Jeff Beck Emotion and Commotion

by Chris A.
Staff Writer

Haunting, dramatic, soulful and so very Jeff Beck, Emotion and Commotion continues the guitar god’s never-ending quest to push the electric guitar to its creative and musical limits. The opening cut, “Corpus Cristi Carol,” is a soft, sweeping, contemplative song accentuated by Beck’s trademark volume swells and precise tremolo. It’s packed with feeling and sets the “emotional” tone of the disc. Conversely, the second cut, “Hammerhead,” features a gritty, wah-wah pedal opening, transitioning into an electric symphony of Beck wailing above a slick groove. The virtuoso pulls esoteric, expressive and always-perfect lead licks from deep within his soul, demonstrating some of the “commotion” of the album.

Of the British invasion guitarists of the 1960s, only Jeff Beck has continued to push the envelope in an effort to really exploit he capabilities of the guitar. Beck’s playing on “Emotion and Commotion” isn’t groundbreaking, and there’s nothing that’s going to change the course of guitar history on this record. Yet, seriously, what more can the man do as a musician to “impress” us? He’s done it all, yet as he approaches his 50th year as a professional musician, he continues to give it 100 percent. No matter the song or the record, when Jeff Beck performs, one can be assured it’s going to be masterful.

Many of the cuts on “Emotion and Commotion” merit special attention, but none more than Beck’s rendition of Harold Arlen’s classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” It doesn’t matter if you’re a die-hard metal head or a fan of a classic crooner, you’ll be moved, touched and contemplative when experiencing the feeling and life Beck breaths into his performance of the “Wizard of Oz” classic.

Yeah, “Emotion and Commotion” is a softer, lighter and decidedly musical effort. It’s a mature, contemplative album replete with expressive musical reason why guitarists everywhere appreciate the genius and style of Jeff Beck.
Currently on tour, Beck is one of those “must-see” musicians, an icon who’s laid-back approach to his business and his success makes him very special. If you have the opportunity to catch him on tour, do not pass it up.

Track Listing:
1. Corpus Cristi Carol
2. Hammerhead
3. Never Alone
4. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
5. I Put A Spell On You
6. Serene
7. Lilac Wine
8. Nessun Dorma
9. There’s No Other Me
10. Elegy Dor Dunkirk

Hardrock Haven rating: n/a

Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck LIVE!

February 22, 2010 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada

by Chris A.
Staff Writer

It was a brisk winter night at the home of the Montreal Canadiens and the venue was filled to capacity. Tonight however, taking center stage wasn’t the home town National Hockey League team, but rock guitar icons Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. It was the final stop in a four city tour (London, New York, Toronto and Montreal) that teamed up the prominent guitarists.

Promptly at 7:30, the lights dimmed in the massive stadium and without introduction, the lean figure of Jeff Beck appeared, striding from out of the shadows on stage left as he walked on with his band. With a polite nod, a big smile and a simple wave to the crowd he was met at center stage by his guitar tech and handed a cream-yellow Fender Stratocaster. With his characteristic understatement, Beck’s volume swell transformed into a thick, almost saxophone-like tone as he opened the show with the gentle strains of “Oh Canada,” the beautiful anthem of the land of the scarlet maple leaf.

While certainly aware that nearly 13,000 people were in the building, he appeared content to let his guitar act as his voice. For the thousands of guitar players who were surely in attendance, Beck slipped on his round rim sun glasses and went to work. Simultaneously manipulating the volume and tone controls of his guitar with his unique style he coaxed amazingly diverse sounds and smooth tonal variations from the instrument, demonstrating why many of his fellow players consider him to be the finest, most creative guitarist alive.

His set list included “Eternity’s Breath,” “Stratus,” “Big Block” and more seven more tunes. Acting more like a conductor of a symphony or orchestra versus being the front man for a rock band, Beck maintained control over every aspect of the performance. Accompanied by a small string section, his performance of the Beatles classic “A Day In The Life” was breathtaking as he paid homage to his English friends from the good old days. It was a moving rendition and for many the high point of the entire evening. Strumming, picking, plucking, and scratching his guitar’s strings with his right thumb, he grasped the base of the tremolo bar and deftly used his forefinger to actuate his vibrato during this 10-song set. It was an amazing display of musicianship and creativity so beloved by Beck’s devoted fan base. Supported with exceptional musicians, the 45-minute set was a whirlwind of tone and guitar nuance ala Beck and over far too soon.

25 minutes later the Bell Centre again dimmed its lights. Clapton, dressed in jeans and a blue cotton long-sleeve shirt, nonchalantly walked to the stage, sat down and opened his show with a seated four-song acoustic set using a Martin EC signature model guitar. If Beck’s performance was understated and laid back, Clapton’s seemed, well, downright uninspired. Seemingly more focused on vocals than playing the guitar, the man once decreed as the original guitar god seemed bored and barely acknowledged the thousands in house.

