Live/ The Deluxe Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)With his "Live At Sunrise" cd out of print, rock legend Dave Mason's latest release "Live At XM Satellite Radio", is more than an adequate replacement. His guitar playing and singing have never been better, and his band is well rehearsed playing a flawless set of classic rock tunes, that proves to be captivating. There is no filler at this show, as every single song rocks the house with vintage Dave Mason early seventies rock n roll. You don't want to miss "Only You Know And I Know". "We Just Disagree", "Look At You, Look At Me", "Dear MR Fantasy", "All Along The Watch Tower", and of course the song that has withstood the test of time like no other "Feeling Alright", which features a blistering guitar duel between Dave and band member John Sambataro. Also included, are some nice bonus tracks of Dave singing the Eagles "Take It To The Limit"[which first appeared live on his 1976 LP ""Certified Live". A duet with the late Jim Capaldi "40,000 Headmen", and a brand new studio track "Deaf Dumb and Blind". Rumor has it that Dave will be releasing a new studio cd in the near future titled "Alone Together Again". If this release is any indication, it proves that Dave Mason is still a talented singer and guitarist who is as good as any of the other so called classic rock guitar legends. After hearing this release, I certainly am looking forward to hearing his long anticipated new studio release in the future.

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As co-founder of the legendary rock band Traffic, Dave Masonhas always been a powerful force in popular music. His tenure as theirguitarist, vocalist & songwriter, along with his friends Stevie Winwood,Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood, netted the quartet several hit singles andalbums including his signature tune Feelin' Alright and internationalsmashes like Hole In My Shoe.While collaborating with his friends like Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones,Eric Clapton, Delaney and Bonnie and George Harrison, Dave Mason continuedto develop his trademark sound, while igniting a solo career that took offwith his first platinum plus debut album Alone Together from 1970.Over the next three decades, Dave Mason continued his legendary status as astaple radio artist, riding the top rung of the many music charts withtunes like We Just Disagree, Let It Flow, All Along the Watchtower, Show MeSome Affection, and Something from the Heart.A few years ago, Dave Mason and his wonderful band entered into the stateof the art XM studios in Washington D.C., and recorded this new album Liveat XM Satellite Radio. This unique session was performed organically infront of an intimate gathering of friends and fans. From start to finish,it is a solid 100% classic Dave Mason concert.Things start off with a nod to his Alone Together album with the prog-rockclassic World In Changes and his Delaney and Bonnie hit Only You Know and IKnow. Mason's vocals and guitar styling are second to none as the crowdroars in approval.We Just Disagree was Dave's most successful venture at Top 40 radio back inthe late seventies. This emotional live reading brings back the memories ofthis era and skillfully shows the interplay between Mason and his goodfriend guitarist John Sambataro (Firefall, McGuinn Clark & Hillman). Thistrack is indeed a defining moment of the show.No Dave Mason concert is complete without the classics All Along TheWatchtower, Traffic's Dear Mr. Fantasy and the surprise groover Feelin'Alright. His fans and new converts will agree, this new live offering willsatisfy the classic rocker in all of us.In addition to this pivotal live recording, Dave has gone into the vaultsand found a very rare live interpretation of the Eagles classic Take It ToThe Limit. Recorded several years ago in the Orange County, Californialocale, this tune takes on a whole new feeling with the Dave Mason magic.As a further gift to his fans, Dave has also included two new studio tracksthat will truly enhance your listening experience. First, there is the veryrare Dave Mason/Jim Capaldi duet of the classic 40,000 Headmen. Recordedshortly before his untimely death, Jim Capaldi truly sings his soul out onthis revisit to the Traffic era. Dave shares on the vocal chores, as wellas an incredible guitar workout throughout.The intriguing closer, Deaf, Dumb And Blind, is one of those tunes that hisfans have been clamoring years for. Dave's vocals are the ticket here, theamazing music he creates is still intact after four decades of recording,and like a fine wine, his career just gets better all the time. This tunewill surely become one of his future classics.

