We have assembled live performances from Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Elton John and Bob Dylan into a “Rock and Roll Legends” collection.  Now available for purchase and download on iTunes Stores, these performances were captured live between 1965 to 1987, are among the most treasured moments in rock history.   Title by title information follows…

GEORGE HARRISON
→While My Guitar Gently Weeps 
George Harrison teamed up with Eric Clapton and Ringo Starr in this celebrated performance at the 1986 Prince’s Trust Rock Gala.   One of the few live performances that featured Harrison, Clapton, and Starr, and a best-selling video worldwide.  Running Time:    5:48   File Size:   74.8 MG
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PAUL McCARTNEY
→I Saw Her Standing There 
Paul McCartney is joined by Elton John, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and other music legends at the 1986 Prince’s Trust Rock Gala.   The performance was recorded on June 20, 1986 at Wembley Arena (London).  Running Time is 4:00 minutes.  File size is 51.8 MG.
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→Get Back 
McCartney teams up with Tina Turner to rock the crowd with this Beatles hit at the Prince’s Trust Rock Gala in 1986.   “I had never considered going back on tour until I got the royals rocking at The Prince’s Trust concert,” said McCartney.  “I joined Tina Turner on stage …and the packed crowd went crazy. I had missed playing live shows but I didn’t realize how much until I did The Prince’s Trust gig. That concert left me feeing so good….”  Read more about ithere.   Running Time is 3:57 minutes.   File Size  is 50.8MG
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→Long Tall Sally 
Paul McCartney leads Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Elton John and other legendary rock all-stars in this timeless Little Richard tune.  The fans at Wembley Arena go wild in this send-off to the 1986 Prince’s Trust Rock Gala.   Performance recorded on June 20, 1986.  Running Time is 2.55 minutes.  File size is 30 MG.
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ERIC CLAPTON
→ Tearing Us Apart 
Clapton previews his new blues anthem, Tearing Us Apart, with Tina Turner (who performed the duet on his August album, which would be released after this performance at The Prince’s Trust Rock Gala).   There is a real joy to the performance, and the sparks are flying between Clapton and Turner.   Read more about it here.   Running Time is 6:00 minutes.   File Size is 74.2 MG.
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→Note: Eric Clapton also appears in a back up role on the following videos:  While My Guitar Gently Weeps, I Saw Her Standing There, Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting), and Long Tall Sally

ELTON JOHN
→Your Song 
Elton John performs an intimate, solo version of his timeless love song on a grand piano overlooking the crowd at Wembley Arena in London. Elton has remarked that “I don’t think I’ve written a love song as good since, ” and this performance is often cited as the best live version of his signature tune.   Read more about it here.   Running Time is 4:37 minutes.  File Size is 59.9 MG.
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→Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) 
One of the stand-out highlights from the Grammy Award winning 1987 Prince’s Trust Concert, this classic features Elton John with Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Ringo Starr, and other legends of rock history.   Packed with live energy as the rock stars happily feed off each other.   Read more about it here.   Running Time is 5:17 minutes.   File Size is 68.9 MG.
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BOB DYLAN
→Maggie’s Farm 
When Bob Dylan brought an electric guitar to the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, he changed the course of music for good.  Dylan’s performance of Maggie’s Farm is “the most written about event in rock history,” and this video has a pulsating drive and urgency that is unlike any other live performance, before or since.  Read about it here.   Running Time:  5:19.  File Size:  68.6 MG.
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Eric Clapton in Scotland, 1967, by Robert Whitaker

Existe una palabra para el que pierde un padre, huérfano, una para cuando se pierde a un cónyuge, viudo, pero no existe ninguna palabra que pueda definir cuando se pierde a un hijo…

Hace unos días leí un post y vi un vídeo que me dejaron sin palabras y todavía, semanas después, no sé qué decir.

Perdí a un ser querido muy valioso para mí hace más de cuatro años y supe cómo definirlo, yo era y soy un huérfano. La vida nos golpea duramente cuando se nos va un ser querido pero hay muertes que por cronológicamente lógicas parecen más llevaderas, más aceptables si es que esos vocablos pueden asociarse con la muerte de un ser querido.

