Eric Clapton, who had not released a live album since 1980, had several good reasons to release one in the early '90s. For one thing, his spare backup band of keyboardist Greg Phillinganes, bassist Nathan East, and drummer Steve Ferrone was his best live unit ever, and its powerful live versions of Cream classics like "White Room" and "Sunshine of Your Love" deserved to be documented. For another, since 1987 Clapton had been playing an annual series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London, putting together various special shows (blues nights, orchestral nights, etc.). 24 Nights, a double album, was culled from two years of such shows, 1990 and 1991, and it demonstrated the breadth of Clapton's work, from his hot regular band to assemblages of bluesmen like Buddy Guy and Robert Cray to examples of his soundtrack work with an orchestra led by Michael Kamen. The result was an album that came across as a lavishly constructed retrospective and a testament to Clapton's musical stature. But it made little impact upon release (though it quickly went gold), perhaps because events overcame it -- three months later, Clapton's elegy for his baby son, "Tears in Heaven," was all over the radio, and a few months after that he was redefining himself on MTV Unplugged -- a live show as austere as 24 Nights was grand. Still, it would be hard to find a more thorough demonstration of Clapton's abilities than the one presented here. (
Personnel:
Eric Clapton (guitar, vocals)
Alan Clark (keyboards)
Albert Collins (guitar)
Phil Collins (tambourine)
Ray Cooper (percussion)
Richard Cousins (bass)
Robert Cray (guitar)
Nathan East (bass, vocals)
Steve Ferrone (drums)
Buddy Guy (guitar)
Johnnie Johnson (piano, vocals)
Katie Kissoon (background vocals)
Chuck Leavell (keyboards)
Tessa Niles (background vocals)
Jamie Oldaker (drums)
Phil Palmer (guitar)
Greg Phillinganes (keyboards, vocals)
Jerry Portnoy (harmonica)
Edward Shearmur (keyboards)
Joey Spampinato (bass)
Jimmie Vaughan (guitar)
+
National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Michael Kamen
(see booklet for details)
Tracklist:
Eric Clapton (guitar, vocals)
Alan Clark (keyboards)
Albert Collins (guitar)
Phil Collins (tambourine)
Ray Cooper (percussion)
Richard Cousins (bass)
Robert Cray (guitar)
Nathan East (bass, vocals)
Steve Ferrone (drums)
Buddy Guy (guitar)
Johnnie Johnson (piano, vocals)
Katie Kissoon (background vocals)
Chuck Leavell (keyboards)
Tessa Niles (background vocals)
Jamie Oldaker (drums)
Phil Palmer (guitar)
Greg Phillinganes (keyboards, vocals)
Jerry Portnoy (harmonica)
Edward Shearmur (keyboards)
Joey Spampinato (bass)
Jimmie Vaughan (guitar)
+
National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Michael Kamen
(see booklet for details)
Tracklist:
CD 1:
01. Badge (Clapton/Harrison) 6.50
02. Running On Faith (Williams) 6.49
03. White Room (Brown/Bruce) 6.10
04. Sunshine Of Your Love (Brown/Bruce/Clapton) 9.10
05. Watch Yourself (Guy) 5.39
06. Have You Ever Loved A Woman (Myles) 6.52
07. Worried Life Blues (Merriweather) 5.27
08. Hoodoo Man (Wells) 5.40
CD 2:
01. Pretending (Williams) 7.08
02. Bad Love (Clapton/Jones) 6.24
03. Old Love (Clapton/Cray) 13.01
04. Wonderful Tonight (Clapton/Kamen) 9.10
05. Bell Bottom Blues (Clapton) 6.38
06. Hard Times (Charles) 3.45
07. Edge Of Darkness (Clapton) 6.29
ARMU 2235A (CD 1)
ARMU 2235A (CD 1) (zippyshare)
01. Badge (Clapton/Harrison) 6.50
02. Running On Faith (Williams) 6.49
03. White Room (Brown/Bruce) 6.10
04. Sunshine Of Your Love (Brown/Bruce/Clapton) 9.10
05. Watch Yourself (Guy) 5.39
06. Have You Ever Loved A Woman (Myles) 6.52
07. Worried Life Blues (Merriweather) 5.27
08. Hoodoo Man (Wells) 5.40
CD 2:
01. Pretending (Williams) 7.08
02. Bad Love (Clapton/Jones) 6.24
03. Old Love (Clapton/Cray) 13.01
04. Wonderful Tonight (Clapton/Kamen) 9.10
05. Bell Bottom Blues (Clapton) 6.38
06. Hard Times (Charles) 3.45
07. Edge Of Darkness (Clapton) 6.29
ARMU 2235A (CD 1) (zippyshare)
ARMU 2235B (CD 2 + booklet)
ARMU 2235B (CD 2 + booklet) (zippyshare)