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Robin Trower - Living Out of Time: Live (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)After waiting for months, my copy of Robin Trower's new DVD, "Living out of Time" arrived yesterday and went straight into the DVD player. Man, it was sure worth the wait!
If you love Robin Trower -- or electric blues guitar in general -- you simply cannot go wrong with this DVD. It contains a good balance of the classic Trower songs from the James Dewar era and his newer material, including one song so new, it's not on any album yet! There's also a bonus section with a neat photo gallery; actual photos, not just stills from the video (many have some nice time-laps and processing effects). There's also a nicely shot and very informative interview with Robin (did you know that at one time, he had the same manager as the Beatles, or that the development of his sound took place in San Francisco AFTER the death of Jimi Hendrix, or that he didn't feel he took the guitar seriously until after he left Procol Harum?). Learn how Robin became a "Strat-Man" and why Robin feels he is living out of time, and proud of it! Good stuff. But I didn't buy this DVD for the bonus material...
Folks, I have many, many live concert DVDs and the quality varies greatly from one to another. In many cases the mix between instruments and vocals isn't balanced correctly or the audio is not crisp and clean. In other cases, the video has problems (i.e., too dark, or fuzzy and grainy, cameramen who don't know how to video a rock performance -- or good camera work ruined by bad video editing) etc. That is not the case with Living Out of Time! Not only is the performance superb, but the DVD production is one of the best I've seen and heard. The audio quality is fantastic (apparently right off the main board). The kick drum is solid, the snare and cymbals are tight and clean, the bass and vocals are sharp and bold and Robin, well, he sounds as good as I've ever heard him on any recording.
...And the video is outstanding! Very bright and clear, with great close-up shots of Robin's fantastic scales, multi-note bending (with and without whammy bar) incredible finger vibrato, and overall "fret board gymnastics" -- but there's even shots of Robin's foot-pedal work! I also wasn't expecting anything unusual about the stage lighting, just a standard club set-up. Again, not the case here! There are some great lighting effects and unusual graphics projected on a full stage screen behind the band. While the lighting is unique and interesting, it does not detract from the performance, but instead, enhances it (check out the lighting effect on the close-up shots of Davey during "Please Tell Me").
Drummer Pete Thompson (of the 70's / 80's British band Shotgun and long-time Trower collaborator) has just the right sound and style for this material. Bassist Dave Bronze is another long-time Trower collaborator (in addition to Eric Clapton, Sting, Procol Harum, Phil Collins, Jeff Beck, Stuart Copeland, Bo Diddly, Roger Daltry, David Gilmore, Brian Ferry, George Harrison and Ray Davis, to name but a few) sounds smooth, fat and `dead-on target'! Oh, did I mention Dave was also voted British Blues Connections 2000 Bass Player of the Year? :-)
As others have mentioned, Davey Pattison does indeed sound reminiscent of the late/great James Dewar. But he adds his own stamp of character and style to the vocals. I have also been a long-time fan of Ronnie Montrose and Davey Pattison's band Gamma, and I can hear the Gamma sound -- along with Dewar's -- in this performance. There's also a lot of the classic, bluesy, 1960's Eric Clapton / Cream sound to Davey's vocals (think "Crossroads"). It all comes together quite nicely.
While staying true to his sound, Robin doesn't just replicate the older versions of his classic songs, instead he add a great deal of new licks, breaks and modulations that really kept them interesting. His newer material is right up there with the best of his classics.
Highlights include the up-tempo, blues-rock "Rise up Like the Sun", the pensive and moody "Breathless" -- where Robin takes a turn at lead vocals as well (and to my surprise, has a very effective voice for this style). There's also some amazing new soloing and breaks in classics like "Daydream" and "A Little Bit of Sympathy" -- and a perfect recreation of the mystifying guitar sound of "Bridge of Sighs" that I fell in love with so many years ago (with new interpretations of the classic licks).
So, if you loved the unique, swirling, gliding, vibrating, sustaining, double-stopping, wah-wah'ing sounds of Robin Trower, well, here they are in all their glory! I don't generally evaluate anything at the maximum available points, but I can honestly think of nothing they could have done to make this DVD any better - so I must give it 5 out of 5 stars. I guess the only surprise was the polite, but much retrained reaction of the German audience (definitely not an American crowd - they would have been goin' nuts)!
I had understood Robin Trower had retired a while ago, if true, I'm sure glad he changed his mind! If you love Robin Trower (or classic Cream, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Buddy Guy, or the bluesier side of Jimi Hendrix) this DVD is not only a winner, but a true "must have". I've heard that Robin and this line-up are working out a U.S. tour in mid-to-late 2006; don't miss `em (I'll definitely be there)!
Cheers!
"The Doctor"
(Somewhere in California)


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This fascinating 13-song performance was recorded by the famous WDR Rockpalast on Robin Trower's 60th birthday, March 9th 2005 at the Crossroads Festival in Germany.Trower's career has spanned more than four decades and he is considered to be one of the

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European Tour 2008 Review

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(More customer reviews)Its not but its the closest were going to get and its actually really good. I have seen Randy Hansen live twice, 1st time 1979 long beach arena, then 2003 in San Francisco. He is the real deal.

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Outstanding, killer new Hendrix Tribute disc captured LIVE on Randy Hansen's recent Euro-tour 2008 featuring the excellent Seatle Stratmaster paying serious musical homage to the father of heavy guitar (JIMI). European Tour 2008 is an amazing, heavy-duty set featuring many Hendrix tracks/jams not found on Hansen's previous tribute discs. Awesome, over-the-top, relentless, Hendrixian-Guitar Fury dominates this stand-out, live bluesy heavy guitar musical document. Randy Hansen is a true, legitimate, modern-day, white Hendrix who nails down the Man's monumental, timeless, classic riffage with power, precision and passion. Complete with tons of bad-ass, killer, extended, improvisational, Hendrix-inspired lead guitar action that make for a disc which will satisfy both hard-core Hendrix lovers and serious heavy guitar freaks worldwide. Tune in and wave your Hendrix Freak Flag High with Randy Hansen. For nearly three decades, world-renowned guitarist Randy Hansen has acquired himself quite a reputation as being one of the best Hendrix impersonators on the Third Stone from the Sun. Releasing countless discs through the years featuring both stellar Hendrix jams and his own authentic Hendrix-inspired riffage, the Man is a true Guitar Legend in every sense of the word. In a sea of Hendrix-inspired guitarists, Randy Hansen stands tall and is one of the few players officially recognized by the Hendrix family. Having toured and played with Uli Jon Roth, Jack Bruce, Paul Rodgers, Mitch Mitchell and Buddy Miles, among others, Hansen is a true living testament to the Father of Heavy Guitar (Jimi). Digging deep with passion, maturity and conviction, Randy Hansen creates landscapes of sound, masterful guitar work, strong riffage and remarkably authentic killer cosmic tones as he channels the Spirit of Jimi Hendrix through his Fender Strat. (((Long live the musical spirit of Jimi Hendrix))).

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