Sin embargo hay muertes que son inesperadas, que no entran dentro de lo normal y de lo previsible, que no encajan en la sucesión lógica y programada de nuestra vida. Si no estamos preparados del todo para ninguna muerte cercana menos para la de un hijo. Cuando vi el post de Juan Calleja sobre la muerte de su hijo me dí cuenta que eso se escapa de todo lo controlable y definible, porque la muerte de un hijo ni siquiera tiene palabras en el diccionario, porque la muerte de un hijo NO TIENE NOMBRE.

Pensando en ti, compañero de las letras, amigo Juan.

Juan Calleja

TEARS IN HEAVEN (Lágrimas en el cielo) – Eric Clapton

Tú debes saber mi nombre
Si yo te veo en el Cielo
Tú debes sentir lo mismo
Si yo te veo en el Cielo
Yo debo ser fuerte, y sobrellevarlo
Porque yo se que no pertenezco
Aquí en el Cielo

Tú debes sostener mi mano
Si yo te veo en el Cielo
Tú debes ayudarme a estar en pie
Si yo te veo en el Cielo
Yo encontraré mi camino, atravesando noche y día
Porque yo se que no puedo quedarme
Aquí en el Cielo

El tiempo puede llevarte hacia abajo
El tiempo puede encorvar tus rodillas
El tiempo puede parar tu corazón
Tienes que comenzar por favor (¿?)
Comienza por favor

(instrumental)

Más allá de la puerta
Hay paz estoy seguro.
Y yo se que allí no habrá más
Lágrimas en el Cielo

Tú debes saber mi nombre
Si yo te veo en el Cielo
Tú debes sentir lo mismo
Si yo te veo en el Cielo
Yo debo ser fuerte, y sobrellevarlo
Porque yo se que no pertenezco
Aquí en el Cielo

Porque yo se que no pertenezco
Aquí en el Cielo

Fãs do jazz, fãs da música. São Paulo sediará um evento imperdível. Na quarta edição do Telefônica Open Jazz, que acontecerá no dia 29 de novembro, no Parque da Independência, terá shows da Dianne Reeves e do Buddy Guy.

Dianne é uma das maiores cantoras de jazz de todos os tempos, sendo premiada por três vezes consecutivas com o Grammy de Melhor Performance Vocal de Jazz.

Buddy Guy não fica para trás e tem uma carreira simplesmente brilhante. Ele é um dos guitarristas de blues mais influentes da história. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck e Jimmy Page foram/são alguns de seus maiores fãs.

E sabem o melhor de tudo isso? É gratuito. Essa é dica da próxima semana: vá ao Parque da Independência e desfrute essas duas raras peças da história da música.

Serviço:

Telefônica OPEN JAZZ
Shows com Buddy Guy e Dianne Reeves
Entrada Franca
Data: 29/11/2009
Local: Parque da Independência
Endereço: Av Nazareth, s/n – Ipiranga. Entrada pela Rua dos Patriotas, Portão Principal
Horário: 16 horas
Capacidade: 25 mil pessoas

Two Paul McCartney performances from the 1986 Prince’s Trust Rock Galas have been released for the first time on iTunes Stores, and are now available for purchase and download.  These include live versions of “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Long Tall Sally.

Paul McCartney is backed by an “all-star” band featuring Elton John, Eric Clapton, Phil  Collins, Mark Knopfler, Mark King, Bryan Adams, and others, making this one of the more memorable events in music history.

These new videos join with McCartney’s performance of Get Back , with Tina Turner, which was released on iTunes Stores last summer.

Ada yang berkata bahwa masalah umur hanyalah masalah angka, orang bisa saja umurnya sudah lanjut, tapi semangat, jiwa dan fisiknya masih menunjang untuk dia beraktifitas dan berkreatifitas layaknya orang yang  masih muda, bahkan bisa saja melebihi aktifitas atau kreatifitas orang muda yang (maaf) memble. Ya paling tidak itulah yang bisa kita lihat dari sosok-sosok di bawah ini. Di usia lanjut mereka masih memiliki visi kedepan, tidak hanya bisa mengagung-agungkan masa lalunya…dulu mah saya…dulu mah saya, ungkapan yang menandakan orang sudah udzur, sudah tak memiliki visi ke depan. Mentok.

