Categories : Jazz + Blues, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop.
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Rating: 4/5 Released: October 5, 2005 Reviewer: Trent Depue |
Almost forty years after their last concert performance together, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton returned to London’s famous Royal Albert Hall for four sold out performances in May of 2005, and each of them brought with them half a life time of new experience and influence. The talent and professionalism of these three seasoned veterans shines through with vocals that are stronger than ever and music that lifts you up and takes you for a journey to a time when it was what really mattered. That being said, the band does show apparent signs of their age, as most of the songs are slower paced and at times less enthusiastic than their studio recorded counterparts of decades past.
This epic reunion spans two discs and highlights Cream’s best and most popular songs, including such staples as ‘White Room’, ‘Sunshine of your Love’ and ‘Crossroads.’
Long jams double the lengths of many songs, ‘N.S.U,’ ‘Sweet Wine,’ and ‘Toad’ among them, and leave you wondering how the originals got by without them. There’s even something new as they perform a long winded cover of T-Bone Walker’s ‘Stormy Monday.’ As with any concert you’re not going to get to hear everything you hope too, and in this instance, ‘Strange Brew’ is the most noticeably missing track from the lineup.
Clapton, Bruce and Baker compliment each others talents perfectly and by the time the album has wrapped up you’re left with the illusion that these three artists have been playing together this whole time and haven’t missed a practice in thirty seven years.
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