2:57)
02. Away In A Manger (Once In Royal David's City) (4:44)
03. For Love On Christmas Day (3:36)
04. Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday (3:38)
05. Christmas Tears (4:22)
06. Home For The Holidays (4:00)
07. Jingle Bells (5:58)
08. Christmas In My Hometown (2:51)
09. It's Christmas (4:43)
10. Sentimental Moments (4:06)
11. Lonesome Christmas (3:51)
12. Silent Night (4:03)
13. Merry Christmas Baby (4:11)
14. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (3:29)

Eric Clapton’s first ever full-length studio holiday album, Happy Xmas, is on Clapton’s Bushbranch Records/Surfdog Records. Happy Xmas is Clapton’s 24th studio album and his first since 2016’s “I Still Do.” It mixes instantly recognizable holiday classics with lesser-known unique titles along with an original new song “For Love On Christmas Day.” The album also features cover art illustration by Clapton himself.

Happy Xmas MP3
Happy Xmas FLAC

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Doyle Bramhall II - Shades

Size: 129,2 MB
Time: 55:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front & Back

01. Love And Pain (4:10)
02. Hammer Ring (3:47)
03. Everything You Need (Feat. Eric Clapton) (5:02)
04. London To Tokyo (4:36)
05. Searching For Love (With Norah Jones) (6:24)
06. Live Forever (With Greyhounds) (3:54)
07. Break Apart To Mend (5:27)
08. She'll Come Around (4:42)
09. The Night (4:38)
10. Parvanah (3:55)
11. Consciousness (4:40)
12. Going Going Gone (Feat. Tedeschi Trucks Band) (4:38)

Provogue will release Shades, singer-songwriter and guitarist Doyle Bramhall II’s dramatic debut for the label. The album comes hot on the heels of Bramhall’s 2016 critically acclaimed fourth record, Rich Man, his first solo album in 15 years.

In the intervening years between albums, Bramhall established himself as one of the most distinctive and sought-after guitarists around, performing with a dizzying array of artists that includes Roger Waters, Elton John, Gregg Allman, Allen Toussaint and T-Bone Burnett, to name a few. More significantly, Bramhall had spent over a decade as Eric Clapton’s musical right-hand man, collaborating closely with the legendary guitarist both in the studio and on stage. He’s also produced albums and written songs for Sheryl Crow and the Tedeschi Trucks Band, among others.

Shades is a spellbinding blend of grungy blues, raucous garage rock, transcendent psychedelia, and soothing, soul-stirring ballads that sees Bramhall reaching new heights as a multi-instrumentalist, producer and vocalist while responding to his heart’s most urgent commands as a lyricist and arranger.

“The new record finally feels like I’m comfortable in my own skin, like I don’t have anything to prove other than trying to express myself as honestly as I can,” says Bramhall. “As an artist, writer and producer, I’m in a good place, and I think I can allow this flow of music to come out and form a real body of work that my fans can appreciate. I’m thrilled to have them go on this journey with me.”

Throughout much of Shades, Bramhall addresses deeply personal themes – on the R&B-laced “Everything You Need” and the elegant ballad “Searching For Love,” he examines matters of the heart. But on the gritty, soulful rocker “Love and Pain,” he takes on gun violence, a song inspired by last year’s concert massacre in Las Vegas.

Performing alongside Bramhall on Shades is an ace group of musicians he’s worked with over the years – bassist Chris Bruce, multi-instrumentalist and string arranger Adam Minkoff, and drummers Carla Azar and Abe Rounds – and there are also notable appearances by friends and luminaries: Eric Clapton, Norah Jones, the Tedeshi Trucks band, and Austin buds the Greyhounds. “Without appearing immodest, I can admit that I’ve led a pretty charmed life,” Bramhall says. “I’m thrilled and honored to have all of these incredible people guest on my record.”

Shades MP3
Shades FLAC

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VA - Eric Clapton Life In 12 Bars (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Size: 177,3+184,5 MB
Time: 75:29+78:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Big Bill Broonzy - Backwater Blues ( 4:08)
02. Muddy Waters - My Life Is Ruined ( 2:37)
03. Muddy Waters - I've Got My Mojo Working (Live At Newport Jazz Festival 1960) ( 4:23)
04. Yardbirds - I Wish You Would ( 2:16)
05. Yardbirds - For Your Love ( 2:28)
06. John Mayall - Steppin' Out ( 2:27)
07. John Mayall - All Your Love ( 3:33)
08. Cream - I Feel Free ( 2:50)
09. Cream - Strange Brew ( 2:46)
10. Cream - Sunshine Of Your Love ( 4:12)
11. Aretha Franklin - Good To Me As I Am To You ( 3:55)
12. Cream - Crossroads (Live) ( 4:14)
13. The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Remastered 2009) ( 4:43)
14. Cream - Badge ( 2:46)
15. Cream - White Room (Live) ( 5:48)
16. Cream - Spoonful (Live At Forum) (17:25)
17. Blind Faith - Presence Of The Lord ( 4:49)