Inilah beberapa di antara mereka yang usianya sudah lanjut…tapi belum udzur :

1.ERIC CLAPTON  kelahiran 1945. Memulai karir profesionalnya bersama The Yardbirds (1964). Kemudian bergabung dengan John Mayall Blues Breakers (1965) dan membentuk grup fenomenal The Cream (1966), Blind Faith (1968) dan   Derek & The Dominos  serta  dilanjutkan dengan bersolo karir hingga sekarang. Di usianya yang ke 64 belum ada tanda-tanda Eric akan mengurangi aktifitasnya. Ia tetap melakukan tur dengan jadwal yang padat,  dari tanggal 12 -28  Februari, ia tampil sebelas kali di Jepang. Kemudian awal Maret ia tampil 1kali di Selandia Baru dan 3 kali di Australi , tanggal 20 serta 21 Maret gabung dengan The Allman Brothers Band di New York. April Istirahat.  11 Mei main di Dublin,  13 /5  Liverpool Inggris, 14/5 di Manchester dan mulai tanggal 16 Mei main di Royall Albert Hall London s/d tanggal 31 Mei ( 11 kali pertunjukan). Tanggal 10 Juni-30 Juni tur di 14 kota di Amerika bersama Steve Winwood. Bulan Juli s/d Desember,  Eric Clapton hanya tampil pada event tertentu. Tapi bulan Januari 2010 ia sudah dijadwalkan untuk main 2 malam bersama Jeff Beck di O2 Arena, London.

2. BUDDY GUY  (30 Juni 1936). Memulai karirnya di akhir tahun 50 an. Bersama  Magic Sam dan Otish Rush sempat dikenal sebagai trio West Side Sound. Ia kemudian sempat bergabung dengan Muddy Waters Band, sebelum akhirnya ia membangun namanya sendiri. Ketika membentuk The Cream Eric Clapton terkesan oleh format band trio yang diusung Buddy Guy. Sempat dikenal dengan duetnya bersama Junior Wells, pada era Blues Revival 2 di tahun 90 an Buddy Guy menggebrak dengan album Damn Right I Got The Blues.  Termasuk pemusik Blues papan atas. Penampilannya masih dirindukan banyak orang.

3. JOHN MAYALL  (23 November 1933). Usia lebih tua dua tahun dari Buddy Guy, tapi jika Buddy Guy berkiprah mulai tahun 50 an akhir, John Mayall baru menjadi pemusik blues profesional sekitar tahun 1963/1964. Ketika John Mayall mencapai kesuksesan pertamanya melalui album John Mayall and The Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton pada tahun 1966, John Mayall sudah berusia 33 tahun, sementara anggota bandnya, termasuk Eric Clapton masih berusia 20 tahun. Di akhir dekade 70 an, John Mayall sempat frustrasi, karena blues kurang mendapat tempat. Tapi awal tahun 80 an ia bangkit, membangun The Blues Breakers lagi. Ia eksis sampai sekarang. Kedigjayaannya diusia lanjut terekam dalam DVD  70th Birthday Concert.  Tapi yang lebih mengaggetkan, di tahun 2008 ia membubarkan grup Blues Breakers yang sudah mapan. Membangun kembali grupnya dengan personell baru  diawal tahun 2009, melahirkan album THOUGH dan melakukan tur.

4. BB KING ( lahir tahun 1925). Mulai melakukan rekaman pada tahun 1949, di Memphis, dengan dukungan Sam Phillips  pendiri Sun Reccord. Hit pertamanya adalah Three O Clock Blues yang aslinya milik Lowel Fulson. Dalam perjalanannya BB King berhasil memadukan lagu blues dan pop ( dalam rekaman)  hingga melahirkan hit Thrill Is Gone yang lagi-lagi aslinya milik orang lain ditahun 70 an. BB King adalah salah satu diantara sedikit pemusik blues yang tetap bisa bertahan di atas., bahkan pad periode-periode sulit dalam blues. Karena berkat permainannya yang clean, a juga diakui eksintensinya oleh komunitas jazz. Dan sampai sekarang, walaupun harus main sambil duduk, penampilannya masih ditunggu orang. Dan BB King juga nampaknya masih siap untuk memenuhi undangan orang.

