Customer Reviews

Delaney & Bonnie On Tour With Eric Clapton

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

What a tour this must have been! Imagine a pick-up band with Eric Clapton, Dave Mason and Jessie Ed Davis on guitars, the rest of Derek and the Dominoes behind them, Jim Price and Bobby Keys on horns and Rita Coolidge to sing back up vocals. That's the team that Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett fielded for this 1970 gem. Thank God it was recorded! You won't be able to sit still during the opening Things Get Better, which manages to showcase every musician in one killer tune. Delaney and Bonnie's voices are wonderfully soulful in their Tribute Medley to Robert Johnson, and Dave Mason's Only You Know and I know rises to a new level. Bonnie really belts it out during That's What My Man is For, and a fun Little Richard Medley is icing on the cake. E.C. always loved being part of a band, and it really shows here. Everyone playing on this CD was young, healthy, energetic and still learning how good their music could be. I bought the vinyl 30 years ago, and now with the CD, I'm still loving it.Buy it and BOOGIE!

The stardom of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett rode on the waves of the husband-and-wife musical teams popular in the late 1960's and early 1970's, such as Ike and Tina Turner. Ironically, before marrying Delaney, Bonnie Lynn had performed as an Ikette for Ike and Tina. Possessing loads more combined talent than duos such as The Captain and Tenille, or even Paul McCartney and wife Linda, Delaney and Bonnie were able to attract a stage full of big name performers to tour and record with them. Among the luminaries featured on the 'On Tour' disc are co-headliner Eric Clapton, former Traffic founder Dave Mason, Clapton's future Domino's (Carl Radle on bass, Bobby Whitlock on keyboards, and Jim Gordon on drums), Rita Coolidge on backing vocals, and session horn men extraordinaire Bobby Keys and Jim Price. Percussionist Tex Johnson is also along for the ride, but his conga and bongo drums are completely humbled in the ensuing din. Like Ike and Tina, Delaney and Bonnie possessed a penchant for uping the tempo of their frequent cover songs by several notches, and blowing the competition away in a hail of decibels. The analogy with black artists is also not lost in their song selection, ranging from a medley of Little Richard hits, to a cover of black Gospel singer Bessie Griffin's composition, 'That's What My Man Is For' (as a slow-tempo traditional blues number, it serves as a mid-set respite from the high-energy tracks D & B are best known for), to Delaney Bramlett's tribute to Robert Johnson.

The best tracks on 'On Tour' are neatly distributed amongst the eight total tracks, all of which range between four and six minutes. The opening track, 'Things Get Better', track four, 'I Don't Want To Discuss It', and the Clapton-Bonnie Bramlett composition, 'Coming Home' (the next-to-last track) are all worthy of repeat listens. 'Coming Home', in particular, possesses a distinct Clapton signiture guitar foundation, making it the stand-out track. Despite having Dave Mason in tow, D & B's cover of Mason's 'Only You Know and I Know' can't compete with Mason's own rendition(s), despite reaching #20 on the pop charts in 1970 (D & B's only other charting song, 'Never Ending Song of Love', charted out at number 13). The remaining tracks are rather generic, although the impressive instrumentation is admirable track after track.

This March, 1970 release was recorded in Croydon, England, and the crowd, given the combined on-stage presence of guitar hero's Clapton and Mason (fresh from his epic release 'Alone Together'), are noticably enthused at witnessing what even then had to be considered an historic performance. The packaging of the disc doesn't do justice to its importance, however. The recordings themselves have never been remastered, nor has the disc been expanded with unreleased tracks, which certainly must exist. Nevertheless the sound is exceptional, given the era in which it was recorded. For fans of white-soul music, as well as followers of Eric Clapton, the disc would have to be considered essential. For everyone else, it all depends on how the Delaney and Bonnie 'sound' sounds to you.

The energy of this recording is amazing. Clapton is on fire and the whole band kicks out a strong set of gospel influenced rock and roll. Great stuff. If you like Clapton at his peak (first solo album, Derek and the Dominos) you'll want this. Other sets that this is related too include Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour (many of the same people on both) and early 70's Leon Russell.

