The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale

Bushbranch/Surfdog

claptonThe first question one might ask upon discovering Eric Clapton has released a heartfelt J.J. Cale tribute one year after Cale’s passing July 26, 2013, would be: How closely did the Oklahoman’s No. 1 disciple hew to that remarkably nonchalant, front-porch sound?

As closely as possible. In fact, it seems oxymoronic but state-of-the art technology was used to recreate Cale’s down-to-earth style. “We did a lot of things where (co-producer) Simon (Climie) would put a Pro Tools (computer) program on top of John’s songs,” Clapton said in an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune. “And, bit by bit, we put layers of stuff on, keyboards, guitars, drums, and take John out, so a facsimile was created. And we’d play with that, with the key and length of the track. It would be the same; we just replaced all the instruments. And where appropriate, we’d match what he’d done to try to emulate that and let the moment and the personality (of the guest musicians) take over. I try to sing like John, but I still felt we got to a place where we achieved other things.”

On “Lies,” Clapton’s and John Mayer’s tandem vocals are given equal preference mix-wise, and together they almost sound like one person who sounds a lot like Cale. Other effects are used elsewhere, as on “Cajun Moon,” where Clapton sings alone but overdubs background vocals. And on songs like “Someday,” featuring Mark Knopfler, a guest vocalist handles lead vocals.

Besides Knopfler and Mayer, guest vocalists are Tom Petty; fellow Oklahoman Don White; Willie Nelson; and Cale’s widow, Christine Lakeland. Other guitarists in addition to Clapton are Knopfler; Mayer; Nelson; White; revered Memphis session great Reggie Young; Derek Trucks; Albert Lee; David Lindley; Don Preston; Lakeland; Doyle Bramhall II; and pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz.

Three songs are based on unreleased Cale demos: the aforementioned “Someday”; the Nelson-sung “Songbird,” featuring Lindley on lap steel and Nelson sideman Mickey Raphael on harmonica; and “Train to Nowhere,” boasting a three-way vocal share by Knopfler, Clapton and White, not to mention four guitarists in Knopfler, Clapton, White and Preston (who recorded with Leon Russell in the ’70s on Shelter Records, which released Cale’s first five albums ). Another obscure composition is the Clapton-sung “Since You Said Goodbye,” from a 1973 Bradley’s Barn session and issued in 2007 on Cale’s “Rewind” outtakes compilation.

Among many standouts are the sole non-Cale-penned “I’ll Be There (If You Ever Want Me”), an early hit for Ray Price that gives Clapton an excuse to play dobro; “The Old Man and Me,” Petty’s lead-vocal turn and perhaps the best illustration of Cale’s laid-back singing, boosted by Leisz’s ethereal pedal steel; “Starbound,” another Nelson-sung tune that has the added benefit of Trucks’ slide and Leisz’s steel; and the sendoff “Crying Eyes,” a word-for-word duet between Clapton and Lakeland with a concise slide solo by Trucks at the end.gnm_end_bug

Tracks

1. Call Me The Breeze (vocals Eric Clapton)
2. Rock And Roll Records (vocals Eric Clapton & Tom Petty)
3. Someday (vocals Mark Knopfler)
4. Lies (vocals John Mayer & Eric Clapton)
5. Sensitive Kind (vocals Don White)
6. Cajun Moon (vocals Eric Clapton)
7. Magnolia (vocals John Mayer)
8. I Got The Same Old Blues (vocals Tom Petty & Eric Clapton)
9. Songbird (vocals Willie Nelson)
10. Since You Said Goodbye (vocals Eric Clapton)
11. I’ll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) (vocals Don White)
12. The Old Man And Me (vocals Tom Petty)
13. Train To Nowhere (vocals Mark Knopfler, Don White & Eric Clapton)
14. Starbound (vocals Willie Nelson)
15. Don’t Wait (vocals Eric Clapton & John Mayer)
16. Crying Eyes (vocals Eric Clapton & Christine Lakeland)

Total time: 51:28

External links
J.J. Cale’s website
Eric Clapton’s website
amazon.com
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