5. PINETOP PERKINS  ( lahir 7 Juli 1913).  Pianis dan vokalis Blues ini terbilang ‘terlambat’ dalam bersolo karir. Ia mulai merekam album pertamanya pada usia 75 tahun. Namun bagi Pinetop Perkins ini bukanlah usia yang terlalu tua untuk memulai sesuatu, buktinya 20 tahun kemudian, di saat ia berusia 95 tahun ia telah melahirkan sekitar 15 album solo, termasuk album terakhirnya yang dirilis pada tahun 2008  PINETOP PERKINS and His Friends yang diramaikan oleh BB King, Jimmy Vaughan, Eric Sardinas dll. Pinetop Perkins terlambat bersolo karir karena sebelumnya ia hanya menjadi sideman termasuk di Muddy Waters Band, yang ia jalani selama hampir sepuluh tahun, menjelang akhir hidup Muddy Waters yang meninggal pada tahun 1983. Usia 96 tahun bukan berarti ia berhenti main musik, ia masih tetap aktif sampai sekarang, bahkan pada tahun 2008 ia sempat terbang ke Inggris untuk main di Jazz Cafe, London selama dua malam berturut-turut.  Pinetop Perkins juga sudah dijadwalkan untuk main di acara Jazz Alley di Washington pada tanggal 18/5 dan 19/5  2010.

Penampilan Pinetop Perkins bulan Juni 2009 memainkan dan menyanyikan lagu “How Long”

Saya kecewa tidak bisa menyaksikan perhelatan musik akbar cukup unik tahun ini, Jakarta Internasional Blues Festival 2009 tanggal 7 November lalu. Saya sudah membeli tiketnya, nitip Nyanya tapi apa mau dikata… Bedrest aja cyiiiiiin karena bengek. Komplit!

Padahal, bisa dibilang genre musik ini jarang banget diadakan besar – besaran. Sepertinya musik ini sudah mulai dilupakan dan mulai banyak bergeser pola permainannya atau mungkin bisa dibilang sudah terakulturasi dengan berbagai jenis musik lainnya. Tidak ada yang terlalu spesial dalam event ini sebetulnya karena sebagian nama mereka, kecuali musisi lokal, masih kurang akrab ditelinga saya. Hanya saja, saya memang tertarik untuk mengetahui musik ini lebih lanjut.

Dari yang pernah saya baca, musik ini adalah musik yang terlahir berbarengan seiring tumbuhnya musik Jazz oleh para Afro – Amerika pada dekade tahun 30an yang biasa dinikmati sebagai musik nongkrong – nongkrong selesai para buruh bekerja. Musik ini dianggap sebagai counter – attack bagi musik klasik eropa yang khas dengan instrumen piano, harpa dan biola. Blues cukup identik dengan permainan detail dari instrumen gitar dan lirik “penuh makna” yang dinyanyikan dengan gaya khas tersendiri. Jagoan di era awal lahirnya musik blues adalah Robert Johnson yang meninggal di usia 27 tahun namun tetap menjadi idola bagi para musisi blues hingga sekarang.

Robert Johnson

Sebut saja Chicago Blues, tempat kelahiran awal bagi generasi blues selanjutnya : electrified blues, yang dimulai dari daerah Chicago, Memphis, hingga St. Louis. Era ini tidak terlalu terdengar “gigitan” nada – nadanya. Mungkin dikarenakan di era ini sedang terjadi urbanisasi pasca perang dunia ke-2. Idola di era ini yang bisa diacungin jempol karena kesetiaannya pada genre ini adalah Willie Dixon.

Dekade 50-60an bisa dibilang sebagai generasi selanjutnya yang pengaruhnya cukup besar bagi perkembangan musik blues. Kebanyakan dari musisi lebih menyebutnya sebagai Rock and Roll Blues. Yang paling menjulang dimasa ini adalah Chuck Berry dan Elvis Presley. Peraturan musik Blues sudah tidak terlalu mengakar kuat seperti sebelumnya dan kaum Afro sudah tidak terlalu mendominasi.

Chuck Berry

You still got the blues di dekade 70an. Sebut saja Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall dan Eric Clapton. Bahkan musik mereka sudah banyak mengalami distorsi penekanan pada kata “rock” dan akhirnya di era ini menjadi perkembangan awal bagi lahirnya musik rock. Perkembangannya pun sudah bisa dirasa di eropa.

