Saturday, November 04, 2006

Cale/Clapton: Road To Escondido

Bet you didn't know this: JJ Cale watches "a lot of TV".

Wildflower Seed has put up a lovely collection of JJ Cale's music and a performance of my favoritest Cale Song ever: "After Midnight" (on which he reveals his TV-viewing habits.)

Back when I was a hopeless fanboy, I'd come up with these fantasy bands. One of my fantasy bands had Clapton, Cale, Knopfler, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson. Americana meets British blues. Every now and then, I'd invite Sam Cooke or Al Green to, uh, sing a little :)

Well, what do you know. Cale and Eric Clapton have a joint album out on November 7, titled "The Road to Escondido". And who are some of the musicians playing on the album? Billy Preston, Derek Trucks and Taj Mahal. Su-weeeeet!

The album seems to be getting good press. Amazon.com's Hal Horowitz says EC hasn't sounded "this relaxed or involved in his own material for years".

Has Cale ever done anything on which he doesn't sound completely relaxed and involved yet totally detached? Ah, there's the zen of the Cale.

12 comments:

wildflower seed said...

Thanks for the publicity.

Everybody must download!

Anonymous said...

this new album is available for streaming @ chocoreeve:

http://chocoreve.blogspot.com/2006/10/eric-clapton-jj-cale-road-_116137417119551461.html

thanks to wildflower seed for the link to chocoreeve!

Anonymous said...

want some debris news? Reuters has some.

Tabula Rasa said...

um, i don't *quite* agree with the "everybody must download" thing. i'd much rather everybody listened, liked, and went out to buy a copy (if it didn't mean snatching the bread from one's starving brood). you know.

Salil said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Salil said...

Clapton and Knopfler together? Nice, even if it was fantasy. (Would have loved to hear those two together.)

So who all were in the other fantasy bands?

As for the Cale/Clapton - not quite that big a Cale fan, but will keep a ear open for it.

Tabula Rasa said...

clapton and knopfler dueting -- live at knebworth, "think i love you too much".

GhostOfTomJoad said...

Just over from TR's, so can't be blamed for the six-word story fever. How's this for a story, with special ref to TR's first comment here...

Ignore TR, download the bloody collection.

:-)

Tabula Rasa said...

artist to conoisseur: napster's your friend!

km said...

Salil: Cale is a far cry from Sabbath :)

Hey there, Ghost! Long time no see.

Anyone here remember listening to a Clapton/Knopfler jam on "Southbound Again"?

GhostOfTomJoad said...

Hi again!

That's Clapton on 'Southbound Again'? Hell, I didn't even know...but love the song!

Arthur Quiller Couch said...

Clapton played along with the Straits at Wembley in the early 90s ("and now for the next number, here's somebody who can play the guitar a bit .. "). There's also something called "The Railroad Song" by Clapton and Knopfler.

Considering the influence and their recordings together, perhaps BB King should also be in that dream band. Who should be on drums?