Freeway Jam: To Beck and Back Various Artists
Freeway Jam continues Jeff Richman’s series of tribute albums and features some of the biggest names in progressive jazz paying respect to Jeff Beck.
Working with Jimmy Page in the early ’60s Beck was the key pioneer of British feedback and distortion. He joined The Yardbirds after Eric Clapton’s departure in 1965, with Page later joining on bass and then as a second lead guitarist.
Clapton and Page proceeded to fame and fortune; however, Beck’s career proceeded differently. While Beck has many albums of note, his Blow by Blow with synthesizer virtuoso Jan Hammer (and produced by George Martin) was the seminal album in jazz rock fusion.
Using material from throughout Beck’s career Richman adapts them enough to make them more than just a replication and his choice of guitarists is brilliant.
The album opens with Steve Morse doing a great interpretation of Freeway Jam and Richman takes the lead on a powerful version of El Becko. Mike Stern is superb on Diamond Dust, while Eric Johnson rocks hard on Beck’s Bolero.
John Scofield plays a funky Over Under Sideways Down brilliantly and Criss Cross’s Adam Rogers gives funky Led Boots a hard edge. Chris Duarte shows his stuff on Behind the Veil and Walter Trout is terrific on Brush With the Blues.
While this is not easy listening for those raised on commercial pop, every track on Freeway Jam sizzles.
Jeff Beck has always taken a trailblazing passionate approach and is rightly acknowledged as jazz/rock’s guitar genius.
Released: July 2007
Label: Tone Center
