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Throughout his celebrated career, Eric Clapton has always returned to the blues
for his musical re-charging. He hails the blues as his salvation, the provider
of his musical direction and the reason he found music in the first place. Since
the blues is the type of music that inspires Clapton to make new music, it is
not surprising that on his new release, Me and Mr. Johnson, Clapton pays
homage to the music of one of his major influences, Robert Johnson.
Few blues artists have had the cultural impact that Johnson has had. His musical
catalogue is brief, encompassing only two recording sessions, and his early
death is the stuff of legend, poisoned by the husband of a woman with whom he
had an affair. But Johnson’s music, myth and mystery live on in the music of
countless artists, not the least being that of Eric Clapton. On Me and Mr.
Johnson, Clapton warmly pays tribute to this blues giant with 14 songs,
including well-worn covers of “Hell Hound on My Trail” and “Traveling Riverside
Blues.” The jumpy “They’re Red Hot” harkens back to a fun summer afternoon
southern blues romp, while “Come on in My Kitchen” is a slow, moaning blues
dirge.
Clapton sprinkles each tune with tasteful licks and a quick lead or two, but
gone are the days of the epic 12-minute solo. Clapton’s voice has steadily
matured with age, to become a smoky, bluesy siren of a journeyman that it is
today. On the album’s better tracks, the interplay between Clapton and longtime
fellow guitar players Andy Fairweather Low and Doyle Bramhall II sound as if
they are on the back porch of a house in southern Mississippi. Fun and familiar,
Clapton doesn’t blaze any new trails on this compilation, but he does retread
some old ones with care.
~Joe Del Re
jdelre@bullz-eye.com
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