Old hippies never die, they just turn into jazz fans...

[A Lark Ascending]

This is becoming more and more a trend, presumably as the old rockers start to finally feel self-conscious about rocking out at 60-something; or maybe are told by their management that their audience wants something more mellow. We've had Rod and the GAS, Brian Wilson and Gershwin and many more. Now:

1. Travelin' Alone

2. Rocking Chair

3. River Runs Deep

4. Judgement Day

5. How Deep Is The Ocean

6. My Very Good Friend The Milkman

7. Can't Hold Out Much Longer

8. That's No Way To Get Along

9. Everything Will Be Alright

10. Diamonds Made From Rain

11. When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful

12. Hard Times Blues

13. Run Back To Your Side

14. Autumn Leaves

I suppose if we listeners gravitated that way, it's no surprise the musicians do too. Somehow I think there's half a chance Clapton might do something nice with it. Or it might be a total snooze.

Bev

Edited August 26, 2010 by A Lark Ascending

[Dan Gould]

On a separate note, could I ask that you add "Bev" to your signature? Its hard when people change their usernames and you forget who you are speaking to, so I'd really appreciate it if you made some reference in your signature to your old handle, and I suspect others might too.

[papsrus]

It certainly beats the 2010 reunion tour with ... well, who's left?

But he really needs to shave his head if he wants to be taken seriously.

[A Lark Ascending]

On a separate note, could I ask that you add "Bev" to your signature? Its hard when people change their usernames and you forget who you are speaking to, so I'd really appreciate it if you made some reference in your signature to your old handle, and I suspect others might too.

Sorry, Dan.

Keep meaning to do that, but I forget. Have changed it.

Bev

[Bright Moments]

IMHO Clapton can surely pull it off.

[kh1958]

Eric Clapton performing Autumn Leaves--that sounds truly horrible, though nothing could eclipse the Bob Dylan Christmas album.

[Dan Gould]

Thanks Bev!

But no thanks for informing me about this album! My wife will probably want it.

[A Lark Ascending]

Eric Clapton performing Autumn Leaves--that sounds truly horrible, though nothing could eclipse the Bob Dylan Christmas album.

If he does it like power trio 'Crossroads', then yes!

But if he does it like his 'Unplugged' album then it could be nice. I'd rather he did this than try to stay 'relevant' with beats, synths and rappers (and he's fallen victim to that need to keep trendy in the past).

(Actually, just to scare you all even more, according to a **** review in Mojo, he is joined by Wynton Marsalis at some point (Allen Toussaint and Sheryl Crow are involved too)! Though no sign of Sting!

Just in case that doesn't satisfy you enough, Phil Collins is boosting his Xmas bank balance with a forthcoming album of 18 'Motown and 60s Soul Classics'!

Bev

Edited August 26, 2010 by A Lark Ascending

[jazztrain]

Who knows, maybe it will displace the Rod Stewart standards albums that I've been subjected to at my dentist for the past several years...

This is becoming more and more a trend, presumably as the old rockers start to finally feel self-conscious about rocking out at 60-something; or maybe are told by their management that their audience wants something more mellow. We've had Rod and the GAS, Brian Wilson and Gershwin and many more. Now:

1. Travelin' Alone

2. Rocking Chair

3. River Runs Deep

4. Judgement Day

5. How Deep Is The Ocean

6. My Very Good Friend The Milkman

7. Can't Hold Out Much Longer

8. That's No Way To Get Along

9. Everything Will Be Alright

10. Diamonds Made From Rain

11. When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful

12. Hard Times Blues

13. Run Back To Your Side

14. Autumn Leaves

I suppose if we listeners gravitated that way, it's no surprise the musicians do too. Somehow I think there's half a chance Clapton might do something nice with it. Or it might be a total snooze.

Bev

[GregK]

I'm surprised it's taken him this long. Guess that Robert Johnson thing from a few years ago went nowhere?

[Stereojack]

Who knows, maybe it will displace the Rod Stewart standards albums that I've been subjected to at my dentist for the past several years...

Time to change dentists!

[kenny weir]

Who knows, maybe it will displace the Rod Stewart standards albums that I've been subjected to at my dentist for the past several years...

I went to the dentist last week for some overdue work, and cursed when I got there because I'd forgotten to take a CD with me. In any case, I did ask them to turn off the crap station they were listening to. One kind of torture at a time is enough for me.

[PHILLYQ]

I saw Clapton in February with Jeff Beck. Clapton was a snoozefest, Beck rocked verrrry hard.

