Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton by Eric Clapton (CD, 1999)

4943674203567

20050174824

Steve Gadd, Michael Brecker, Chaka Khan, Steve Lukather, Robert Cray, Joe Sample, Nathan East, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton

CD

1999

Hard Rock

Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton

Rock

Stereo

Personnel includes: Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar, dobro); Tim Pierce, Darryl Crooks, Robert Cray, Steve Lukather (guitar); Michael Brecker (saxophone); Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker (trumpet); Joe Sample, Greg Phillinganes (piano); Greg Curtis (keyboards, background vocals); Jamie Muhoberac (keyboards); Nathan East (bass, background vocals); Phil Collins (drums, background vocals); Steve Ferrone, Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro (drums); Luis Conte, Mike Fasano (percussion); Bumpy, Greg Curtis (programming); Chyna Gordon, Chaka Khan (background vocals). Producers include: Rob Cavallo, Babyface, Eric Clapton, Russ Titleman, Tom Dowd. Engineers: Allen Sides, Brad Gilderman, Alan Douglas. It is hard to effectively document in one collection the career of an artist who is as much a vital part of popular music history today as when he reluctantly ventured into a solo career in 1970. CLAPTON CHRONICLES offers an interesting mix of Slowhand's soundtrack-ready acoustic ballads from the '90s and his electric guitar-driven pop-blues from the '80s. "My Father's Eyes" is an emotionally uplifting song about a man's search for his identity through his relationship with his father. "Tears in Heaven," the bittersweet eulogy to Clapton's son, may be his most timeless composition and performance. His groundbreaking "MTV Unplugged" performance produced a new arrangement of his plea to Patti Harrison, "Layla." This approach hinted at a new direction for Eric Clapton's music. Clapton's roots break through on the down-and-dirty Delta blues-tinged "Before You Accuse Me." He stands among very few who have carried their musical heart with them throughout their career and have stayed true to it.

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Q (12/99, p.156) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...There are 2 new songs here...to entice the completists....with big-shot Babyface, [Clapton] gracefully updates his trademark sound. And if playing the blues is about expressing pain, then 'Tears In Heaven'...is the genuine article." Mojo (Publisher) (11/99, p.120) - "...the time of craftsmanlike albums and Albert Hall residencies, of quietly expensive suits and unassuming legendhood.....stuff to admire and even enjoy....a slow, measured transition from rage to resignation."