My Way Home ...

I just enjoyed a short business trip to Southern California. As I travelled from Boston to LA late this week, I remembered that the first day of my journey happened to be on the 22nd anniversary of the day Earvin "Magic" Johnson announced his retirement from the NBA because of the HIV+ diagnosis he was given after he took a physical for his life insurance policy.

Thank God, Earvin is doing very well today. While his playing career was cut short, he went on to two miraculous curtain calls with the '92 NBA All-Star Game (one of my fondest memories) and with the '1992 USA Basketball Dream Team at the Barcelona Summer Olympic Games.

The rest is history. (My prior post noted the news reports).

So, now I'm up early and happy to be heading "home."  I don't take "home" for granted.  None of us should ever, ever take home for granted because sometimes, some of us -- well -- just can't find their way home.

Note Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, of course, Derek Truck, on rhythm guitar no less, along with drummer Doyle Bramhall.  The video was shot at Clapton's Crossroads festival in 2007.  In 2011, Bramhall passed away in his sleep at the age of 62.



Gotta Go! Time to pack up and head home.

Cool, Cool Reign ...

When in doubt? Music is the answer.

Winwood and Clapton

Every now and then, I'm not sure what to post on The Blog at Terry Lyons (dot) com ... and I know my loyal readers often check in and expect a few lines of mayhem, politics, sports or music.  Sometimes, you disagree with my viewpoint.  Sometimes, you are reminded of good times gone by. Sometimes, I amuse you while other times, I annoy you.

But, when have I ever steered you wrong with some music?

So, when I'm not sure what to post... what topic to delve into ... what sport to promote ... what daily occurrence in my life to share ... I turn to music.

I do it often.

As I write, Blind Faith is bellowing from the Bose with Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood  and Ric Grech entertaining my lonesome ears as I dig deep into some serious "catch-up" writing projects. Humor me for a minute as I make note to some of the music aficionados tuning in here, most who know I just revel in the music of Eric Clapton, so I remind us all that Blind Faith consisted of Clapton (John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Cream and Traffic) Winwood (from the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic) and Ginger Baker (Blues Incorporated, Cream, Traffic) - among others, all - recruited Ric Grech (1946-1990), a session bass guitarist who had jammed with Clapton and Winwood when they played in some of the groups just listed. Grech was playing with Family, a progressive rock/blues group seldom heard of in these parts. He bounced around playing on a few tours but was deemed somewhat unreliable in terms of touring and in music, to the point where he died of kidney and liver failure, largely the result of his alcoholism. He was 43.

On that happy note, I return you to the regularly scheduled program to note the two key music pieces I am highlighting today.

The first, my all-time favorite instrumental - is JESSICA. Penned by Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band, the song was released in 1973 and was one of the first the ABB performed without bass player Berry Oakley who died in a motorcycle accident on November 11, 1972. Jessica was written for Betts' daughter and its amazing claim to fame is that the song won the Grammy 23 years after it was released, as a live performance took home best rock instrumental in 1996. Although the song is often cut down for AOR (album oriented rock) stations, the original comes home in about 7:30. Be sure to note the 2:33 mark when Chuck Leavell switches over from his Fender to the keyboards and cranks the Grand Piano up then passes the torch to Betts at about 3:45-50 for one hell of a guitar solo ... Here is a recording:

Now, to the headliner...

Although Jessica is one of two or three of my all-time favorite Allman Brothers Band songs (In Memory of Elizabeth Reed still #1), I have to place it on the Silver Medal stand when it comes to the greatest all-time instrumental.

The best?

Quadrophenia. The Who.

Please see: Quadrophenia for all the background...  But, I'll spot you my FAVORITE instrumental of all-time... The Rock which leads in - perfectly - to Pete's theme - a.k.a. "Love Reign O'er Me."

And, now, to leave you something to think about... Like I love to do - I make you wait -- deep into my posts - for the best stuff.  Here is an interesting interview conducted with Derek Trucks - which gives you some incredible insight into his music, the way he learned the guitar, learned what to look for and how to perform and bring the audience "for a ride." -  And, oh, how I love the journey when I get to see Derek perform. (Listen to the first 5 minutes to absorb the important stuff, but please note, at the 5:50 mark of this interview, it gets "ridiculous").

Bonus from way above, in case you missed it... Click HERE:

Steve Winwood, with One Hell of a Back-Up Band

After contributing as a frontman with Spencer Davis Group, Blind Faith and Traffic, Steve Winwood  launched a solo career in 'circa 1977 and, by doing so, he became a household name of fame in the world of rock 'n roll. 

More recently, he re-united with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker to play a few sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden - one of which I took-in with my buddies Jim and Craig. It was fantastic.

This morning, a (youthful, wonderful, as opposed to old) Trinity high school friend, Kit, passed along a post via facebook of Steve Winwood playing lead guitar while being backed-up by my two all-time favorite guitarists, Eric Clapton and Derek Trucks.  The clip is featured on The Blog (at) TerryLyons.com today.

Derek is very much on my mind, as I saw him perform with the Allman Bros. Band last week, and I'm looking forward to seeing the ABB play yet another legendary night at The Beacon this Wednesday.  Last week, I witnessed an epic night with a "One Way Out to Blue Sky" segue that ramped up the show in only its third and fourth songs of the night.  Later on, I chuckled as Trucks and bass Othiel Burbridge smiled brightly as Gregg Allman brought it home during Desdemona. It was a classic and a wonderful moment to share with DT as he was only six rows away.

Later on that night, The ABB brought along the era of "The Band" with Gregg Allman's eerily wonderful vocals on "Tears of Rage." It was a religious experience and certainly was along the three highlights of the night, the third being a brass-section-led version of one of my all-time favorite Van Morrison tunes, "Into the Mystic."

The headliner for that tune, aside from living guitar legend Warren Haynes' lyrical performance, was "The Dude," a musician that I just met in February of this year at a Southside Johnny & The Poor Fools show in NYC.  Neal "The Dude" Pawley plays Trombone in the Southside Jukes Horns but he plays just about everything when he's jammin.'

Check out "The Dude" with the Poor Fools. 

And, now, Steve Winwood, E.C. and Derek Trucks...

TL

Winwood and Clapton to tour

Tour info to come. Playing MSG in late February, 2008