Customer Reviews

Live With the Jan Hammer Group

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I say underrated because when this record came out it was lambasted by the critics. Find an old copy of the Rolling Stone Record guide, and they gave it like one star!!! Never understood that.
Listening to said recording right now. The first three tracks are a tour de force! Freeway Jam just sizzles all the way through. Earth is Still Our Only Home starts off innocently enough, but once they let loose it's a wallop, this number really percolates, with some real nice flourishes by Mr. Hammer, it's just funky! She's a Woman was just fine as a Beatles song, but Jeff Beck really pumps some new life into it with his reading here (he's done the same to A Day in the Life in recent years), with some reggae inspired playing. Listen to Jeff tear up the Strat, he's the guv'nor!!! Whose the guitarist on everyones top 5 list? On Darkness Earth in Search of a Sun the band as a whole gets more of a chance to shine, it's not so much a Beck showpiece, but a nice blend of jazz rock fusion. Scatterbrain is that as well, but here Jeff is back at the helm, bending those strings and churning out some delicious fret work. Freeway Jam is classic Beck, one of his signature songs done flawlessly.
This record was my introduction to Jeff Beck post Yardbirds, and after all these years I still find it very enjoyable to listen to.
I never understood why those critics didn't like this record, and frankly I never really cared. Buy, play, turn up and enjoy!

This LIVE recording of Jeff Beck with Jan Hammer and Co. is, for me, the quintessential can't-do-without Jeff Beck project/recording.
If you like Jeff Beck but have never heard this CD... JUST BUY IT!
You won't be disappointed.

I HAD THIS ALBUM WAYBACK AND FORGOT HOW GREAT IT IS.JEFF BECK,JAN HAMMER A FANTASTIC TEAM, ALONG WITH FERNANDO SAUNDERS (BASS),STEVE KINDLER (VIOLIN,SYNTH), TONY SMITH (DRUMS). THEY DO A REVED-UP VERSION OF FREEWAY JAM. ALL THE TRACKS ARE INTERESTING AND FUN TO HEAR. THE MUSICIANSHIP IS TOP NOTCH AND THE SOUND QUALITY ON THIS CD IS NOT BAD EITHER.BLUE WIND IS THE CLOSER ON THIS CD ONE OF MY ALLTIME FAVORITE JB/JH TUNES(NICE VERSION BUT I LIKE THE STUDIO VERSION BEST)IF YOUR A JEFF BECK FAN IT IS MUST HAVE!

This album is definitely an epic performance of Jeff and Jan, I have it in all the formats available, it is music that can be listened many times and never get old!

Starting with Freeway Jam, that's exactly the way an improvised song should sound, you can just feel how the power of these two monsters of music is just waiting to be unchained, and when the time comes, their soloing travels giving so much dimension to the song.

Later Jeff sings She's a Woman flooding the air with a guitar so sensual that it feels he is singing to her, and her moaning to the touch of his master hand, monumental version!

The album closes with a no less great tune, Jeff Beck at his higher, Blue Wind still has the flavor of The Jeff Beck Group, agressive, dynamic, taking music to the next level with a so revolucionary sound only Beck can project.

As others have indicated, this album was panned by the critics when it was released. Well, this was 1977 and they were probably still dancing to Philadelphia Freedom. Anyway, Beck is stunning on this set - a seething ball of anger and fury justifying him as THE best guitarist at that time. Also, listen to the craziness Jan Hammer puts down on Freeway Jam. I think the violin may have turned people off, thinking this was erzatz Mahavishnu but with Beck on board it was anything but. Would love to hear more of this band during the 1976 tour. Give me a 2 disc deluxe edition!!!!

over thirty years after its release this still is a great record. its amazing it hasnt been remastered yet. why? if yer a guitar fan you gotta get this one with the exception of a boogie track its timeless......

Wao! this is some serious jamming album. Not that it is a long jam session. On the contrary. Here most of the material is pulled from 'Blow by Blow' and 'Wired (Jeff Beck) and 'Oh Yeah!' & First Seven Days'( Jan Hammer), but the energy is VERY high here with impressive solos from Beck, hammer and Kindler (violin) reminding at times of a rockier Mahavishnu! Simply breathtaking! Wonder if there is any other material from this fantastic tour.

This album is just plain awesome, a real Jazz-Rock album from two of the finest musicians, Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer. A live recording album of their best tracks!

JEFF BECK & JAN HAMMER GROUP LIVE IS WHERE I FOUND BECK AND WHAT A MODERN JAZZ ROCK FUSHION BAND IS EDGEING INTO BLUES GREAT START TO GETTING TO KNOW JEFF BECK