[Shawn]

I saw Clapton in February with Jeff Beck. Clapton was a snoozefest, Beck rocked verrrry hard.

Has Clapton done anything that's NOT a snoozefest since the early 70's? I've tried many times to "get" Clapton, but other than Cream & Blind Faith, he just puts me to sleep.

[A Lark Ascending]

Has Clapton done anything that's NOT a snoozefest since the early 70's? I've tried many times to "get" Clapton, but other than Cream & Blind Faith, he just puts me to sleep.

Derek and the Dominoes? 'Layla & OAL' is as good as anything in rock from that era if you are attuned. It aches with unsatisfied longing.

I never cared for Clapton in my rock years (1970-76 roughly) - too blues-rock for me, too American. But over the years I've come to enjoy a fair bit of his music - the 70s/80s stuff sampled on the Crossroads box, the Unplugged record, From the Cradle and the Johnson record. Elsewhere the contemporary overproduction gets in the way. And I've really enjopyed some of his live recoredings - Crossroads 2 from the 70s, 24 Nights and the recent disc with Winwood. There's something a bit lazy and laid back that appeals to me.

Is he a favourite? - not really; is he important? - I don't care. But there's pleasure to had there if it fits what you enjoy.

This new one could go either way.

Only really listened to Cream this year - a bit too blundering-riffy for me but I do like the more structured studio things like 'Badge'.

Bev

Edited August 27, 2010 by A Lark Ascending

[Stefan Wood]

Sorry, I'll take Jack Bruce over 99% of what Clapton has done. And Jack can do jazz!

[mr jazz]

generally agree re Clapton except for his blues tour in 94-some great music there and Clapton totally on; however his singing Autumn Leaves does not fill me with joy. Another spin for Mercer in his grave after multiple revolutions with Rod's butchering of the GAS.

[crisp]

I'm all for rockers (and others) singing the GAS if it keeps these songs alive and brings them to new listeners. If Mona Lisa can survive Conway Twitty, then Autumn Leaves can survive Clapton (although I agree with those here who find him boring).

And British rockers singing the standards can sometimes be lovely, eg Joe Brown doing I'll See You In My Dreams.

We still have the other versions.

[A Lark Ascending]

There's a lovely line from Martin Carthy to the following effect: "The only thing you can do to damage a folk song is not play it."

'Autumn Leaves' will survive in the glories of its many previous interpretations and will, I imagine, be beautifully interpreted by many to come, regardless of whether Clapton does a good job or makes a hash of it.

[PHILLYQ]

Te be fair, I did see Clapton twice last year sitting in with the Allman Brothers and he was energized and smokin' hot! They mostly did tunes from Layla. Maybe he needs to be in more situations like that, not his band

[kenny weir]

Another spin for Mercer in his grave after multiple revolutions with Rod's butchering of the GAS.

I'm sure I'd have an allergic reaction to the Clapton album, but I feel this may be a little unfair.

We've all come to associate these songs with the like of Sinatra, NK Cole, Billie Holiday, Pops, Duke and so on. But the truth is at the time they were written and in the early decades of when they were being recorded, I'm sure there were many more horrible versions than there were great (jazzy) ones. I've heard a lot that are simply terrible - stilted, straight, painful to listen to.

[randyhersom]

I love Smokey Robinson's standards album and agree that great songs should be sung and more people listening to them is not a bad thing. I enjoyed my one live sample of Clapton years ago. And Allen Toussaint could swing or rock Wynton Marsalis, Eric Clapton and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, whichever groove he was feeling that day. I will keep an ear open for it.

[JSngry]

"standards" = "jazz"?

Why?

When?

Really?

[A Lark Ascending]

"standards" = "jazz"?

Why?

When?

Really?

For marketing purposes, that's how it works now. A sixty-something rocker is unlikely to appeal to a youth audience - a more 'sophisticated' handle is needed to reach his contemporaries. The word 'jazz' has a cache well beyond the sacred way the jazz-insider uses the word.

To be fair I've not seen the word 'jazz' used to promote this (yet!). Just working off previous attempts at rebranding the older rock star.

***************

Don't miss out on the special edition:

http://www.ericclapton.com/claptondtc/

They could have charged ten times as much if they'd included a limited edition gold plectrum.

Edited August 28, 2010 by A Lark Ascending

[jazzbo]

I wish I could play half the guitar that Clapton does. I'd be busy every night.

I'll reserve judgment on this one, but I really do admire Clapton and his work. . . .Like Bev, the production on many albums is very off-putting, but there's gold to mine.

I'd like to see Clapton do a cover album of T-Bone Walker material, I'd buy that, I bet it would be something else.