Crossroads Guitar Festival - Chicago

[Bloozcat]

I know that this has come up before, but as I was setting up the ol' Christmas tree a couple of nights ago, PBS had this on TV. It was actually my brother who called me and said, "Turn your TV to PBS, you won't believe who's on".

Well, I flipped the channel just in time to see Johnny Winter, who my brother knows is one of my all time favorite guitar players. Johnny was looking kind of rough from his bouts with heroin addiction and disease, but some of the old spark was still there.

I especially enjoyed the set where Stevie Winwood joined Eric Clapton on stage. Clapton said he'd been trying to get together and play with Stevie again for 25 years, and it was finally happening. Had To Cry Today sounded great, like they'd been playing it together all along. Presence Of The Lord was good too, although since they'd recorded it together as Blind Faith as well as solo by Clapton, each took turns singing the verses. It was good to hear Low Spark Of High Heel Boys again too.

Clapton had said that he plays differently when he's home alone, in the studio, and on stage. Having all those great guitar players around him made him play outside of what he normally does; he had to play harder because of them. Well, it really showed, because the tone I heard coming from Clapton was definitely better than most anything I'd heard him record in recent years. He cranked it on Tell The Truth. It was great to see him play like the Clapton of old who we all love so much.

Anyway, Christmas music took a backseat as I was putting up the tree that night....I was listnin' to da' blooz....

[Brian Krashpad]

I saw a bit of Beck and his very young bassiste Tal Wilkenfeld.

[Bloozcat]

I saw a bit of Beck and his very young bassiste Tal Wilkenfeld.

Very young is right...

She's good, though...

[sunvalleylaw]

I just flipped on PBS tonight for Austin City Limits and found it on. I caught it just before Mayer played, then Beck. I was wondering who that young bassist was. Wow! I am listening to the donations request they are running now, along with an interview with Buddy Guy, and waiting for the rest of the show.

[.overdrive_rewind]

I saw Jeff Beck. The thing I always appreciated about the really good guitarists is how well the work in the other instruments - I play a few other instruments besides guitar, so I'm always interested when the drummers/bassists/keyboardists get a word in edgewise.

Also - Hadn't really seen him live before, didn't know about the chalk!

[Tone2TheBone]

The chick on the bass with JB kicked my ***! I found a new gf!

[aeolian]

The chick on the bass with JB kicked my ***! I found a new gf!

In the Bass Forum there is a thread on Tal Wilkenfeld. I posted a Youtube link in that thread with Jeff Beck and Tal playing "Cause We've Ended As Lovers". Check out her bass solo about 1:30 into the song. Amazing!

By the way I caught the last 40 minutes or so of the Crossroads Festival on PBS HD last night. Stevie Windwood is simply awesome.

[Tone2TheBone]

In the Bass Forum there is a thread on Tal Wilkenfeld. I posted a Youtube link in that thread with Jeff Beck and Tal playing "Cause We've Ended As Lovers". Check out her bass solo about 1:30 into the song. Amazing!

By the way I caught the last 40 minutes or so of the Crossroads Festival on PBS HD last night. Stevie Windwood is simply awesome.

I totally enjoyed hearing Steve Winwood too. Thanks for the nudge over to sweet rippin' Tal.

[M29]

Oh man ya gotta get the DVD there are lots more goodies on there.

M29

[Tone2TheBone]

Oh man ya gotta get the DVD there are lots more goodies on there.

M29

Is it out yet? If so it will be on my Christmas list definately.

[Tone2TheBone]

From what I saw on the PBS broadcast I thought that the Chicago Crossroads had more energy and was less structured. Of course that's due to careful video editing. The list of attendees was phenomenal and who couldn't dig Robbie Robertson and Steve Winwood! Did I mention Albert Lee also kicking my *** along with JB and sweet Tal?

[Tone2TheBone]

LMAO that was too funny...I understood what you meant though Mark! hahahaha

[warren0728]

i needed a good laugh today....thanks mark!

ww

[sunvalleylaw]

Ya, I was worried about you "wearin it out" :

[M29]

Thanks Mark that was great

M29

[duhvoodooman***]

I picked up the Crossroads 2007 DVD a couple of weeks ago, and have been having a blast playing along with some of the tunes, esp. the Clapton stuff from the Derek & the Dominoes and Blind Faith days. BTW, the version of Tell the Truth on this DVD just flat slays (Derek Trucks' slide work on it is breathtaking), and Clapton's lead-in solo on Little Queen of Spades is some of the best blues playing I've heard him do in quite some time.... :

[Tone2TheBone]

Eric's tone was much better this time around too.