Opening the show with “Driftin’ Blues,” he moved onto an acoustic version of “Layla” that garnered polite applause but one could sense the disappointment that the iconic song wasn’t being performed “plugged in.” Clapton sans acoustic guitar came as a welcome relief when he eventually stood reached for a smoke-gray Stratocaster. Breaking into “Tell The Truth” Clapton reached back to his Derrick and the Dominoes day’s, as he showed off a few flashes of the genius that catapulted him to the pinnacle of rock guitar greatness. During “Little Queen of Spades” Clapton’s finally seemed to settle back and cut loose. He ended his nine-song set with a cheer from the attentive Canadian audience the strains of “Cocaine” filled the massive concrete.

Moments later Beck appeared on stage wearing a white print shirt and silver bands on his upper right arm and wrist as he plugged in a white Telecaster. For nearly 30 minutes Clapton and Beck shared the stage playing a variety of mostly blues tunes. Interestingly, Clapton deferred to Beck during almost every lead guitar break. A mournful, haunting version of “Moon River” with Clapton on vocals clearly dominated the performance by the British guitar heroes.

While many in the audience hoped for more dueling guitars courtesy of the former Yardbird foes, neither man seemed interested in challenging or pushing the other. While performing with Clapton, Beck seemed to tighten his reins, holding back on the esoteric playing, instead opting to stay reasonably “bluesy” in his lead work. The two and a half hour performance closed as both men broke into “Crossroads.”

Overall an enjoyable performance musically from both men. Beck ruled the night with his upbeat performance while Clapton showed up, played a few songs and disappeared backstage.

Photos appear courtesy of Chris A.

Jeff Beck Performing This Week … Live at Ronnie Scott’s

by John Kindred
Staff Writer

Following up the audio release of Performing this Week … Live at Ronnie Scott’s, Eagle Vision has released the DVD version of Beck’s live concert performance.

Jeff Beck’s latest release is a live affair recorded over several nights at the famed British jazz club Ronnie Scott’s in London in ’07. Beck’s band included bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and keyboardist Jason Rebello. The group performed 20 songs that spans Beck’s long musical career.

Special guest on the DVD include Joss Stone, Imogen Heap and Eric Clapton.

Having been a member of the Yardbirds in the sixties, the majority of Beck’s career has been as a solo artist releasing instrumental albums. His musical influence and recorded works dabbles within many frameworks of genres of rock, fusion and jazz.

Performing to standing-room-only crowds, Beck amazed, dazzled and electrified the audience. Fortunately these performances were captured to be shared with Beck fans and maybe even those who have yet to hear the legendary guitarist.

The audience although mostly filled with fans also included such as celebrities such as Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Jon Bon Jovi.

Performing the infamous “Beck’s Bolereo,” Stevie Wonder’s “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers,” and the Beatles’ “A Day In The Life,” Beck shines. The music on the DVD is truly inspiring. Fans of instrumental rock guitar (Vai, Satriani, Johnson) will easily be drawn into Beck’s unique playing style. Truly inspiring is Beck’s performance with Eric Clapton who joined Beck on “Little Brown Bird” and “You Need Love.” Clapton handles the vocals with his bluesy voice while he split time trading guitars riffs with Beck.

Joss Stone’s vocal performance on “People Get Ready” is breathtaking. Imogen Heap’s voice has an alternative soulful vibe and mixes with Beck’s guitar perfectly.

For the uninitiated, Beck may come across as frantic and undisciplined. His tone isn’t necessarily spell-binding (that is the sound of his amp). What is special is the tone and sounds that originate from his fingers, to the strings and then through the amp. Beck’s explorative nature allows him to freely explore elements of his desires whether it is blues, rock, fusion or jazz into another stratosphere.

Although never achieving the commercial success of Clapton or Page, Beck has inspired countless musicians and fans. The discovery of his musical legacy is beneficial to the continued learning of guitarists everywhere.

The DVD features a booklet with color pictures and a detailed write up of the concert experience. The bonus features on the DVD include interviews with Beck and his band mates.

Label: Eagle Vision

Band lineup:
Jeff Beck (g)
Tal Wilkenfeld (b)
Vinnie Colaiuta (d)
Jason Rebello (k)

Track Listing:
1) Beck’s Bolero
2) Eternity’s Breath
3) Stratus
4) ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers
5) Behind The Veil
6) You Never Know
7) Nadia
8 Blast From The East
9) Led Boots
10) Angel (Footsteps)
11) People Get Ready with Joss Stone
12) Scatterbrain
13) Goodbye Pork Pie Hat/Bush With The Blues
14) Space Boogie
15) Blanket with Imogen Heap
16) Big Block
17) A Day In The Life
18) Little Brown Bird with Eric Clapton
19) You Need Love with Eric Clapton
20) Rollin’ and Tumblin’ with Imogen Heap
21) Where Were You

HRH Rating: 8/10