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Thanks guys! However, I have to admit I've totally forgotten what this video is that I have won...LoL! Can someone enlighten me?? ...haha!!

Johnny Roy

I would like to thank JimF again for offering this free Eric Clapton DVD!! This is a special treat! I got it a week or so ago and have had time to watch it all the way through. Per Sassie's request, here's my little review:

To me this video, titled Eric Clapton, Nothing But the Blues, and was directed by Martin Scorsese, is probably the hottest example of Eric Clapton playing the blues "live" I have yet to see! He really plays his A$$ off with alot of raw drive and conviction.

Eric reveals his love for the blues by performing a wide variety of songs demonstrating many differing blues styles along with many interview/narration bytes covering various topics about Muddy Waters effective use of the capo, Little Walter, Buddy Guy, Robert Johnson, B.B. King's guitar vibrato, Freddie King, etc.. with vintage film clips of Bill Broonzy (hot!!) along with post war artists such as Jimmy Rogers and Buddy Guy, and of course, Eric, all offering interviews and insights. In particular, I liked Erics renditions of Roger's "Blues Blues Blues", Wolf's "Forty Four", and Elmore James' "It Hurts Me Too", and BB's/Rushing's "Everyday I have the Blues"very much. I hated his reggae version of "Crossroads" however...blah! Eric plays on a variety of guitars as well...an ivory Strat, a Gibson archtop, various acoustics and a Dobro, also a 335 dot-neck in particular had killer tone on Fulsom's "Reconsider Baby" and especially "Sinner's Prayer"!!

Too Bad this 96' performance from around the "Cradle" or pre-Cradle period hasn't been released. I assume JimF has transferred this from VHS to DVD himself as it is a wee bit grainy, but not enough to really distract from the music. Not complaining here Jim, I love it! I have seen three DVDs of Clapton, and all three seem to exibit a differing mood or feel of the man. Live At Hyde Park was comparable to this one, with much of his Cradle material along with his big hits, and Eric seemed to be very happy and lighthearted in that concert performance. Another DVD I got for Christmas last year titled One More Car-One More Rider is pretty awful in my opinion...Eric looked tired and burn't out in that one...not recommended! This one by Scorsese is the best, blueswise and guitarwise. Clapton doesn't appear happy go lucky or easy going but is definitely focused on delivering some of the most serious blues performances of his life.

My only criticism of Eric's performance is that, it seems that more and more these days, Mr. Clapton has taken to running alot of ultrafast pentatonic scales in his solos...from a high root way down to the low 6th string root, and all the way back up again... in record time! Perhaps I'm just jealous because I can't do that(!). Although he plays these pent runs with a lot of finness and clean, virtuosic articulation, to me they often don't show much of an evident musical purpose (other than showing that he knows his pentatonic scales real well!) and seems to leave the "feel of blues" behind a bit. Perhaps Eric is concious of giving his rock followers their money's worth with a bit of rock virtuosity, or maybe this is his "live wireish" Buddy Guy influence taking hold here, but I like Eric much better when he slows down his chops a bit and does more traditional clear cut phrasing.

Another little complaint here... Clapton doesn't seem to allow Jerry Portnoy much of a role onstage other than occasional window dressing. Why hire arguably the greatest harp player in the world, and not allow him a spotlight? It seems almost disrespectful to me. However, it occurred to me that Portnoy may have indeed been given some spotlight, but that it ended up on Scorsese's cutting room floor. But I noticed Portnoy just barely plays and is seldom seen in the Hyde Park concert as well.

Portnoy was the only one on the set I noted who really dressed the part of a bluesman as well. Eric and other bandmates were dressed in casual t-shirt or 'island"garb, as if perhaps getting ready to go out on tour with Jimmy Buffet! But, who's going to tell Eric how to dress?? Not me! This must be a a very lucrative, although somewhat strange gig for Portnoy I'm sure.

The DVD ends with a somewhat appropriate, and great rendition of "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do"...thumbing his nose at the critics perhaps!??... and then a great performance of "Driftin and Driftin' (Jimmy Roger's?) in which Clapton oddly keeps calling out key modulations. Must be a rehearsal clip there.

All in all this is a worthwhile DVD for anyone even mildly interested in seeing Eric Clapton at his best. Way too bad it has not been released, and has been put on the shelves of the Clapton/Scorsese archives.

Johnny Roy

Well Clapton was actually wearing what looked like a solid color, blueish/gray designer t-shirt, usually half soaked in sweat. Portnoy was wearing a dressy white, formal suit shirt, with black dress slacks, but no suit jacket. He looked classy.

JRoy

Hey 5LY, I didn't mean to give the impression I didn't care for it. I thought my review was quite positive overall. I just had a couple of honest critiquing observations to point out. Just my opinions and honest reaction to the video. Not trying to start a "down with Clapton" turn of this thread. Not at all...!!

Johnny Roy

PS...JimF, I think you should send 5LongYears a free copy of this DVD! Then have him send the bottle of rum to me!!LoL