CD 2:
01. Delaney & Bonnie & Friends - Coming Home (Live At Fairfield Halls) (Feat. Eric Clapton) (7:49)
02. Eric Clapton - After Midnight (Eric Clapton Mix) (3:19)
03. Eric Clapton - Let It Rain (Eric Clapton Mix) (5:16)
04. Derek & The Dominos - High (3:08)
05. George Harrison - My Sweet Lord (4:37)
06. Derek & The Dominos - Thorn Tree In The Garden (40Th Anniversary Version) (2:54)
07. Derek & The Dominos - Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (40Th Anniversary Version) (5:05)
08. Derek & The Dominos - Bell Bottom Blues (40Th Anniversary Version) (5:05)
09. Derek & The Dominos - Layla (40Th Anniversary Version) (7:09)
10. Derek & The Dominos - Little Wing (Live At Filmore East) (6:33)
11. Derek & The Dominos - Got To Get Better In A Little While (40Th Anniversary Version) (6:07)
12. Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sheriff (Full Length Version) (6:49)
13. Eric Clapton - Little Queenie (Live At Long Beach Arena) (6:16)
14. Eric Clapton - Mainline Florida (4:05)
15. Eric Clapton - Tears In Heaven (From Rush Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (4:31)

The Official Soundtrack to the new Eric Clapton documentary ‘Life In 12 Bars’, directed by Oscar-winner Lili Fini Zanuck. The documentary about the legendary 18-time Grammy winner premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before Showtime bought the US TV rights. The 32-track double CD features 4 previously unreleased songs, and includes tracks by Clapton, Yardbirds, Derek & the Dominoes, Cream, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Blind Faith, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin and Muddy Waters.

Eric Clapton Life In 12 Bars

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John Lee Hooker - King Of The Boogie

Size: 171,7+162,8+154,5+159,3+174,4 MB
Time: 74:00+70:09+66:39+68:59+75:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Acoustic/Electric Blues, Delta blues
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Boogie Chillen' (3:09)
02. Sally Mae (3:12)
03. Hobo Blues (3:02)
04. Crawlin' King Snake (3:02)
05. Black Man Blues (3:37)
06. Goin’ Mad Blues (3:46)
07. Who’s Been Jiving You (3:10)
08. (Miss Sadie Mae) Curl My Baby’s Hair (2:50)
09. Hoogie Boogie (2:58)
10. Burnin' Hell (2:41)
11. Weeping Willow Boogie (2:51)
12. Moaning Blues (3:04)
13. Huckle Up Baby (2:50)
14. Goin' Down Highway 51 (2:30)
15. John L's House Rent Boogie (2:58)
16. I'm In The Mood (3:08)
17. Two White Horses (3:21)
18. 33 Blues (2:07)
19. Sugar Mama (3:15)
20. Wobbling Baby (2:40)
21. Stuttering Blues (2:16)
22. I’m A Boogie Man (2:20)
23. Down Child (2:55)
24. Odds Against Me (Aka Backbiters And Syndicators) (3:11)
25. Shake, Holler And Run (2:59)

CD 2:
01. Unfriendly Woman (Aka Stop Now) (3:25)
02. Mambo Chillun (2:46)
03. Time Is Marching (3:05)
04. Dimples (2:08)
05. Little Wheel (2:36)
06. I Love You Honey (2:38)
07. Drive Me Away (2:55)
08. Maudie (2:17)
09. When I Lay My Burden Down (2:41)
10. Tupelo Blues (3:23)
11. Good Morning Lil' School Girl (3:42)
12. I Rolled And Turned And Cried The Whole Night Long (3:51)
13. No More Doggin' (2:48)
14. Dusty Road (2:19)
15. No Shoes (2:27)
16. My First Wife Left Me (3:34)
17. Crazy About That Walk (3:03)
18. Want Ad Blues (2:16)
19. Will The Circle Be Unbroken (2:31)
20. I'm Going Upstairs (2:59)
21. I Lost My Job (2:55)
22. Don’t Turn Me From Your Door (2:48)
23. Grinder Man (3:56)
24. Meat Shakes On Her Bone (2:53)

CD 3:
01. Boom Boom (2:30)
02. Blues Before Sunrise (3:47)
03. She’s Mine (2:24)
04. Frisco Blues (2:47)
05. Good Rockin' Mama (2:28)
06. I'm Leaving (2:12)
07. Birmingham Blues (2:54)
08. Don't Look Back (2:57)
09. Big Legs, Tight Skirt (2:17)
10. It Serves Me Right (3:39)
11. Money (2:24)
12. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (3:02)
13. The Motor City Is Burning (2:57)
14. Mean Mean Woman (3:24)
15. Doin' The Shout (3:31)
16. Homework (4:31)
17. Early One Morning (4:10)
18. Rockin' Chair (4:10)
19. Hittin' The Bottle Again (2:22)
20. Deep Blue Sea (4:08)
21. Spellbound (3:57)

