Eric Clapton - Me & Mr Johnson
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Artist: Eric ClaptonBrand: Clapton,Eric
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2004-03-30
Music Label: Reprise / Wea
Product features:
- CLAPTON ERIC ME AND MR.JOHNSON
- When You Got A Good Friend
- Little Queen Of Spades
- They're Red Hot
- Me And The Devil Blues
- Traveling Riverside Blues
- Last Fair Deal Gone Down
- Stop Breakin' Down Blues
- Milkcow's Calf Blues
- Kind Hearted Woman Blues
- Come On In My Kitchen
- If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day
- Love In Vain
- 32-20 Blues
- Hell Hound On My Trail
Music reviews of Me & Mr Johnson
Music Review: resurrecting an inspiration
Rating: 4 Stars
Robert Johnson wrote the blues, sang the blues, and lived the blues. He died at the tender age of 27, but packed a lifetime of hard living into those several decades. He only produced eleven albums, a total of 42 tracks, but still earned the moniker 'King of the Delta Blues' before strychnine poisoning proved to be another man's permanent solution to Johnson cheating with his wife. Johnson obviously walked his talk.
Johnson is viewed by some today as one of the founders of rock music. While that may be debatable, what isn't in question is his influence on one of the greatest rock performers of all time, Eric Clapton. Throughout his storied career Clapton has been a devotee and practitioner of the blues, even while his career has diverged into other genres, such as his late 1960's forays into psychedelic rock with Cream and Blind Faith, and his flirtations with reggae music in the 1970's. Clapton began his career in the blues-oriented hands of The Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and his song selection has frequently featured renditions of Johnson compositions. In recent years Clapton has devoted entire albums to the blues, beginning with 1994's 'From the Cradle' and continuing with 2000's B.B. King collaboration, 'Riding With the King'. But never has Clapton so unashamedly returned to the heart of his inspirations as he does here, putting his own spin on 14 Johnson classics.
I've always found it difficult to immerse myself in blues music, prefering to sample it in small doses. One of the appeals of Clapton's music for myself has been his mixing of variations in rock music, often turning his albums into musical boxes of chocolates. His work with Derek and the Dominos, fearuring occasional forays into the blues, suits me best. 'Me and Mr. Johnson' begins to grind on me a bit for that reason, yet Clapton offers a gritty mix of funky-blues ('Stop Breakin' Down Blues' and 'Come On In My Kitchen'), slow-tempo traditional blues ('Little Queen of Spades', 'Kind-Hearted Woman Blues', 'Love In Vain', and 'Hell Hound On My Trail'), and fast-paced, lighter fare ('They're Red Hot', and '32-20 Blues'). All of the songs are performed plugged-in with a thick, bassy sound from the guitars, and just the right mix of harmonica and piano to spice things up.
The best track on the disc is 'If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day', featuring a mesmerizing lead guitar riff as the foundation and a sweet harmonica to make things all the more interesting. If Johnson performed this song as Clapton does, he's clearly the Godfather of Rock. Another high point is 'Traveling Riverside Blues', which Clapton drew one of his biggest hits, 'Crossroads', from. Familar lyrics begin popping up, such as "Goin' down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side, we can still barrelhouse baby, 'cause it's on the riverside", and "...stop breakin' down, the stuff I got will bust your brains out baby, gonna make you lose your mind". Such lyrics mix with more predictable fare for a blues artist, such as "I love my baby, my baby don't love me" from 'Kind Hearted Woman'.
Clapton undoubtedly has his choice of back-up musicians, and Steve Gadd on drums and Nathan East on bass put up consistantly inspired work. Jerry Portnoy's harmonica is ever-present, but perfectly nuanced. Billy Preston and Jim Keltner also make contributions.
Given Johnson's short life and limited output, one would think his impact would be immeasurable, especially given that the time period he lived in, despite the Harlem Renaissance, was uncomplimentary to black artists. Clapton has proven any such assumptions wrong by producing an audible record of the classic work Johnson wrought. Clapton himself has said that "at first...I could only take it [Johnson's music] in small doses". Thankfully, Eric gradually introduced, and then fully informed, all of us on the breadth of Johnsons influence upon himself and all of rock music. 'Me and Mr. Johnson' is an education as well as entertainment.
Description of Me & Mr Johnson
On Me And Mr.Johnson, Eric Clapton covers 14 of the 29 songs Robert Johnson, the most mythic figure of the blues, wrote and recorded in his lifetime. For fans of deep blues,it doesn ?t get any better than this. After the success of Clapton ?s first two traditional blues albums ?1994 ?s Gram- my-winning triple-platinum, #1 pop From The Cradle, and 2000 ?s Grammy-winning, double-platinum,#3-charting Riding With The King collaboration with B.B.King ?Me And Mr.Johnson finds Clapton once more at the crossroads of blues and rock.The cover illustration by Peter Blake includes both published photographs of Robert Johnson: a rendering of the Robert Johnson Studio Portrait / Hooks Bros., Memphis c. 1935 / © 1989 Delta Haze Corporation / the Robert Johnson photo booth self-portrait, early 1930s / © 1986 Delta Haze Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission.
It's impossible to overemphasize the importance of singer-guitarist-songwriter Robert Johnson's contribution to blues music. The same can be said of Eric Clapton, one of Mr. Johnson's most dedicated interpreters. From his work with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers to Cream and beyond, Clapton has arguably attracted more widespread attention to Johnson's music than any other living musician. A decade after his all-blues From the Cradle (which included no Johnson material), Clapton jumps into the icon's catalog with both feet by covering 14 Johnson tunes. With a stripped-down veteran band that includes such longtime associates as drummer Steve Gadd, keyboardist Billy Preston, and harmonica ace Jerry Portnoy, the guitarist attacks these songs with passion, intelligence, and a refreshing lack of blues-rock pretense. From the upbeat jump of "32-20 Blues" and "They're Red Hot" to the slower, grinding "Little Queen of Spades" and "Milkcow's Calf Blues," Clapton acquits himself well, eschewing his slicker inclinations with arrangements that underscore Johnson's rawest tendencies--although perhaps he doesn't seem sufficiently terrified when walking with Lucifer on "Me and the Devil Blues." Still, this is a successful and admirable return to his roots, one that will hopefully introduce an even larger audience to Johnson's seminal work. --Hal Horowitz
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