ROLL IT OVER
Colosseum - 97-C-027 - 3
Recorded at The Marquee, London on August 11, 1970
EC/Jim Gordon (Drums)/Bobby Whitlock (Keyboards)/Carl Radle (Bass)
Tracklist: Band Introduction/Roll It Over/Blues Power/Have You Ever Loved A Woman/Any Day/Bad Boy/Bottle Of Red Wine/Little Wing/Tell The Truth/Country Life
The following is edited from an e-mail I received. "The cover lists 9 tracks, but the CD player shows 10, the first being the introduction of the band. Also the CD itself has all wrong song titles listed (on purpose I suspect)."(NOTE: This version has only 9 on the CD player.)
"This is a pretty good show. With the exception of Have You Ever Loved A Woman, which EC played during the Bluesbreaker period, this was all new material, including several songs from his just released first solo effort. My favorite track would have to be Bad Boy, which is stretched out to over 6 minutes with an extended jam. There are also several tracks from the soon-to-be-recorded Layla album. HYELAW reminds me more of the Bluesbreakers performance than the D&D version. Little Wing includes the original lyrics which were dropped from later versions, such as "riding with the wind". Tell The Truth is played at the speed of sound (as the Spector-ized version on the single). This is the only track which I could take or leave on this recording, although EC does some nice slide work here. Bobby Whitlock handles most of the lead vocals during the show, leaving EC free to handle guitar work, which I believe was the original intention for the band."
"I found it fascinating to hear this early phase of D&D's short career, before Duane Allman came along and influenced their song. The performance, especially the inclusion of rarely performed songs, makes this a must listen to for anyone who is into the Dominos period of EC's career."
(B.D.)
AT THE ELECTRIC FACTORY
DeepSix - DEEPSIX005
Recorded at the Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA on 16/10/70 (early show).
EC/Jim Gordon (Drums)/Bobby Whitlock (Keyboards)/Carl Radle (Bass)/
Tracklist: Rambling On My Mind/Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad/Blues Power/Have You Ever Loved A Woman/Mean Old World/Motherless Children/Let It Rain
Note that this is the earliest-known performance by Clapton of Motherless Children. (R.B.)
FILLMORE EAST
Mid Valley - 007/008/009/101
Recorded 23 & 24/10/70 at the Fillmore East, N.Y..
EC/Jim Gordon (Drums)/Bobby Whitlock (Keyboards)/Carl Radle (bass)
CD 1 - 2nd show on 23/10/70
Got To Get Better In A Little While/Key To The Highway*/Tell The Truth/Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad/Blues Power*/Have You Ever Loved A Woman*
CD 2 - 2nd show on 23/10/70
Bottle Of Red Wine/Presence of the Lord*/Little Wing/Let It Rain/Crossroads
CD 3 - 2nd show on 24/10/70
Got To Get Better In A Little While**/Blues Power/Have You Ever Loved A Woman/Key to the Highway/Tell the Truth**/Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out/
CD4 - 2nd show on 24/10/70
Let It Rain**/Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad**/Presence of the Lord **/Bottle Of Red Wine **/Roll It Over/Little Wing**
Both shows are complete. * Previously unreleased officially; ** Previously unreleased anywhere (S.Y. / R.B.) This is a rerelease of the Tarantura set by their sister company. (R.B.)
Concert Review of Above Show
New York - The hallowed walls of The Fillmore East and the sold out crowd within lay witness to a dazzling display of guitar mastery as Eric Clapton's most recent musical incarnation, Derek and the Dominos, rolled into New York yesterday for the first of two nights. While the guitar magic was of the caliber now expected from Clapton, the show, and indeed the man himself, were different. Not better. Certainly no worse. Yet decidedly different. And, every bit as exciting as anything he's done.
Clapton's multifarious musical road seems to have veered sharply once again as the guitar virtuoso continues his insatiable exploration of the Blues. While his previous ventures helped forge the high voltage, distortion riddled thoroughfare currently being traveled by newcomers such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, yesterday evening saw a return to basics for the twenty-five year old guitarist, whose normally heavy-handed brushstrokes to the canvas that is Blues-Rock were exchanged for a more delicate approach. While things were more refined, they were certainly no less intense or inspiring.