CD 4:
01. The Hobo (Live) (3:12)
02. Maudie (Live) (2:39)
03. Shake It Baby (Live) (4:12)
04. Boogie Chillun (Live) (3:04)
05. Bottle Up & Go (Live) (3:20)
06. Crawlin' King Snake (Live) (4:45)
07. The Mighty Fire (Live) (4:39)
08. You’ve Got To Walk Yourself (Live) (4:54)
09. I'm Bad Like Jesse James (Live) (5:26)
10. Boogie Everywhere I Go (Live) (8:31)
11. She's Gone (Live) (4:13)
12. It Serves Me Right To Suffer (Live) (6:52)
13. Boom Boom (Live) (4:17)
14. Hi-Heel Sneakers (Live) (4:08)
15. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (Live) (4:39)

CD 5:
01. I Got Eyes For You (With Little Eddie Kirkland) ( 2:40)
02. Mai Lee (With The Groundhogs) ( 3:39)
03. Peavine (With Canned Heat) ( 5:06)
04. Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive (With Van Morrison) (10:14)
05. Five Long Years (With Joe Cocker) ( 6:03)
06. The Healer (With Little Carlos Santana) ( 5:39)
07. I'm In The Mood (With Bonnie Raitt) ( 4:33)
08. Sally Mae (With George Thorogood) ( 3:16)
09. Mr. Lucky (With Robert Cray) ( 4:43)
10. Up And Down (With Warren Haynes) ( 4:52)
11. Boom Boom (With Jimmie Vaughan) ( 4:20)
12. You Shook Me (With B.B. King) ( 5:00)
13. Don't Look Back (With Van Morrison) ( 6:44)
14. Dimples (With Los Lobos) ( 4:04)
15. Boogie Chillen' (With Eric Clapton) ( 4:36)

John Lee Hooker was one of the greatest figures to rise from post-war blues, but he always stood out from other artists in the genre. The minimalism of his style drew a clear line from the pioneering figures of Delta blues, but the hypnotic insistence of his song structures and the unrelenting stomp of his boogie rhythms took those influences to another time and place. Hooker's music could speak of joy or menace with equal force, and with remarkably few changes. And while 12-bar was the unyielding template for nearly every other blues artist, Hooker followed no rules beyond his own muse, embracing rhythmic structures and chord changes that seemed chaotic on paper but sounded brilliant when executed by Hooker. While clearly a bluesman, he was a subgenre unto himself, a musician with a singular approach that many followed but no one could duplicate with the same gravity. In addition to being unique, Hooker was also prolific, recording literally dozens of albums for many different labels in a career that stretched from 1948 to 1997, and compiling a set that accurately represents the length and breadth of his catalog is no simple task. 2017's King of the Boogie is a five-disc set compiled with the cooperation of Hooker's estate and attempts to skim the cream from his massive body of work. The first three discs comprise a (relatively) concise summary of his studio material, while disc four is devoted to live recordings, and disc five is a sampler of his collaborations with other artists, which dominated many of his latter-day albums. Given the very distinct stages of Hooker's career -- his early acoustic sides, his later electric material, his evolution into working with a full band, and the polished, star-sprinkled late period sides -- it's very much a matter of the taste of individual fans that will determine how much they like the three-disc career summary. That said, the track selection delivers most of the acknowledged classics, offers an accurate balance of the various phases of his career, and throws in a few surprises ("Shake, Holler and Run" takes an obvious "Shake, Rattle and Roll" lift and turns it into something very much its own once Hooker is done with it). The live tracks demonstrate his strength and charisma as a live performer, and if the duets are not for many Hooker purists, the fact artists as gifted as Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, and Los Lobos were eager to work with him speaks volumes about how respected he was. It's probably impossible to assemble a truly definitive John Lee Hooker collection, but King of the Boogie leaves no doubt of his talent, his unique vision, and the lasting importance of his music. Add a well-designed package with plenty of rare photos, fine liner notes from Jas Obrecht, and well-detailed track annotation, and you have a splendid sampler that should please loyal fans and dazzle those who have never been introduced to Hooker's music. ~by Mark Deming

King Of The Boogie CD 1
King Of The Boogie CD 2
King Of The Boogie CD 3
King Of The Boogie CD 4
King Of The Boogie CD 5

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Eric Clapton - Legendary Masters

Released: 2001
Size: 179.9 MB
Time: 78:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Blues Rock, Soft Rock
Art: Full

1. Before you accuse me (take a look at yourself) [3:57]
2. Superman inside [5:03]
3. My father's eyes [5:24]
4. Reptile [3:25]
5. Wonderful tonight [3:39]
6. Travelin' light [4:12]
7. Blue eyes blue [4:42]
8. Riding with the King (with B.B.King) [4:23]
9. Come back baby [3:53]
10. Tears in heaven [4:33]
11. Layla (unpluged) [4:40]
12. Change the world [3:55]
13. All your love [3:33]
14. Running on faith [5:32]
15. Cocaine [3:33]
16. Let it rain [5:01]
17. Sunshine of your love [4:10]
18. Tearing us apart (live with T.Turner) [4:39]

Eric Clapton has been reinventing himself musically for more than 40 years. But the strong pulse of the blues has powered his guitar playing since the beginning: from the Yardbirds when he was 18, through his stints with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Derek and the Dominoes. His first guitar, which he got when he was 13, was a steel-string Hoyer made in Germany. It was about as big as he was, Clapton recalls."It was a very cheap guitar. And most cheap guitars, as anyone will tell you who tries to play a cheap guitar ... they hurt to play.

