SMM #6: April 2nd, 2021
Rounding up some new releases, a few notes on my favorite concert of all time, and a fresh six-pack playlist.
Six-Pack of Songs #4: Better Days Ahead
With winter in the rearview mirror and more people getting Covid vaccinations, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and things are looking a little brighter... so, in that spirit, I put together this playlist of rousing, uplifting tunes… it kicks off with Sinead O’Connor, who hasn’t been heard from much in recent years but really nails this one from a tribute album to 1920s gospel-blues singer Blind Willie Johnson called God Don’t Ever Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson (highly recommend - features Lucinda Williams, Tom Waits, Tedeschi-Trucks, etc)... The Mavericks follow with the title track from their 2017 album, Brand New Day, a soaring retro-pop tune… Chicago has never been one of my favorite bands but I do like this top 10 song from 1973 with its big rocking finish… Better Days is the title track from Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes’ 1991 comeback album, written by the E Street Band’s Steven Van Zandt… the upbeat song “I Can See Clearly Now” was a #1 hit in 1972 for reggae singer/songwriter Johnny Nash… and the playlist closes with Rod Stewart & Ron Wood covering Sam Cooke’s 1962 hit, “Having a Party,” from Stewart’s 1993 album, Unplugged and Seated...
New Releases
JANET SIMPSON - Safe Distance… outstanding release from the Alabama singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist… Simpson has been a member of other bands (most notably country/folk-rockers, Wooden Wand) but this is her solo debut… it mixes electric country-rock (“Nashville Girls,” “Reno”) with plaintive acoustic ballads (“Black Turns Blue”) and an ominous, bluesy sound on the album’s longest track, “Mountain”… good stuff!
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR - Maverick Thinker… this is the third album from this U.K. band led by guitarist/vocalist Ruarri Joseph… the band blends folk-rock with roots/Americana styles into an original sound on this consistently strong set… highlights includes “Move On” and “Alive at Last”…
JOE STRUMMER - Assembly... this is a great “best of” collection of Strummer’s post-Clash material… 11 of the 16 cuts are performances with his band, The Mescaleros and there are also a couple of rocking live versions of songs he did with The Clash... for more with Strummer & The Mescaleros, check out their excellent album, Streetcore…
GEORGE PORTER JR & RUNNIN’ PARDNERS - Crying for Hope… over his 50+ years career, Porter has played with a who’s who of the music world in the studio and on the concert stage… this is only the second album (the first came out in 2011) from the legendary New Orleans musician and his touring band, and it contains some highly enjoyable, smooth-flowing, funky grooves...
Concert Notes and Reminiscences
Date: June 28th, 1975
Act: Eric Clapton & Santana
Venue: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
In June 1975, rock music giants walked the earth in NYC and on Long Island, and the concert scene was buzzing… at Madison Square Garden, the Rolling Stones played 7 shows in 6 days from June 22 to June 27, and at Nassau Coliseum, Pink Floyd played June 16 & 17, and then Eric Clapton’s tour arrived on June 28 (Clapton had also sat in with the Stones on June 22, playing on Sympathy For The Devil)... after touring Australia and Hawaii in April, EC took a break and then started a 44 show U.S. summer tour in Tampa on June 14…
As the show approached, rumors were flying that members of the Stones would make an appearance at Clapton’s show but, alas, that didn’t happen… also, the word was that Clapton had avoided playing the guitar solos on his 1974 comeback tour, with bandmate George Terry assuming the duties (confirmed in his 2007 autobiography)... I was hoping this had changed on the current tour, and after Santana’s blazing opening set, Clapton answered that question immediately… the lights went down and out of the darkness came the familiar opening riff to “Layla,” and then a lone spotlight shone on EC as the band kicked into the song - very exciting! So with that taken care of, they proceeded to run through a stellar set of favorites from Clapton’s solo albums, Derek & The Dominos and Cream - but the best was yet to come… for the encore, EC brought out Santana and jazz-fusion guitarist John McLaughlin and the trio of all-time great guitarists (pictured above) took turns soloing for over 20 minutes on an amazing medley of “Eyesight To The Blind” and “Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?” It was as good as it gets!
Looking back, I still consider this the best concert I have ever been to… in 1996, Clapton released the album, Crossroads 2 (Live in the Seventies), which includes two tracks from that night at Nassau Coliseum, “I Shot The Sheriff” and “Badge,” and also from the June 25 Providence show, the encore medley of “Eyesight To The Blind”/”Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?” (minus McLaughlin)... — SL
Wow! Some great music ... especially loved the Clapton songs. I have Sonos (incredible sound) and I’ve been listening to that album lots today. Great recommendation.