Blues Power: Songs of Eric Clapton

HOB greats playing songs you know...and doing a great job at it.

My favorite blues musician is Eric Clapton. The man who performs "Lay Down Sally" makes it all his own. My first memory of Eric is "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Cream; yet, in my opinion, Eric Clapton is worth covering, especially by blues artists. In addition, I'm glad Martin Scorsese got together a compilation by Eric while he was presenting famous blues artists.

Although I realized it was a cover album........uh uh. Didn't even recognize one of my favorites: Lay Down Sally. I have a Blues Power cover album of Dylan's and it's GREAT! Not this one.

As it proclaims on the cover, "This ain't no tribute," and it ain't. In fact, it's the exact opposite. Clapton purists, and blues purists, will probably reject this with disdain. If so, they're missing out on a great CD. You're basic "tribute" album has lesser known artists doing note for note, unoriginal covers of a famous artist's work. Here, Blues legends (like Koko Taylor, Otis Clay, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, James Cotton, Otis Rush, and Pinetop Perkins), along with up and coming blues artists, celebrate Clapton's legacy by putting their own, special stamp on his songs. Bo Diddley's take on "Before You Accuse Me" (which is, of course, a cover of a Clapton song which itself was a cover of a Bo Diddley song), alone makes this CD worth buying. Other highlights include Koko Taylor's rendition of "Blues Power," Buddy Guy's take on "Stange Brew," and Eric Gales' surpsingly good cover of "Layla" (yes, "Layla"). There are a few throw-aways, and a little too much influence of the Blues Brothers (which seems to permeate everything put out by "House of Blues"), but in general it's very much worth the price of admission. Don't miss it.

I love this album! Many of Eric's greatest tunes performed superbely (and mostly creatively) by other excellent artists. There's great guitar work here, even if it isn't Eric himself. My favorite Clapton tune, "Old Love", is done beautifully by Otis Rush. I was so happy to see this lovely, too often neglected, song on the album. Koko Taylor rocks on "Blues Power" and the guitar work by Chriss Johnson and Rico McFarland is fabulous. "Layla" closes the album! Eric Gales sticks very close to the original arrangement but without the fire ... until, just before the coda, Derek Trucks flies in and knocks you off your feet - I would have liked more of that. Personally, I could have done without "Lay Down Sally" and "Tears in Heaven" in favor of a killer "After Midnight". All-in-all, this is a wonderful album - excellent artists performing great songs. If you are an EC fan, buy it - you'll love it. And, it will hold you until July 27th when Eric releases a double CD Blues album.

Eric Clapton built his career on a catalog of licks borrowed from the blues masters of the past. This album gives an assortment of Chicago blues artists a chance to pay homage to Eric, and his elder predecessors. Carl Weathersby contributes his famous rendition of "Lay Down Sally", and Ann Peebles' sorrowful version of "Tears in Heaven" will bring a mist to the eyes of even the most hardened blues critics.

ive gave it three because of buudy guy(strange brew) and koko taylors(blues power} eric gale/derek trucks(layla)

...von Stücken, die bei Clapton zum Teil ja auch schon Blues waren. Andere aber, wie Lay Down Sally oder Wonderful Tonight kommen hier unegwohnt daher - was aber erheblichen Reiz hat. Diese doch eher schon recht totgedudelten Stücke wirken hier noch einmal frisch. Es sind namhafte Blues-Musikerinnen und -musiker am Werk, für Clapton-Fans ebenso lohnend wie für Blues-Liebhaber. Wer nun allerdings nur den Unplugged-Clapton kennt und schätzt (Tears in Heaven, hust ...), der sollte vorher vielleicht besser mal reinhören.