"It sounded nice, but it was just such hard work, I gave up. So I started when I was 13 and gave up when I was 13 and a half," he says.

Clapton's introduction to the blues — the music that would forever influence his own work — came from an unlikely source: a children's radio show in the 1950s and '60s hosted by "Uncle Mac" (aka Derek McCulloch).

The show's usual fare was novelty children's music, such as "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?"

But every now and then, Clapton says, Uncle Mac would slip in some blues."I don't know what this guy was on; I can't imagine how it would get snuck in, whether it was his taste or someone else's, his wife, who knows?" Clapton says.'I Got What They Were Trying to Do'

Clapton even remembers the first blues song he heard on the show: "Whoopin' the Blues" (full song audio) by harmonica player Sonny Terry and singer and guitarist Brownie McGhee.
"That's where it started for me.

Legendary Masters

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Pinetop Perkins & Friends - Pinetorp Perkins & Friends

Year: 2008
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:30
Size: 96,1 MB
Styles: Chicago blues, piano blues
Scans: Full

1. Take It Easy Baby (3:12)
2. Got My Mojo Working (3:30)
3. Down In Mississippi (3:56)
4. How Long Blues/Come Back Baby (5:23)
5. Hoochie Coochie Man (4:10)
6. Barefootin' (3:06)
7. Look On Yonders Wall (4:29)
8. Anna Lee (4:28)
9. Sweet Home Chicago (3:49)
10. Bad Luck Baby (5:23)

These superstar guest "friends" affairs can get awfully tiresome, but this one is better than most. It was recorded over a two and a half year period when the irrepressible Chicago blues and boogie pianist was 92-94 years old, yet he seems decades younger. The songs are generally Chicago blues standards such as "Got My Mojo Working," "Hoochie Coochie Man," "Look on Yonders Wall" and, Lord help us, "Sweet Home Chicago."

Still, if anyone has earned the right to give these chestnuts another go-round it's Perkins. Even though he's played nearly all of them thousands of times, he's as enthusiastic and invigorated as if he'd just written these well-worn classics. The piano man is spry on the 88s, tinkling the ivories like he's half his age, especially on the jaunty "Take it Easy Baby," the lively opener. Even though producer Doug B. Nelson overdubbed many of the higher profile parts, the set sounds open and natural, avoiding the stiffness that usually results with projects such as this.

Only Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan, and B.B. King can be considered major stars with the rest of the "friends" lesser known blues stalwarts such as singer Nora Jean Brusco and bassist Willie Kent (Kent passed before this disc was finally released in June, 2008). Thankfully Perkins is in such bracing form that except for King, who trades quips with him on "Down in Mississippi," nobody overwhelms or even steals the spotlight from the album's star.

On the slow blues "Anna Lee," Perkins sounds positively lascivious, but in a charming, non-threatening way. He's also inspired by "Hoochie Coochie Man," with Vaughan assisting, laughing at the end like a child. Hotshot slide guitarist Eric Sardinas redeems himself for his own over the top albums with zippy work here on "Barefootin'" and especially "Mojo..." Pinetop is so loose, upbeat, and cheerful for these sessions, you'd think he had another 94 years left in him. /Hal Horowitz, AllMusic

(For complete info on featured musicians, see booklet details.)

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Various - Five Star Blues Rock

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 110:17
Size: 252.5 MB
Styles: Blues rock
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:55] 1. Jonny Lang - A Quitter Never Wins
[5:06] 2. Lucky Peterson - Compared To What
[7:16] 3. Roy Buchanan - Roy Buchanan - Pete's Blue
[3:42] 4. Eric Clapton - Rockin' Daddy
[9:43] 5. Ten Years After - I May Be Wrong, But I Won't Be Wrong Always
[4:54] 6. The Allman Brothers Band - One Way Out
[3:33] 7. Savoy Brown Blues Band - The Doormouse Rides The Rails
[4:46] 8. Susan Tedeschi - Love Me Don't Hate Me
[4:47] 9. Clarence Gatemouth Brown - Don't Think Twice
[2:08] 10. Eric Clapton - Key To Love
[3:54] 11. Robert Cray - I Wonder
[4:45] 12. Takats Tamas Dirty Blues Band - Roadhouse Blues
[3:04] 13. Buddy Guy - I Got A Strange Feeling
[2:44] 14. Otis Rush - You Been An Angel
[2:49] 15. Muddy Waters - Short Dress Woman
[4:28] 16. John Scofield - I Don't Need No Doctor
[3:01] 17. Albert Collins - Frosty
[3:00] 18. Koko Taylor - What Kind Of Man Is That
[4:10] 19. Howlin' Wolf - I Ain't Superstitious
[5:34] 20. John Mayall - Force Of Nature
[5:16] 21. Luther Allison - Easy Baby
[3:26] 22. Bobby Blue Bland - Driftin' Blues
[3:59] 23. Johnny Copeland - Blues Ain't Nothin'
[3:29] 24. Joe Louis Walker - Yveline
[4:34] 25. Robben Ford - Lovin' Cup

