• B.b. King & Eric Clapton - Riding With The King

CD > POPULAR MUSIC > BLUES

Some of these songs are reworkings of some of King's earliest sides like 1951's "Three O'Clock Blues," where King's single-note leads are balanced against Clapton's more fluid runs. And Joe Sample's piano playing is stellar throughout. Or the slow blues of 1954's "Heart Beats Like a Hammer" and 1955's shuffling "Ten Long Years," where Clapton steps back from the mic and lets King's vocal carry the song. (Although with Clapton now in his mid-fifties, he's nearly twice as old as King was when he first recorded these songs and has earned the right and acquired the ability to sing the blues with authority as he does on the rest of the tracks on this CD.)

Whether they're playing the acoustic blues of Big Bill Broonzy's "Key To The Highway," a funky version of the Sam and Dave classic "Hold On I'm Coming" or the electrifying "Days Of Old," these two artists play the blues with conviction. And the supporting cast is superb, including guitarists Andy Fairweather Low and Texas blues sensation Doyle Bramhall II. (In fact, two of Bramhalls's songs from last year's Jellycream--"Marry You" and "I Wanna Be"--are included here.)

The only song that at first glance seemed out of place was John Hiatt's title track, but once I hit the play button any misgivings I had immediately disappeared. There is not a false note on this album. The only disappointment is that after sixty minutes, it's over. If King can still play like this at his age--he'll turn seventy-five this fall--I'm looking forward to what clapton will be doing in another twenty years. This is as good as the blues gets. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

189 of 206 found the following review helpful:


Two Master Produce a Contemporary Blues Gem !  Jun 13, 2000 By John Kamer
Ok, I'm a tad biased as I'm a huge Clapton fan (heck, he's still "god" in my book). The disc shows how to giants in the guitar world can show restraint and taste by sharing guitar and vocals. Clapton's tone is so sweet, pure strat and BB, well, he's the best at those short, jabs and staccoto licks. The playing is never over the top, which is a good thing, but adding the true bite or smooth emotion each song deserves. This album combines old blues gems like "Ten Long Years" & "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer", with Derek and the Dominoes "Key to the Highway" (done acoustic, a real treat) along with a few contemporary R&B covers penned by Doyle Bramhill II "Marry You" and "I Wanna Be" (Doyle also plays rhythm guitar on this disc...he's gotta be smiling !).

Texas blues great Jimmie Vaughan adds a few biting solos to "Help the Poor". The backing band is also very tight and some of the finest around...Andy F. Low (guitars, EC's sideman) Nathan East (bass), Steve Gadd (drums), Joe Sample (piano) and Tim Carmon (B3 Organ.

The overall feel of this is "good time" blues, bouncing rhythms and the two blues guitar masters having fun. It's not the heavy sound of EC's "From the Cradle", but more like BB's "Blues on the Bayou".

A great cd that will no doubt win a Grammy and delight millions of blues fans (not to mention guitar players, like me).

Super summer driving tunes like the title track or "Marry You" will have their melodies locked into you head for days.

60 of 64 found the following review helpful:


artistic and technical masterpiece  Jun 15, 2000 By R. Graham
You can read other reviews here that comment on the excellent playing and signing by both blues greats.

I would like to comment on the way this album was mixed - EC's vocals and playing come from the left channel and BB from the right. All other sounds seem to be well balanced between right and left.

I really enjoyed this effect - it gives the performances an almost live sound. With a decent home system (some digital sound fields) you can almost see EC & BB smiling back and forth as they play in a classic blues small venue.

34 of 35 found the following review helpful:


Riding with the King (& towing a trailer for the Grammy's!)  Jun 21, 2000
The other reviews say it all, from one perspective to another, the consensus is this album is a winner! One reviewer remarked that it would be a Grammy contender. That was my thought exactly on my second listen through. When Eric stated 5 years ago that he was going to go the "Blues" route, I hoped he meant it. Not that I did not like Pilgrim, I do, but you have to appreciate it with its Curtis Mayfield flavor. Riding with the King is the direction Clapton has to go in. He can do more for himself and other Blues greats by making the rounds and playing on disc or live with as many as he can. This not only continues the work begun with From the Cradle, but takes it to an entirely new level. Bravo EC and BB!

35 of 38 found the following review helpful:


A Musical Road Trip for the Soul...  Jun 15, 2000 By Patrice Webb
For many people this CD will seem like a dream come true. For Eric Clapton and B.B. King, this CD probably represents the dream of two old friends finally realized. Through out the CD, Clapton and King play off of one another, each safe in the knowledge that neither has anything more to prove except the joy in knowing that music can be made simply because it exists.

It should come as no suprise that this CD is mostly a collection of straight up blues: the disk contains several B.B. standards - notably "Ten Long Years" and "Three O' Clock Blues", but the songs are played in a way that makes them seem brand new. An all acoustic version of the classic "Key to the Highway" with its rambling acoustic shuffle will be a real treat for lovers of acoustic blues, and the heartfelt rendition of "Come Rain or Come Shine" makes for a nice sentimental contrast to the funky R & B styling of songs like "Marry Me".

Riding with Slowhand and the King - tunes to live and drive by on a soul trip for the road with the top down and your hair flying in the wind - buy it and drive!

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