Review of Jeff Beck at Ronnie Scott's

Beck is one of the 3 seminal guitarists of his generation of white blues-rockers (the other two being Clapton and Page) and by far the most versatile of them; this concert shows his staggering range of rock (heavy as well as melodious), blues, boogie, gospel, jazz, John McGlaughlin, swamp funk, whale song, and you won't believe what this man can do with a bottle neck. He has a terrific backing band for this gig (keyboardist and drummer from Sting's band), and a sassy bassist young enough to be his granddaughter. The recording and photography are very good. Yes, that's Robt. Plant in the audience. The special guests are great, too: Imogen Heap does vocals on two tracks, Joss Stone on one track, and Clapton comes on at the end.

The DVD features a long interview w/the man himself, which is great fun. He is articulate, modest, and amusing, and gives good insights into his choice of tracks for the gig.

For many rock fans of my generation (Cream, Yardbirds, Led Zep, etc.), Beck was a mythical figure who seemed to drop off the radar. While Clapton and Page went on to make it rich and famous in the rock world, Beck went sideways into jazz fusion and experimental things. But he never forgot his roots (blues-rock). This video is an excellent demonstration of him in top form.

Clapton is master of his instrument--Beck and the instrument are one. This video is a must-see for any aspiring guitar hero.