Though much early rock & roll was based in the blues, Blues-Rock didn't fully develop into a subgenre until the late-'60s. Blues-rock emphasized two specific things -- the traditional, three-chord blues song and instrumental improvisation. Borrowing the idea of an instrumental combo and loud amplification from rock & roll, the original blues-rockers -- bands like Cream that grew out of the Alexis Korner and John Mayall tradition of British blues, as well as American bands like the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Canned Heat -- also attempted to play long, involved improvisations which were commonplace on jazz records, as well as live blues shows. The hybrid became quite popular and the bands that immediately followed them were louder and more riff-oriented. Out of this approach came heavy metal and Southern rock, which both used basic blues riffs and featured extended solos. In the early '70s, the lines between blues-rock and hard rock were barely visible, as boogie-based bands like ZZ Top employed album-rock production techniques that tended to obscure their blues roots. However, blues-rock soon backed away from hard rock, and there was a set number of acts that continued to play (and rewrite) blues standards as well as write their own songs in the same idiom. In the '80s and '90s, blues-rock was more roots-oriented than in the '60s and '70s, even when artists like the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan flirted with rock stardom. By the '80s, blues-rock had become an accepted tradition, much like the blues.

Five Star Blues Rock

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The Yardbirds - The Clapton And Beck Years (2 CD)

As befits its title, this double album of classic Yardbirds material covers the Clapton and and Beck years on the respective discs. Those well-known names are accompanied by ever-presents Chris Dreja (rhythm guitar/bass) and Jim McCarty, who served from the band's 1963 beginnings to the split five years later. The other original Yardbird, vocalist Keith Relf, was electrocuted in 1976, while original bassist Paul Samwell-Smith became a record producer - Beverly Craven and Cat Stevens just two of his successes.

Eric Clapton replaced the band's first - and only unknown - guitarist, Top Topham, just in time to feature on their debut LP "Five Live Yardbirds", cut at London's Marquee Club in 1964. Compromising ten US blues numbers from the likes of Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley given a high-energy treatment, it's been acclaimed as one of the all-time classic concert albums and is present here in its entirety as tracks 7 to 16 of CD one.

In 1965, Clapton quit for the purist blues of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and Jeff Beck from the little-known London band Tridents arrived as his replacement. The hit singles he appeared on like "Heart Full Of Soul", the Eastern tinged "Still I'm Sad" and "Shapes Of Things" were classics of their kind and remain ageless staples of rock radio to this day. These three titles and their respective B-sides lead of our second disc, and are accompanied by such further collectable Yardbirds tracks as "The Train Kept A Rollin" from the cult movie Blow Up that also features Jimmy Page (the film showed him on bass, though he actually played guitar). /Excerpt from the liner notes by Michael Heatley

Album: The Clapton And Beck Years
Year: 2004
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:06 + 41:12
Size: 127,1 + 95,1 MB
Styles: R&B, blues, rock
Scans: Full

CD 1 - Five Live Yardbirds:
1. I Wish You Would (Single) (2:20)
2. A Certain Girl (Single) (2:19)
3. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (Single) (2:47)
4. I Ain't Got You (Single) (2:01)
5. For Your Love (Single) (2:30)
6. Got To Hurry (Single) (2:36)
7. Too Much Monkey Business (2:59)
8. I Got Love If You Want It (2:33)
9. Smokestack Lightning (5:37)
10. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (2:36)
11. Respectable (5:27)
12. Five Long Years (5:09)
13. Pretty Girl (3:00)
14. Louise (3:36)
15. I'm A Man (4:26)
16. Here 'Tis (5:03)

CD 2 - Rave Up With The Yardbirds:
1. Heart Full Of Soul (2:29)
2. Steeled Blues (2:38)
3. Evil Hearted You (2:24)
4. Still I'm Sad (2:55)
5. Shapes Of Things (2:26)
6. You're A Better Man Than I (3:18)
7. The Train Kept A Rollin' (3:26)
8. Jeff's Blues (3:04)
9. What Do You Want (Instrumental) (3:12)
10. Boom Boom (2:26)
11. Talkin' Bout You (1:58)
12. I Ain't Done No Wrong (3:39)
13. You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover (2:57)
14. Who Do You Love (Live) (4:11)