Terinspirasi dari era 70an, Aerosmith dan Led Zepellin memulai kecintaan mereka pada musik ini dan mulai menghipnotis era rock selanjutnya kepada para musisi di generasi berikutnya. Sehingga esensi blues mulai banyak bergeser ke arah rock.

Led Zeppelin

Setelah millenium? Masih belum banyak yang kembali ke “pure-blues”. Rata – rata masih meng-akulturasi blues dengan berbagai genre lain. Musisi yang masih bermain dengan musik blues di era ini seperti John Mayer, Norah Jones, India Arie, Corrine Bailey Rae dan salah satu penyanyi favorit saya, Regina Spektor. Blues pun sudah tidak sekedar dimainkan dengan gitar namun piano.

Regina Spektor

Jadi tertarik dengan blues setelah membaca ini? Saya sendiri… sangaaat!

Besok mulai mencari – cari tahu lebih banyak lagi dan sedikit – sedikit mempelajarinya.

Kemang, 19 November 2009

* Posting setelah bbq-an sama anak – anak kantor…

Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you feel the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on
’cause I know I don’t belong here in heaven…

Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand
If I saw you in heaven?
I’ll find my way through night and day
’cause I know I just can’t stay here in heaven…

Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees
Time can break your heart, have you begging please…begging please

Beyond the door there’s peace I’m sure
And I know there’ll be no more tears in heaven…

Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you feel the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on
’cause I know I don’t belong here in heaven…

( Eric Claptons sång Tears in Heaven, som han tillägnade sin 4-årige son Connor som dog i en tragisk olycka )

Guitar Hero: News Story John Denner Van Halen Hendrix Jeff Beck ERNIE BALL MUSICMAN AXIS

In a recent South Park episode, we see two of the show’s main characters, Stan and Kyle, rocking out to the video game Guitar Hero as a roomful of their friends watch, rapt.
As they’re playing, Stan’s father walks in, asks, “You kids want to see something really cool?” and starts to play an electric guitar.
For a moment, the room is dead silent. Then, Stan asks, incredulously, “Dad, what are you doing?”
“I can actually play a lot of these songs on a real guitar,” the father responds. “Want me to show you boys how?”
Stan spits back, “That’s stupid, Dad.”
Well, maybe not, say guitar teachers. In fact, the immense popularity of the hit Guitar Hero franchise–the third iteration of the game, Guitar Hero III, brought in $115 million during its first week on the market–may be the best thing that has happened to the instrument, to rock ‘n’ roll, and to guitar instructors, in a long time.
“I have an overwhelming feeling that my business is safe for years to come when I see kids playing Guitar Hero,” said Dan Emery, owner of New York City Guitar School. “These kids are really enjoying playing Guitar Hero, and they’re really being turned on to old classic rock” via the game.
Emery said he actually sees Guitar Hero as perhaps the best recruitment tool his school could have asked for.

Credit: South Park Studios
In the South Park episode “Queer-o,”
Stan and Kyle entertain their friends
by playing Guitar Hero.
“I fully expect that (kids who play the game) will get into their twenties and they will have disposable income and they will decide to actually play guitar and they’re going to call us up,” he said.
Exact numbers of Guitar Hero-fueled converts to the real thing (kids or adults) are hard to come by. But something at work here clearly could be the most powerful advertisement for the guitar since the hit Richard Linklater movie School of Rock.
In that film, Jack Black plays a teacher who, through sheer passion for music, turns a class of rock-illiterate elementary school students into a head-bobbing rock band. After the movie came out, San Francisco guitar teacher Jay Skyler said his roster of young students exploded overnight.
“All of a sudden, I had 9-year-old students,” Skyler said, “because all of a sudden, everyone wanted a guitar.”
But now, with Guitar Hero turning into one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, Skyler said it’s not just kids who seem interested in playing the real instrument.
While some of his new adult students may not be willing to admit that the game drove them to him, he did suggest a definite cause and effect.
“My adult students, they don’t want to cop to it,” Skyler said of being Guitar Hero fans, “but they’re all, ‘Have you played the game?’”
The immense popularity of Guitar Hero does worry some of Skyler’s fellow guitar teachers, who fret that the game may deter kids from being interested in picking up the real instrument. But Skyler doesn’t share that concern, instead feeling that the long-term outcome will be positive.
“Basically, it’s getting more kids into guitar,” Skyler said. “So if you’re a guitar teacher, or a band, you have to love it. They’ll play with the toy for a while, but after awhile, they’ll want the real thing.”

