MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JEFF BECK - ROCK 'N' ROLL PARTY HONORING LES PAUL

JEFF BECK - ROCK 'N' ROLL PARTY HONORING LES PAUL

 

Available in both DVD and CD, this live concert is Beck's tribute to his friend and hero, guitar pioneer Les Paul, who passed away a couple of years ago.  Beck knew the kind of music Paul appreciated, and put together a crack band to cover old rock'n'roll hits, plus a good selection of classic Les Paul and Mary Ford hits.  Joining him were guests Imelda May, Brian Setzer, Gary U.S. Bonds and Trombone Shorty.  Best of all, it took place at a tiny club, New York's 300-seat Iridium, where Paul famously played every Monday night, well into his 90's.

 

Beck steals the show at his own party.  He can't help it.  He loves to play, and loves to play this stuff.  May and Darrel Higham, two retro-rockers from England, share vocals, and do a great job on the classics, including Baby Let's Play House, Rock Around The Clock, Shake, Rattle & Roll, and Cry Me A River.  But on every song, the master takes a solo, and blows everyone, including you dear viewer, away.  To see him play with such joy and love is a brilliant thing.  Best of all are the instrumentals, including Peter Gunn, Apache and Sleep Walk, plus a stunning version of The Shangri-La's Remember (Walking In The Sand), which sounds like it could have been a brand-new hit.

 

Paul's influence is celebrated in a set of his classics, with Mary Ford's part taken by the charming May.  To explain Paul's important invention of multi-tracking, she pre-recorded her layers of backing vocals, so you get the full effect of those early 50's hits, which changed Beck's life and that of every musician.  But this show isn't about teaching, it's about the total fun of early rock'n'roll, and when you see it done so well, it's impossible not to be hit by the bug.  Having Beck's amazing playing on top makes it all the more special.  As audience guest Miami Steve Van Zandt opines, "This has to be his next record, right?"  Thankfully, it is.