Good Lord--this is the closest thing to spontaneous human combustion that may ever be captured on disc! Delaney's high-wire vocal acrobatics and hell-for-leather "follow me!" charges are absolutely inspiring, and Bonnie sings with enough vitality to rip down a brick wall with her bare hands. This also includes the raging fires that Eric tosses out, as well as the tornado whirlwinds fueled by Jim Gordon and Jim Keltner on drums, Carl Radle on bass, and Bobby Whitlock's keyboards. The horn section could blast down the walls of Jericho. This is an absolute must-have: throw away the vitamins and get this if you need an energy rush!!

35 years ago I had fewer than 50 albums. This was one of them. I now have over 500 and it's still one of them. The only way it could get any better is if Rhino got a hold of the masters and put out an expanded version.

Mysterioso, Mysterioso? If you listen REAL careful, the more observant will notice - sometimes - up to FIVE guitars on this, one of the all-time great live albums. I think it`s fair to say that not everyone played on every tune. However, I think I would be right in suggesting that MYSTERIOSO probably DID play on every tune - check that with Delaney - I think he`ll agree. Mysterioso joined the D and B tour in Liverpool, then played most of Britain and all of Scandanavia before returning to play this Fairfield Halls, Croyden date. I didn`t see him put his guitar down for the whole gig, although having said that; he didn`t make himself too prominent either. Mysterioso also co-wrote (with Eric Clapton) and played on "Badge" - from the "Goodbye Cream" album, but in the case of both albums, the vaguaries of the recorded artists contracts with their respective record companies precluded the use of a real name. The gig was wonderfully performed in what was a refreshing retro style in it`s day but with seering beautifuly modern application that belied it`s routes in gospel, folk and R and B. Everything about this album is a joy to behold. The perfomances as a whole are a pure experience and Bonnies vocal deliveries are peerless. On "That`s What My Man Is For" you are nailed to the wall - and you ain`t getting down! "Delaney and Bonnie on tour with Eric Clapton" is a stunning live album - as with the Allman`s "Live at Fillmore East" - close your eyes and you`re there. Oh, and MYSTERIOSO, that would be George Harrison.

stephen arnade palm bay florida; This is it, the best rock-and-roll from the 70's. Delaney and Bonnie with Dave Mason and Eric Claption. Its live and everyone was at their peak in their career. Dave Mason, Eric, Delaney Bramlett, and Bonnie Bramlett. Delaney and Bonnie combined; Gospel, Soul and Rock-And-Roll. A really unique band !! I read somewhere that the Eric Clapton guitar-solo on the song "I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT", was rated the number one guitar solo ever. Its live, its spontaneous. They announcer even use some slang from back then. Calling this a "swing place".

This is one of those albums that puts other all-time favorites in perspective. It was a pivotal time for Clapton, who, coming from his brief Blind Faith experiment, was overwhelmed by superstar expectations. This tour allowed him to regroup as "one of the band" and, as another reviewer noted, continue with Carl Radle, Jim Gordon, and Bobby Whitlock as Derek & the Dominoes, where he was once again the lone soloist. Dave Mason, even though on the album he is introduced as a member of Traffic, was more or less split from them and in the process of playing with everybody who asked. Also, Carl Radle appears on some of Dave's solo stuff. Overall, this is a rippin' band that is obviously having fun. "Comin' Home" is my personal favorite, but I find myself listening to this one over and over and over. . .

I had the good fortune to see several Delaney & Bonnie concerts in the early 1970's, of which this was one. It was one of the most stirring performances I have ever seen, and to this day, I still have seen or heard nothing to match it. I wore the grooves off of the original LP of this Croydon concert with Eric Clapton. However, the recording quality of this CD copy is so poor as be unrecognizable relative to the original LP.

This is a wonderful live album featuring Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, along with Eric Clapton and Dave Mason. In addition to the stars this is the first time I heard this particular grouping of backup musicians, let by Jim Gordon (drums), Carl Radle (bass) and others. These musicians went on to backup Steve Winwood in Traffic, George Harrison in the Concert for Bangladesh, Joe Cocker on the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour (with Leon Russel) and Eric Clapton (Derek and the Dominoes, and his hit single Layla). A truly talented gathering, and this CD features hard-driving rock and soulful ballads by Bonnie. Enjoy!!