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Muddy Waters & Howlin' Wolf - Muddy & The Wolf

Year: 1974/1983
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:00
Size: 99,3 MB
Styles: Blues, Chicago blues
Scans: Full

1. All Aboard (2:50)
2. Blow Wind Blow (3:36)
3. Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had (3:04)
4. Walkin' Thru The Park (3:18)
5. I'm Ready (3:35)
6. Long Distance Call (6:22)
7. Rockin' Daddy (3:40)
8. What A Woman! (3:01)
9. Who's Been Talking? (3:05)
10. Red Rooster (Rehearsal) (1:28)
11. Red Rooster (3:51)
12. Highway 49 (2:47)
13. Do The Do (2:17)

Waters and Wolf do not perform together on this disc. The first half, recorded in Chicago, features Muddy backed by some of his regular '60s band members plus '60s U.S. blues-rockers Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield. Wolf occupies the second half, taken from the "London Howlin' Wolf Sessions" album. He's backed by British blues-influenced rockers including Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and the Stones' rhythm section. Despite the booklet's photo of Muddy and Wolf together, the notoriously paranoid Wolf had always regarded Muddy as a rival.

Despite their personal differences, Waters and Wolf were linked by their undeniable status as the prime architects of Chicago blues. The thematic tie here is their interaction with the generation of players who they inspired. As Muddy retains most of his usual band, his cuts differ little from his other late-'60s recordings (which is to say that they are eminently soulful and cathartic). Wolf's cuts are marked by the rock supersession vibe, but the assembled rock royalty manage to keep their egos in check, ably providing their hero with the angular, biting attack that is his trademark sound. This isn't the place to start with either Muddy or Wolf, but it's a more-than-interesting sideline to their careers.

Personnel Muddy Waters tracks (1-6): (Muddy Waters): Muddy Waters (vocals, slide guitar); Michael Bloomfield (guitar); Paul Butterfield, Jeff Carp (harmonica); Otis Spann (piano); Donald "Duck" Dunn, Phil Upchurch (bass); Sam Lay (drums).

Personnel Howlin' Wolf tracks (7-13): Howlin' Wolf (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica); Eric Clapton, Hubert Sumlin (guitar); Jeffrey M. Carp (harmonica); Steve Winwood, Ian Stewart, Lafayette Leake, John Simon (piano, organ); Bill Wyman, Phil Upchurch (bass, shakers, cow bell); Charlie Watts (drums, conga, percussion).

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Sonny Boy Williamson & The Yardbirds - Live In London

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:16
Size: 96.8 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 1980
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. Bye, Bye Bird
[4:00] 2. Mister Downchild
[5:24] 3. The River Rhine
[5:08] 4. 23 Hours Too Long
[2:16] 5. A Lost Care
[3:48] 6. Pontiac Blues
[5:42] 7. Take It Easy Babe
[3:08] 8. Out On The Water Coast
[3:45] 9. I Don't Care No More
[2:27] 10. Honey In Your Hips
[3:02] 11. Western Arizona

Sonny Boy Williamson & the Yardbirds is a live album by Chicago blues veteran Sonny Boy Williamson II backed by English rock band the Yardbirds. It was recorded at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, Surrey on December 8, 1963, although a second date and location has been given for two songs. Williamson sings and/or plays harmonica on all of the songs. Although they are in a supporting role, the album also presents some of the earliest recording by the Yardbirds, whose members included Eric Clapton on lead guitar. Numerous reissues have appeared over the years, sometimes with additional tracks recorded around the same time.

German music impresarios Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau organized the first annual American Folk Blues Festival in 1962. They arranged for several well-known American blues artists to perform in concert in several European cities. Sonny Boy Williamson participated during the second festival tour in 1963 and his performances are identified as some of the most memorable of the festival. At the conclusion of the festival, he returned to England for a more extensive club tour.

The Yardbirds' manager, Giorgio Gomelsky, who promoted some of the early American Folk Blues Festivals in England, persuaded Lippmann to attend one of the group's shows (by another account, Williamson also saw one of their performances). A deal was struck and the Yardbirds backed Williamson for several English dates between December 1963 and February 1964. Part of the arrangement included that Lippmann and Rau record some live performances (as they had done for the festival tour) and finance a solo studio demo by the group.

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John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers And Friends - 70th Birthday Concert (2 CD)

Though almost always well-intentioned, events like this usually don't pan out on record, let alone on DVD. Thankfully, this is not one of those occasions. John Mayall in his 70th Birthday Concert is as spry, ferocious, and on top of his game as ever. There is nothing tired about the presentation or the performances. Mayall's own umpteenth version of the Bluesbreakers is yet another example of his uncanny ability to pick the right cats for the job. They play with plenty of fire, brilliant musicianship, and taste. There are two discs in this package encompassing 19 cuts. The show broke down as follows: the bland play two burning tracks on their own - "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "Jacksboro Highway" - before Mayall joins them for three, including a stunning rendition of "Dirty Water".

