Album review: JEFF BECK – Performing This Week…Live At Ronnie Scott’s

June 3rd, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

JEFF BECK Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scott's

Eagle Rock Records [Release date 01.06.15] 2-CD Special Edition

In 2007 legendary guitarist Jeff Beck played a series of gigs at Ronnie Scotts in London. For those who admire Beck’s jazz-fusion of the seventies and eighties, they’ll be in their element here.

Originally released in 2008 as a single CD, this package is now expanded with some of the material that appeared on the accompanying DVD/Bluray and also featuring Beck’s rockabilly set with the Big Town Playboys.

Amongst the guest artistes doing a turn (and only available originally on the DVD version) are Joss Stone, Imogen Heap (including the excellent ‘Blanket’) and Eric Clapton who appears on ‘Little Brown Bird’ and ‘You Need Love’.

Starting off with a rousing ‘Beck’s Bolero’ which sounds strangely contemporary Beck is admirably assisted by Jason Rebello (keyboards) and a fine rhythm section of Tal Wikenfeld (bass) and Vinnie Colaiuta (ex-Zappa) on drums.

Beck references Mahavishnu’s ‘Eternity’s Breath’ before an excellent version of Billy Cobham’s Stratus (the original featured Tommy Bolin).

Beautifully recorded, there’s excerpts from all the key albums: ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers”, “Scatterbrain” (from Blow By Blow), ‘Led Boots’, ‘Goodbye Pork Pie Hat’ (Wired) and ‘You Never Know’ and ‘Space Boogie’ from ‘There And Back’.

Special mention must be made of ‘You Never Know’, funky as hell with Rebello countering Beck’s frenetic riffing. It’s all over much too soon. But for a moment it harks back to the glorious age of guitar/keyboard interplay. Beck’s 1985 album wasn’t called ‘Flash’ for nothing.

The more recent ‘Blast From The East’ gives Satch a run for his money, if ever that was needed, but it does show that Beck remains very relevant.

When I saw Beck play live in the summer of 2014 something didn’t quite gel. Maybe it was the set-list, the different band, or the venue (the opulent Birmingham Symphony Hall). Here, in intimate surroundings, Beck’s performace is mesmerising and it provides a counter-balance to any doubters who think he has never bettered ‘Blow By Blow’. ****1/2

Review by David Randall (adapted from his 2008 GRTR! review)

Archive review (DVD/Bluray, 2009)

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)