Even Clapton's dress seemed a perfect compliment to last night's stripped down set. The flamboyant garb of his Cream era tenure is gone, trading in his silk scarves and paisley shirts for simple blue jeans and a striped pullover. Clapton took to the stage just before 9 PM along with his newly christened Dominos; bassist Carl Radle, keyboardist Bobby Whitlock and drummer Jim Gordon. Much of yesterday's set list was unknown to most, appearing on the yet to be released debut album titled "Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs". The final recording and mixing sessions wrapped up just two weeks ago and the album is due out on Polydor next month.
The new material appears to be an extension of the experiment Clapton began on his first eponymous solo album that was released this past August. While shunning extended guitar solos on his solo effort, a no doubt conscious decision on his part, lengthy stretches of superb guitar work flowed during many of the songs last night. Still tentatively wading the unfamiliar waters of his newfound front-man role, Clapton often retreated to the refuge and comfort of his guitar when the unusual novelty of being the lead vocalist proved unsettling. Although his vocal delivery at times seemed somewhat cautious and uncertain, he was more than capable in executing the demanding combined duties of vocals and guitar. Whitlock provided soulful vocal support for the sometimes wavering Clapton, often times doubling on the lead vocal.
Clapton is very familiar with his current band mates, first making their acquaintance when Delaney and Bonnie opened for Blind Faith, the guitarist's short-lived collaboration with Traffic's Steve Winwood. Whitlock, Gordon and Radle were all members of the husband and wife duo's backing band at the time. Clapton was so impressed that he invited them to play on his solo album while co-writing many of the songs with Delaney Bramlett, who also filled in as producer. The Dominos are true sidemen professionals, doing their jobs without interfering in the musical roving of their front man yet adding just enough of their respective talents to enhance and round out the overall sound. It seems that this new arrangement has given Clapton the freedom that was hard to come by in some of his previous musical partnerships.
The evening's first song, "Got To Get Better In A Little While", was introduced with a trembling, wah-wah soaked guitar while Radle and Gordon laid down a smooth and catchy rhythm that was simple yet solid and provided the bedrock for Clapton to launch into one of the evening's many guitar sorties. The new "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?", currently receiving advance radio play on selected radio stations throughout the country, turned into a fifteen-minute workout that began with Clapton and Gordon getting into a funky groove before being joined by a racing bass line that momentarily brought the musicians together before Clapton signaled the song's proper start with a blistering six string flurry that erupted into a fervent display of musicianship by all. Searing and protracted guitar solos peppered the song's duration. Lengthy yes, but never overdone.
Twelve-bar Blues offshoots "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" and "Key To The Highway" showcased Clapton's extraordinary ability to soothe an audience with a quiet and uncomplicated guitar sequence one moment, and then surprise them with a viscous jolt of fretwork ferocity the next, bringing the audience to their feet on more than one occasion. A passionate rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing", which appears on the new album, was reportedly recorded after news of his death made its way to Criteria Studios in Miami where Clapton and his Dominos were recording with producer Tom Dowd. With tender backing vocals provided by Whitlock, Clapton, eyes shut and head tilted skyward, fired off intricate solos in succession that served as a fitting homage to Hendrix, whose passing just over a month ago left the music world stunned.
The Derek and the Dominos version of "Crossroads" couldn't have been more different than the savage, four-minute onslaught of electrified power Blues that was Cream's interpretation of the Robert Johnson classic. Last night's eight-minute re-working was a toned down, slower paced adaptation that allowed Clapton the space for more thoughtful guitar work, unimpeded by the urgency brought on by the independent soloing of Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. Different? Absolutely. Boring? Absolutely not. It was an evening of no frills rocking Blues and the packed auditorium enjoyed every minute of it.
Other highlights of the evening included a twenty-minute version of "Let It Rain", which recently peaked at number 48 on the Billboard singles chart, and from his Blind Faith days "Presence Of The Lord".