Stephen Stills had already attracted considerable attention to his songwriting and musicianship skills before his first solo album was released on November 16, 1972. As a founding member of Buffalo Springfield, Stills was a central figure in the highly-regarded and influential late 60s folk-rock and country-rock pioneers. He authored several of their important songs, including the hit “For What It’s Worth, “Blue Bird” and “Rock & Roll Woman.” Following the break-up of the band in 1968, Stills teamed up with Al Kooper (of Blood, Sweat & Tears) and Mike Bloomfield (Electric Flag and top session man) in a one-off project, Super Session (highly recommended album, buy here) in June 1968. Stills then joined with David Crosby (The Byrds) and Graham Nash (The Hollies) to form the folk-rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash, whose 1969 debut LP (with the Stills-penned “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”) and its follow-up, 1970’s Déjà Vu (with Neil Young on the team) were instant and lasting classics.

Stephen Stills was Stills’ debut in the solo limelight. It’s a blend of different genres (all songs were his originals) with backing vocals by Crosby, Nash, Cass Elliott and others, plus guitar work from Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix (to whom the album’s dedicated). Interestingly, it’s the only album in history on which Clapton and Hendrix appear simultaneously, although on different tracks. It also features the #14 pop-rock hit, “Love The One You’re With” and the #37 single “Sit Yourself Down.” Stephen Stills briefly hit the Billboard Top 5 in December 1970 and is available as download tracks from iTunes (click here) and as a CD from Amazon (click here).

Freddie King, uno de los tres grandes reyes del blues (junto a B.B. King y a Albert King) y entre los que más ha influido a otros guitarristas a lo largo de la historia.  Una de sus canciones más conocidas es Hide Away de la que Eric Clapton hizo una genial versión mientras estaba con los Bluesbreakers de John Mayall.

Otra de sus canciones de la que se han realizado varias versiones es I’m tore down. Es un blues que podríamos denominar de libro ya que tiene varios elementos que sirven de ejemplo de conceptos clásicos. Se trata de una progresión de blues de 12 compases directo aunque en algunos partes de la canción hay una extensión del primer acorde. Comienza con una introducción desde la quinta (sólo se tocan los cuatro últimos compases de la progresión). El final también es característico, teniendo una parada en el décimo acorde de la progresión. Aunque es mejor escuchar la canción con atención para escuchar estos detalles, el patrón que se sigue en la línea es el que se muestra en la partitura para los acordes de re, sol y la (I, IV y V).

Tom Dowd was a brilliant mathematician and physicist who changed careers abruptly after the development of the atomic bomb and changed the course of musical history. He is responsible for Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonius Monk, Cream, Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Dusty Springfield and countless other celebrated musicians. Dowd also formed both strong professional and personal relationships with many of these artists, including Eric Clapton, starting with Cream and leading to their working partnership on Layla and Other Assorted Loves Songs and collaborations on several of Clapton’s finest solo albums. So much of the music i love was produced by him, and yet he was man behind the curtain. Even being responsible for so much of musical history, he, like Geoff Emerick before him, was paid only scale and was never compensated commensurate to the contribution he made to history. See http://www.thelanguageofmusic.com/

Rock God Cred Report:

Click here to check Delaney and Bonnie (with Eric Clapton) “Poor Elijah (Price of Fame TV Show Version)”…nice cut from a great tv moment.

Buy “Delaney and Bonnie On Tour With Eric Clapton”

Orianthi é uma jovem guitarrista, com apenas 24 anos,  que já concretizou sonhos que muito poucos têm oportunidade de concretizar.

Partilhou o palco com Michael Jackson, e já tocou solos com Santana.  Ela era uma das guitarristas convidadas para a digressão de Michael Jackson, onde constavam nomes como Eddie Van Halen, Santana, Slash, Steve Stevens, Jennifer Batten e Larry Carlton. Mas devido á morte do rei da pop, esta não chegou a concretizar-se.