Mayall then invites Mick Taylor to the stage for no less than four cuts - two of which are "Blues for the Lost Days," and "Oh Pretty Woman". But it gets better. Eric Clapton and Chris Barber join the Bluesbreakers for seven cuts - "Hideaway" (what else?), and a beautiful duet performance of "No Big Hurry" between Eric and John. Both Clapton and Taylor are in hungry, fine form, and hold nothing back. The last finale features Taylor and Clapton, and is a guitar orgy, as one would expect. What it all adds up to, however, is a stinging, overdriven performance of modern electric blues by a master bandleader who shows no signs of slowing down physically, and most importantly, creatively. Highly recommended. /Thom Jurek, AllMusic

Album: 70th Birthday Concert - CD 1
Year: 2003
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:45
Size: 170,2 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Scans: Full

1. Grits Ain't Groceries (5:14)
2. Jacksboro Highway (5:30)
3. Southside Story (7:50)
4. Kids Got The Blues (3:55)
5. Dirty Water (8:08)
6. Somebody's Acting Like A Child (w. Mick Taylor) (8:00)
7. Blues For The Lost Days (w. Mick Taylor) (12:26)
8. Walking On Sunset (w. Mick Taylor) (6:34)
9. Oh, Pretty Woman (w. Mick Taylor) (9:32)
10. No Big Hurry (John Mayall & Eric Clapton) (6:31)

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Album: 70th Birthday Concert - CD 2
Year: 2003
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:24
Size: 178,5 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Scans: Full

1. Please Mr Lofton (John Mayall, Eric Clapton & Chris Barber) (7:03)
2. Hideaway (w. Eric Clapton & Chris Barber) (4:50)
3. All Your Love (w. Eric Clapton) (4:19)
4. Have You Heard (w. Eric Clapton) (18:02)
5. Hoochie Coochie Man (w. Eric Clapton & Chris Barber) (6:26)
6. I'm Tore Down (w. Eric Clapton & Chris Barber) (5:55)
7. It Ain't Right (6:18)
8. California (w. Mick Taylor, Chris Barber & Henry Lowther) (15:30)
9. Talk To Your Daughter (w. Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor & Chris Barber) (8:57)

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Buddy Guy - Skin Deep

Time: 58:15
Size: 133.3 MB
Source: LL
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Blues
Released: 2008
Covers: Full

1 Buddy Guy - Best Damn Fool {4:57}
2 Buddy Guy ft Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi - Too Many Tears {4:25}
3 Buddy Guy - Lyin' Like A Dog {7:27}
4 Buddy Guy - Show Me The Money {3:09}
5 Buddy Guy ft Eric Clapton - Every Time I Sing The Blues {7:37}
6 Buddy Guy ft Robert Randolph - Out In The Woods {5:43}
7 Buddy Guy - Hammer And A Nail {2:57}
8 Buddy Guy ft Robert Randolph - That's My Home {2:52}
9 Buddy Guy ft Derek Trucks - Skin Deep {4:29}
10 Buddy Guy - Who's Gonna Fill Those Shoes {4:08}
11 Buddy Guy - Smell The Funk {4:46}
12 Buddy Guy - I Found Happiness {5:39}

It's hard to say that Buddy Guy's career was revived by his appearance in the Rolling Stones' Shine a Light, but his mesmerizing duet on Muddy Waters' "Champagne and Reefer" in that Martin Scorsese concert film was a bracing, welcome reminder of just how good Guy is, especially for listeners who may have let their attention wander in the years since Damn Right, I've Got the Blues. What made Guy so riveting was his coiled aggression: in stark contrast to the deferential Jack White, he came to cut the Stones down and he did so mercilessly, which made it the musical highlight of a show with plenty of great moments. That wildness has kept Buddy Guy unpredictable well into his senior citizenship, and it surfaces on Skin Deep, only perhaps not quite as often as it should. Touted as his first album of original material, Skin Deep does work as an effective showcase for Buddy's most original voice: his wild, gnarly guitar. The production may be crisp and clean but Buddy refuses to play polite, messing up the pristine surfaces with big, nasty, ugly smears of guitar. Even when the record gleams too brightly -- as it does just a little bit too often -- Guy sounds like he's trying to tear things apart from the inside, which lends vigor and energy to numbers that are performed with just a shade too much preciseness. Thankfully, not all of Skin Deep is so clean, as the record opens up with a pair of dynamite collaborations with Robert Randolph -- the stripped-down, swampy Delta blues "Out in the Woods" and the muscular "That's My Home." Guy also gets in a couple of good numbers with Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks -- there's also a duet with Eric Clapton on "Every Time I Sing the Blues," which slides into a too-comfortable slow groove -- and these are the moments when Skin Deep really clicks, as the songs spark and the band truly cooks. Elsewhere, the music slips toward the conventional, but at least it sounds like Guy is trying to reel it back in with that monstrous guitar, which can still sound wondrous. It's kind of fun to hear the accidental tension between Guy's guitar and the slick surfaces, but when he's paired with a band or production that matches his grit, Skin Deep is so good that it's hard not to wish the whole record sounded just like that.
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Skin Deep

