JEFF BECK GUITAR GOD

I've been listening to Jeff Beck's live album from last year, Live And Exclusive From The Grammy Museum, and I have to say that his guitar playing is just so unbelievable. And lyrical.

He does some of his own compositions, like "Hammerhead" and "Brush With The Blues," which are pretty badass.  But what really knocks me out are his instrumental covers of songs that originally featured iconic singers.  Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready." The Beatles' "A Day In The Life." The opera piece "Nessun Dorma."  "Over The Rainbow" for godsakes! How do you take Curtis, John Lennon, Judy Garland out of those songs, and make them work?  But Jeff does.  His band sometimes has a real '80s adult contemporary vibe (his drummer, Narada Michael Walden, who produced huge hits for Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey during that decade), and on paper, this sounds like it could be "muzak," but in fact, it really works.

One reason Jeff Beck probably isn't more popular than he is, is because he doesn't sing. But the reason musicians and hard core music fans love him so much is because his guitar does. This album is exhibit A, you should check it out.

JEFF BECK: NEW ALBUM, NEW BAND

Jeff Beck has a new album coming out on April 13, Emotion and Commotion. I don't always love Jeff Beck's new music, but I appreciate that it's never lazy or contrived.  He does what he wants to do, not what is commercial, and he doesn't put out an album simply because he hasn't put one out in two years or whatever. He still really pushes boundaries, which you really can't say about many of his peers (and even former bandmates). The album features Jeff using an orchestra on a few songs, and working with a few different singers: Joss Stone, Imelda May (who sang with him at the Grammys) and Olivia Safe. After spending his entire solo career on Epic Records, this one will be on Rhino.  He also has a new touring band, which, surprisingly includes a former collaborator: drummer Narada Michael Walden. Walden is interesting: on one hand, he's done some really complex musical things, including working on Jeff's Wired album, but also records by Robert Fripp and Jaco Pastorius.  On the other hand, he produced #1 singles for Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and and Starship. Anyway, the rest of Jeff's band includes keyboardist Jason Rebello (who has been in Jeff's band for a few years), and bassist Rhonda Smith, who has played for Prince, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Little Richard.

As I've mentioned, Jeff will be touring with another ex-Yardbird, Eric Clapton, and then going on his own tour.