A grande paixão e habilidade para tocar guitarra, veio talvez da colecção de discos do pai, que entre eles constavam; Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream, Santana…

Não admira que ela tenha tão bom gosto, e tanto talento.

Orianthi – Site oficial

Orianthi fala um pouco de si
Santana – “Se tivesse de passar o testemunho, ela seria a minha primeira escolha”

Here’s a bit of a historic clip. Apparently Jimi was contractually obligated to play “Hey Joe”, Jimi started in on it, thought it “jive” and then led the band through Cream’s “Sunshine Of Your Love” in homage, as the Clapton-Baker-Bruce ensemble had just called it quits.

On March 19, 2009, The Allman Brothers played one of their 17 straight nights at the Beacon Theatre in NY as they do each spring. This year was the 40th anniversary of the Allman Brothers Band and each night they had a special guest(s) play with them. On this historic night, the one and only, Eric Clapton was the guest for his first ever live appearance with the Allmans. I happened to be in NY that night. Here is my story, via an email i sent to my friend and colleague Bil Ossher.   This is a classic RnR War Story!

———————–

from: Jim Piccirillo(jimvpp@earthlink.net)

To: Bil Ossher(bilossher@msn.com)

3-23-09

I Saw God..

.. And he was playing a beautiful strat!

Okay..i have a great story for you… And just because you are one of the few who will truly understand and appreciate the effort that went it to this.. I am giving you the long version. (so you may want to read later when you get home!)

Short story: I saw Eric Clapton live with the Allman Brothers last Thursday night at the Beacon Theatre in NY!

Back Story: As you probably know, the Allmans are in the middle of their annual 15 night run at the Beacon Theatre in NY. However, this year is the 40th anniversary of the band’s formation and the entire run has been dedicated to the memory of Duane Allman.

Each night, they invite different guests to take the stage with them… Levon Helm, the two guys from Los Lobos, Buddy Guy, Boz Scaggs, Stanley Clarke, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Juke Horns, Sheryl Crowe, Bruce Hornsby, Bonnie Brammlett and Susan Tedechi.. To name a few.. Plus assorted side musicians, etc…   It has been quite impressive.

This year the Allmans launched Moogis.com, a subscription service that allows you to stream every show in its entirety live in your home. Naturally, I paid the 125. bucks and have watched every show either live or archived (you can watch for six months) hooked up to my 50″ plasma and sound system in my den each night. My wife and kids think I have absolutely lost it.

Of course, I blog endlessly with other peach heads before, during and after the shows.. To get the full effect!  The set list changes nightly as do the guests (ALLMANBROS.COM for complete set lists and guests each night)

I knew I was going to be in NY on the 19th and rumors were abound that Clapton was going to play that night (his first time EVER playing live with the Allmans).. So the blogs were a-twitter and speculation was intense.

Before I left, I checked all the usual sources for tix.. And balcony tix were already in the $200. range. So I thought.. I can do better there in person in NY.

I arrived in Ny, had dinner with Scott Kaye (who had seen the show the previous Tuesday.. And said it was a great tribute to Duane Reade!..(the NY drugstore)..so clueless as always)… Anyway.. We dined and drank and laughed and had a great evening.

Next day I go to MSG for meetings.. But had one thing on my mind.. Clapton tix.

By mid afternoon Balcony tix were in the 400. Range and Orchestra seats were approaching 1k to 1500! Panic set in.. And I decided to go to the Beacon.. I arrived by cab around 3p (show wasn’t until 8).  Obviously lines already formed at Box office to snag any extra seats.. So I immediately went to the four corners of the venue to talk to the scalpers… It looked grim. They all said there are absolutely no tickets on the street! They couldn’t figure it out.. I made friends of course with several and said I would check back periodically.

I then went to the back Stage Door of the Beacon.. And right when I walked up , I hear strains of DREAMS…aahh.. The Allmans doing a sound check! But wait.. I hear an extra guitar in there… Then they launch into Why Does Love Got to Be so SAD, and then ANYDAY.. And then LAYLA!  I had my proof.. Clapton was indeed in the house!

I tried everything to sneak into the sound check with every story I have ever known but was turned away by security each time. Eventually the head of security came out and told me I had to leave the back stage door.. And I asked him when it became illegal to stand on the sidewalk and listen?!  However, knowing I would see these guys again and again throughout the evening.. I moved on.

