[Jubei]

My fave :

Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out on Derek & The Dominos' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs

All the guitar work on the Layla album is exceptional and gut-wrenchingly from his heart - and this is the song that really does it for me.

 

[daycart1]

There are a lot of fabulous solos from the recent reunion tour! For studio recordings it is hard to beat the original "sunshine" solo--very short and well judged thoughout.

 

[Jubei]

I thought the thread was going to sink without a single reply.

I think Clapton was the most "creative" with Cream - experimenting with all sorts of different sounds and textures. For blues with an emphasis on feeling, hard to beat pretty much any solo on the Layla album.

 

[pds6]

Jubei says:

Quote:

I think Clapton was the most "creative" with Cream - experimenting with all sorts of different sounds and textures. For blues with an emphasis on feeling, hard to beat pretty much any solo on the Layla album.

You are correct. Fresh Cream is his best album. From that era, his most underrated album is Wheels of Fire (two album set and very good). The reunion album, Royal Albert Hall - London (May 2-3-5-6, 2005) ain't bad.

In my opinion it is not even close, his best song is Crossroads.

If you like After Midnight and Cocaine, try the guy that wrote those two songs, J.J. Cale. Cale is first rate. Special Edition or J.J. Cale Live are good places to start.

 

[Jahn]

"All Your Love" - man, when he was with the Bluesbreakers, I can just imagine all those wannabe bluesmen in the UK going "How the hell did God get that tone?" Just a haunting riff, lilting into a gritty 12-Bar comp, kicking back into a Roadhouse groove, awesome.

 

[pds6]

John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers. This is one band I never could warm-up to. I don't know what it is. Too raw, trying to hard, I don't know. Stone Gold Deal is pretty good. This is without Clapton.


Edit:
I removed any possible thread crapping ... Sorry, but John Mayall and his friend in crime Tom Waits, my god!

 

[wes4usc]

The entire Layla album is great, no doubt. Clapton plays a lot of great solos on the album. That being said, in my opinion, the best solos on that album are the slide guitar work by Duane Allman.

I especially like the call and response guitar solo work by Clapton and Allman on the song "Key to the Highway".

 

[Sovkiller]

Anything from the Blind Faith album is pretty good as well....

 

[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wes4usc The entire Layla album is great, no doubt. Clapton plays a lot of great solos on the album. That being said, in my opinion, the best solos on that album are the slide guitar work by Duane Allman. I especially like the call and response guitar solo work by Clapton and Allman on the song "Key to the Highway".

It seems Duane Allman brought out the best in Clapton. The competition of having a great guitarist on the band probably pushed EC to play at a higher level. And only on the Layla album does EC sound like he has the blues. (Well, I suppose he did have the blue then, loving the wife of his best friend). On most of his other blues albums, he only "pretends" - the worst offender being From The Cradle, where he tries to sound like Muddy Waters singing. Quite absurd.

EC's playing on the Bluesbreaker album is very good but hardly original. The probelm with most of EC's blues playing is it sounds quite second hand - he tries too hard to sound "authentic". Having said that I do prefer his guitar tone during the Bluesbreaker and Cream period to his current sound. Might be a Gibson vs Fender thing

 

[pds6]

Jubei says:
Quote:

The Cradle, where he tries to sound like Muddy Waters singing.

If you want to hear Clapton play some good Chicago Blues, get the album Howlin' Wolf London Sessions (one cd set). Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood and Bill Wyman back-up the old and sick Howlin's Wolf.

There are many funny (and a bit sad) stories of this recording session. Howlin' Wolf was not at his best, but Clapton's guitar work is dead on.

 

[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pds6 Jubei says: If you want to hear Clapton play some good Chicago Blues, get the album Howlin' Wolf London Sessions (one cd set). Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood and Bill Wyman back-up the old and sick Howlin's Wolf. There are many funny (and a bit sad) stories of this recording session. Howlin' Wolf was not at his best, but Clapton's guitar work is dead on.

Funny - that was one of the albums I didn't have the courage to buy. I have always had reservations about these all star sessions with rock musicians backing blues masters. Most of them don't really work as albums. But will check it out based on your advice

 

[pds6]

I have the older, one cd album. That is enough!

There is a new, more expensive two cd set that adds a number of outtakes that should have been left in the vault.

EDIT: Jubie, I don't know if you like Howlin' Wolf. He has a voice that at its best is an acquired taste. Howlin' Wolf is not for everyone. Please, listen to a few music clips before purchasing this album. You may not like it and I would understand.

 

[Jubei]

Thanks. Was just about to ask that question

 

[Metaphysical]

I've always been partial to his version of Classical Gas

 

[Squeek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metaphysical I've always been partial to his version of Classical Gas

If you are talking about the song that is easily downloaded and never released, it was mislabelled and never fixed. It has been downloaded by millions and few are any the wiser. That is actually Mark Knopfler.

*edit*

Here is a wiki page. Look under trivia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Gas