RiffZoo Weekend 5 - September 15, 2006

This weekend we'll mellow it out a bit. The album's cited are where the songs are available on Rhapsody, which is a very convenient way to explore music. Enjoy...

1) Slow Blues - Mick Taylor: Mick Taylor (From his first solo album in 1979; top notch playing)
2) Black Magic Woman - Fleetwood Mac: Jumping at Shadows - The Blues Year (Peter Green, one of the best...)
3) Mr. Big (Live) - Free: Molten Gold - The Anthology Box Set (Paul Kossoff, king of the vibrato... and early Paul Rodgers ain't bad either)
4) Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) - Jimi Hendrix: First Rays of the New Rising Sun (Say no more)
5) Night Meets Light - Dixie Dregs: What If (Early Steve Morse; this one's one of my favorites)

Jeff Beck - The Master of His Craft

Having caught Jeff Beck at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York last evening (9/12), I remain convinced that his guitar playing may be the closest any player has come to replicating the communicative timbre and expressive cadence of the human voice. He has an innate sense of melody. His playing has a tone, soul, touch and total control that is incomparable, and ultimately musical in its lyricism.

In my opinion, he is now the lone and conquering survivor of a peer group including Hendrix, Page and Clapton. Yes, I'm sure many would argue that these next words will be blasphemous to utter, but Jimi is dead, and has been for 36 years this coming Monday. We will never know what he would have achieved with his playing, so it is a somewhat fruitless exercise pondering. Jimmy Page's best playing is now 30 years gone and for Eric, well the Cream reunion last year can't nearly compare to what I saw last night. My apologies to Eric's fans, he is not Jeff Beck -- and Eric even said as much over 20 years ago. Jeff is here and very now.

Not only is he still relevant, but he's at the peak of his already considerable powers. He has energy, attitude, aggression and sensitivity, all wrapped into one six string package. Simply put, he is the master (and many would argue the inventor) of his craft. To me, there is none better.

So, not to sound too sappy, many who saw him last night may agree with what I'm about to say. Upon hearing his last notes of the evening, I was hit with a wave of waxing melancholy that did not go quickly away into the night -- a feeling that I had just seen an old friend for the last time waving his farewell. Ya see, he just celebrated his 62nd birthday. His music has brought me profound joy for decades. There will not be that many more, if any, opportunities to see him and hear his playing again. We are all mortal. Our lives are so enriched by his mastery.

You must see him on this tour if you have the chance. He is an icon - our icon, our last remaining "guitar hero".