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Eric Clapton - Crossroads 2 [live In The Seventies] 4CD Box Set

Eric Clapton - Crossroads 2 (Live In The Seventies) (Disc1)

Released: 1996
Size: 167.4 MB
Time: 73:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Electric Blues / Rock
Art: Full

1. Walkin' Down The Road [ 5:15]
2. Have You Ever Loved A Woman [ 7:43]
3. Willie And The Hand Jive - Get Ready [11:42]
4. Can't Find My Way Home [ 5:19]
5. Driftin' Blues - Rambling On My Mind [11:36]
6. Presence Of The Lord [ 8:48]
7. Rambling On My Mind - Have You Ever Loved A Woman [ 8:16]
8. Little Wing [ 6:43]
9. The Sky Is Crying - Have You Ever Loved A Woman - Rambling On My Mind [ 7:39]

Crossroads 2: Live in the Seventies is a box set by Eric Clapton, released in 1996. Unlike the first Crossroads box set that encompasses more than three decades of Clapton's work, Crossroads 2 is a chronicle of Clapton's live shows between 1974 through 1978. Much of the focus is on longer renditions of electric blues.

Crossroads 2 (Live In The Seventies) (Disc1)

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Eric Clapton - Crossroads 2 (Live In The Seventies) (Disc2)

Released: 1996
Size: 143.2 MB
Time: 62:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Electric Blues / Rock
Art: Full

1. Layla [ 5:38]
2. Further On Up The Road [ 4:31]
3. I Shot The Sheriff [10:21]
4. Badge [10:42]
5. Driftin' Blues [ 6:58]
6. Eyesight To The Blind - Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad? [24:19]

Crossroads 2 (live In The Seventies) (Disk2) +Scans

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Eric Clapton - Crossroads 2 (Live In The Seventies) (Disc3)

Released: 1996
Size: 163.0 MB
Time: 71:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Electric Blues / Rock
Art: Full

1. Tell The Truth [ 8:56]
2. Knockin' On Heaven's Door [ 5:20]
3. Stormy Monday [13:02]
4. Lay Down Sally [ 5:23]
5. The Core [ 9:13]
6. We're All The Way [ 2:55]
7. Cocaine [ 6:37]
8. Goin' Down Slow - Rambling On My Mind [13:45]
9. Mean Old Frisco [ 5:53]

Crossroads 2 (Live In The Seventies) (Disc 3)

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Eric Clapton - Crossroads 2 (Live In The Seventies) (Disc4)

Released: 1996
Size: 138.9 MB
Time: 60:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Electric Blues / Rock
Art: Full

1. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever [ 4:23]
2. Worried Life Blues [ 5:58]
3. Tulsa Time [ 4:31]
4. Early In The Morning [ 6:19]
5. Wonderful Tonight [ 6:24]
6. Kind Hearted Woman [ 5:18]
7. Double Trouble [11:06]
8. Crossroads [ 5:20]
9. To Make Somebody Happy [ 5:13]
10. Cryin' [ 2:56]
11. Water On The Ground [ 3:05]

Crossroads 2 (Live In The Seventies) (Disc 4)

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Eric Clapton - Live In San Diego (With Special Guest JJ Cale)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 107:48
Size: 246.8 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[ 6:22] 1. Tell The Truth
[ 4:12] 2. Key To The Highway
[ 9:34] 3. Got To Get Better In A Little While
[ 6:58] 4. Little Wing
[ 6:04] 5. Anyday
[ 5:32] 6. Anyway The Wind Blows
[ 5:43] 7. After Midnight
[ 4:52] 8. Who Am I Telling You
[ 3:33] 9. Don't Cry Sister
[ 5:30] 10. Cocaine
[ 5:23] 11. Motherless Children
[17:21] 12. Little Queen Of Spades
[ 6:48] 13. Further On Up The Road
[ 4:30] 14. Wonderful Tonight
[ 8:24] 15. Layla
[ 6:55] 16. Crossroads

On March 15, 2007, Eric Clapton's world tour stopped at San Diego's iPayOne Center (originally the San Diego Sports Arena and now the Valley View Casino Center). The band lineup for the tour continues to be a firm fan-favorite, with Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall II on guitars, Chris Stainton and Tim Carmon on keyboards, Willie Weeks on bass, Steve Jordan on drums and backing vocalists Michelle John and Sharon White During the set, EC's long-time musical inspiration, JJ Cale, sat in for five songs, including three from their Grammy-Award winning album, The Road To Escondido. Robert Cray, who was supporting EC on the tour, joined in on the encore, "Crossroads".

Live In San Diego (With Special Guest JJ Cale) mc

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