Clapton's various musical experimentations and his development as a musician are in direct tandem with the continuing evolution of today's Rock music, and as evidenced last night, he's far from done. His quest to be totally immersed in the Blues is only outdone by the passion displayed while in the midst of a blazing solo.
In just over five years his recording career has encompassed the various growing stages of the Rock genre. From his initial flirtations with the Blues in The Yardbirds and the education he received during his brief residency with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers to the high-energy brawn of Cream and the jazz influenced improvisations of Blind Faith, this new project seems a natural progression and a more serious enquiry into the Blues. In this short time, his following amongst fans is only equaled to the respect of his peers, with perhaps only Jimi Hendrix garnering as much praise from his fellow musicians.
While scrawled graffiti on the walls of a London building a few years ago elevated him from mere musician to revered deity, and in so doing caused a serious bout of self-examination and re-evaluation, he remains a reluctant yet crucial piece of the Rock and Roll puzzle. While he continues to struggle with the adulation and accolades showered upon him, he is one of a select few who can assist in taking Rock music to its next level. As a dedicated student of the Blues and a definite trailblazer of its powerful derivative, Clapton is arguably the best qualified to do so. Regardless of the road he chooses to travel, there will no doubt be a faithful following to accompany him.
CASH PERKINS
WPOCM 1190 D 061-2
Recorded at Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica on 20/11/70.
Last 2 tracks recorded at Nashville on 05/11/70, on Johnny Cash's TV show.
EC/Jim Gordon (Drums)/Bobby Whitlock (Keyboards)/Carl Radle (Bass)/Delaney Bramlett (Vocals, Guitar) on Santa Monica tracks.
Tracklist: Derek's Boogie/Blues Power/Stormy Monday/Tell the Truth/It's Too Late/Matchbox
LIVE AT TAMPA
Red Light - RL-1001/2 - 3
Recorded at Curtis Hixon Hall, Tampa on 01/12/70
EC/Jim Gordon (Drums)/Bobby Whitlock (Keyboards)/Carl Radle (bass)/Duane Allman(Guitar)
Tracklist: Disc One: Layla/Got To Get Better In A Little While/Key To The Highway/Why Dose Love Got To Be So Sad//Blues Power/Have You Ever Loved A Woman/Bottle of Red Wine
Disc Two: Let It Rain
This is possibly the only live show ever released with D&D featuring Duane Allman. Apparently Duane is not always in the right key, but the interplay between Allman and Clapton isinteresting on some tracks. (S.Y. / R.B.)
Interview with Duane Allman about the Dominoes:
MIAMI - Despite published reports to the contrary, guitar virtuoso Duane Allman will not be joining Eric Clapton's new group, Derek and the Dominos. Allman reportedly contributed significant guitar parts, including his acclaimed slide, to the forthcoming double album that was recorded in Miami. Clapton will take his new ensemble on a seven-week tour of the eastern U.S., which kicks off October 15th at Rider College in Trenton, New Jersey. While Allman will play with the band on whatever dates possible, his allegiance remains with his blues-rock group the Allman Brothers who have just released their second album.
Allman has been a long time admirer of Eric Clapton, "I'd been a fan of Eric's a long time. Drove up from L.A. to San Francisco once, just to see him play. So when (producer) Tom Dowd mentioned that Eric was going to be cutting some stuff at the studios, I asked Tom to be sure and call me so I could come down and watch."
When asked to comment on what the sessions were like, Allman said "I went down to listen and Eric knew me, man, greeted me like an old friend! The cat is really a prince, he said, 'Come on you get to play', so I did. We'd sit down and plan it out, work out our different parts, and try it one time. Then we'd say, 'Well let's try some more of this here, and some of that there.' Everybody contributed, just sorting it out, Memphis style. Most of it was cut live, not much overdubbing, and it was all done in ten days."
How can you tell who is playing what on the album? Duane Allman explains: "Eric gets more of an open, slidy sound. But the way to really tell, is he played the Fender and I played the Gibson. The Fender is a little bit thinner and brighter, a sparkling sound, while the Gibson is just a full tilt screech."
