| Riding with the King Eric Clapton/B.B. King WEA/Warner Brothers |
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Which is why the guitar playing community so anxiously anticipated the June 13th release of Riding with the King, an album co-led by both Clapton and blues legend B.B. King. And, as predicted, Riding with the King is an album heavy on blues, and on guitar playing.
One of the most immediately enjoyable aspects of the CD is the comraderie between King and Clapton; the two work remarkably well together, and the final product feels like the result of a genuine collaboration. It would have been easy to create a "B.B. King with special guest Eric Clapton" (or vice versa) CD, but the two share the spotlight throughout, trading off vocal verses and guitar solos.
The material on Riding with the King is drawn heavily from the blues... and even when they're not playing the blues, you can feel the blues influence everywhere. The entire recording is absolutely laden with guitar solos; Clapton and King play between verses, between lines, and even underneath the vocals. The difference in the way these two guitarists approach the blues is rather remarkable, and even the most casual blues fan will be able to tell exactly which guitarist is playing at any given point on the recording.
There are some great moments on this recording, often found in unlikely places. "Help the Poor" is an infectious minor-keyed tune set to a tango beat. "Days of Old" feels like an old Louis Jordan song, and the band cooks from beginning to end. A performance of "Key to the Highway" is notable in that it presents B.B. King on acoustic guitar. Clapton fans will note it is the second time the guitarist has recorded the tune - the first being on the classic 1970 Derek and the Dominos album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. There are also the pre-requisite three or four slow blues tunes on Riding with the King, which truthfully serve only to deaden the album's pace somewhat... one or two would have been sufficient.
If you're a fan of Eric Clapton the guitar player, and have been bemoaning the lack of guitar playing on many of EC's recent ventures, you'll take great delight in hearing Riding with the King. B.B. fans already know what to expect of a King, and, as usual, the guitarist delivers. While certainly not a "classic" blues recording, Riding with the King stands up to repeated listenings, and makes the shortlist of good recent blues releases from major labels.
Listen to sound samples, or buy Riding with the King at Reprise Records
Also this week, a review of the George Benson release Absolute Benson.