I called back the brokers.. And had 4 going at once on my blackberry.. By this time Balcony seats were 550!  However, one guy I had been talking to all day has one orchestra seat for 650. I pull the trigger, buy it over the phone, and walk back to my hotel (in the rain) to wait and see if the ticket actually gets delivered. As I walked, I pondered just how crazy or stupid I was to buy a ticket for 650. bucks .. But was somehow able to keep justifying it in my mind.. of course.

When I get to the hotel.. Another contact had left a message.. She has two tickets for me, behind the sound board at face value (100. Each!).. So I grab those two as well.. NOW I HAVE 3 TICKETS AND I AM IN FOR AROUND 850. BUCKS!

Not to panic, I took another cab back to the Beacon.. By this time it was a mob scene, hundreds of old heads wondering around dazed and confused looking for tickets..! It was an incredible vibe.. I felt like I was back in college.. It was so much fun, so much excitement in the air. I knew the average fan would not pay the freight on such high end tickets.. So I sought out my old friends, the scalpers that I had met earlier… After some haggling and negotiating..I sold the pair of seats behind the sound board to a scalper for 650. ( he probably was able to get 900 to 1200 for them. But I didn’t want to stand around and deal with the crazies).. I had checked NY law and made sure I was at least 1500 feet from the box office when re-selling tickets..

So I ended up keeping the orchestra seat, row N, on the aisle for a total of 200 bucks! I was feeling good.. On top of my game.. At the height of my powers.. Yes! I still have it.

Now, there was still about an hour and half to go before the show.. So I started hitting all the bars in the near vicinity.. All filled with Allman fans that had traveled from all over the country.. Cincinatti, Florida, Michigan.. Etc.. I snuggled up to the bar and immediately started telling them my story about listening to the sound check and confirming that Clapton was indeed there! People started buying me drinks and bringing their friends over for me to tell them the story and verify that Clapton was indeed going to be there!  I was like a folk hero.. And when I tell them my story of swapping and selling tickets for the last couple of hours.. They buy me more drinks! I am approaching major peach head status!

As show time approaches, me and about twenty of my new found “brothers” walk down to the Beacon entrance.. It was like going back 30 years…cops on horseback, people everywhere, weed smoke everywhere, but everybody cool to each other with a great friendly vibe.

I finally get in the venue, and the Beacon has been totally refurbished.. It is beautiful.. I find my 14th row seat.. On an aisle.. On Clapton’s guest side. The skies definitely parted and the stars aligned. My seatmate next to me was a lawyer from CA.. He paid 800. For his seat.. But didn’t seem to care. Neither did i… They open with Little Martha while a video tribute to Duane rolls… The guy in front of me lights a big joint.. Passes it back to me.. And the band launches into Statesboro Blues!

The brothers played an incredible set.. And after intermission they brought out Clapton.. And he stayed for the next two hours playing incredible licks with Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes.

Clapton definitely cannot play any longer like the young Trucks, who is a monster and master of the guitar… But his stage presence and tasty playing were something to behold. KEY TO THE HIGHWAY, DREAMS, WHY DOES LOVE GOT TO BE SO SAD, LITTLE WING, ANYDAY & encore with LAYLA.   WHEW!

I have not had such a fun evening in many years… It was truly an historic night for a rock fan. Clapton playing live for the first time ever with the Allman Brothers since the by-gone days of Layla being recorded in Miami in 72…on the Brothers 40^th anniversary of being a band!

I was so drunk and exhausted after the show.. I fell into  a coffee shop, poured about 5 cups of coffee, ate a big breakfast..got back to hotel about 230am.. Got up at 6am.. Got to the airport with the nastiest hangover known to man, caught an 8am flight back to LA.. And end up sitting next to Jimmy Fallon’s wife! Who smelled good and invited me to see his show next time in NY.. Which I will..

But it will be hard to top my last show in NY ..do doubt. The Road Goes on Forever for the Midnight Rider…

Take care, pic

Ps.. Check out Moogis.com

I can let you use my login and password.. And you can watch the show(s) so far… They are saying tonight or tomorrow will be Dickey Betts as guest.