Eric Clapton/MA,USA 1994 DAT Master Edition

The original DAT master of the “Nothin’ But the Blues Arena Tour,” one of the peaks of Clapton’s career, has arrived! Over the past year, based on masters from newly acquired overseas tapers, we’ve released definitive versions of the “Nothin’ But the Blues Tour” including the definitive club tour trilogy “IRVING PLAZA 1994,” the arena tour trilogy “Madison Square Garden 1994,” the upgraded regional city performance “Milwaukee 1994 DAT Master,” and the first Japanese release of the “Indianapolis 1994 DAT Master.” These releases have been highly acclaimed by Clapton and blues fans alike. “IRVING PLAZA 1994 3rd Night” in particular is a groundbreaking release, as it is the original master that is completely free of the fatal flaw (digital noise) present in all other circulating masters (and the bootlegs that recorded it), and the “Madison Square Garden 1994” trilogy is the first Japanese release of the sound source. Just when we thought these were the sound sources for both the club and arena versions of Clapton’s “Nothin’ But the Blues Tour,” which he performed from 1994 to 1995 and featured only old blues tracks, the same taper has now provided us with a new DAT master from the “Nothin’ But the Blues Arena Tour.” This is a stereo audience recording master from the Worcester performance on October 14, 1994. While the performance location is different, it’s the same arena tour as the previous releases, so we figured that was enough for us. However, when we checked the master, we were surprised by the exceptional sound quality. It’s believed to be the original master for the 2-CD “Blues All Day Long,” which received a rating of “4” (out of 5) for audience bootlegs on the bootleg rating site Geetarz. This bootleg was produced overseas for a select group of collectors, and judging by its poor jacket design, it likely was a privately produced medium, making it unlikely to have been available in Japan. This is a fantastic opportunity to easily listen to the original master on this release. Furthermore, the master was completely different from the recently released cassette master of the same performance! Naturally, during the “Nothing But the Blues Tour,” where the setlist remained largely unchanged, Clapton’s playing was entirely ad-libbed, which is different from MSG and others. Given this, it was only natural that this master would also be released on a press CD. While MSG captured the atmosphere of the venue to a certain extent thanks to its favorable position in the arena seats, this master recording is equally clear and “beautiful” with excellent stereo imagery. The sound balance is also excellent. There are several tape changes in the latter half of the performance, but they were all after the performance and did not cause any problems. Customers who have purchased previously released titles such as the “Madison Square Garden 1994” trilogy can look forward to this release. This tour was the subject of an officially released film directed by Martin Scorsese, and its soundtrack CD, “Nothing But the Blues,” is well known. However, it only captures the club tour. Due to Scorsese’s wishes, the film’s composition differed from the actual song order, and it wasn’t a complete recording of the concert. Considering the venues were clubs, this arena tour, which moved a much larger audience, is also highly worthy of listening, just like the “IRVING PLAZA 1994” trilogy. The “Nothing But the Blues Tour,” which took place in 1994 and 1995, is considered the most divine tour of Clapton’s career. He played and sang at every show, playing and singing at every turn, without cutting corners. It was a relaxed, comfortable, and yet deeply charged challenge to the blues. This tour can be seen as a testament to his determination, a personal answer to the question of what “blues” really means. Why Clapton Returned to the Blues: Repeating the title review of this tour, I would like to speculate on why Clapton returned to the blues in 1994. To do so, we must trace his tragic life. In March 1991, Clapton lost his young son in a freak accident, hitting rock bottom. However, with encouragement from his staff and fellow musicians, he transformed his state into cathartic songwriting, channeling his feelings for his son and his own life reflections into songwriting. During his debut performance on MTV’s “Unplugged,” Clapton also performed the blues, a genre he had longed to play since childhood. Having rediscovered the essence of the blues, Clapton returned to regular touring, but in the following year, 1993, he decided to perform an all-blues setlist for his annual series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in the early months of the year. He then finally achieved his dream of recording an all-blues album, “FROM THE CRADLE,” something he hadn’t been able to do in his younger years. Clapton had approached his label, Warner, about recording a blues album, but was dismissed, saying, “There’s no way it would sell.” However, the unprecedented success of “Unplugged” led Warner to soften their stance and approve Clapton’s blues album as a bonus, which also helped fuel his success. “FROM THE CRADLE” followed “Unplugged” in becoming a hit, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 charts. American audiences, too, craved Clapton’s blues. The success of “FROM THE CRADLE” likely solidified his desire to master the blues on the live stage. Driven by this momentum, Clapton planned the “Nothing But the Blues Tour,” a live blues-only tour. At the lowest point of his life after losing his young son, Clapton likely realized that it was the blues that guided him to stay true to himself. Recalling his childhood fascination with the blues and once again expressing his gratitude to the blues and its predecessors, he returned to the music for the “Nothing But the Blues Tour.” It’s no wonder Clapton was so committed to this tour. The entire tour was filled with high-energy performances and highlights. Here’s a rundown of the “Nothing But the Blues Tour” dates: 1994: September 13th: “FROM THE CRADLE” released. September 28th: ​​Tour rehearsals were filmed at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. This was later broadcast in the United States, Europe, and Japan. October 3rd – November 4th: US Arena Tour ← [Here] November 7th – November 28th: ​​US Club Tour <1995> February 15th – March 7th: UK Tour April 5th – May 5th: European Tour August 28th – September 24th: US Arena Tour II October 1st – October 13th: Japan Tour As you can see, the October 14th date recorded on this album was the middle of the “Nothing But the Blues Arena Tour.” The tour moved from MSG in New York, where the tour began, to the provinces. The setlist was the same as MSG, but Clapton was a live artist, and his playing was completely improvised, so even in the same songs you can hear solos that are completely different from those in MSG. As the set transitioned from a seated acoustic set to a standing electric set, Clapton and his band’s energy rapidly increased, reaching a fiery, passionate end, culminating in the end of the regular set. The set ended with a piano-only solo performance, ending with a moving, full-band performance of “Ain’t Nobody’s Business,” moving the audience to their knees. The set’s structure remained consistent. The first half of the set featured acoustic or standard riffs, creating a solid, patterned performance. However, from the middle onward, the tracks featured prominent guitar solos, showcasing Clapton’s true talent as a live artist, delivering a barrage of sharp, unwavering improvisational riffs. Disc 2, in particular, showcases Clapton’s true talent when playing blues. The flowing solos in the Freddie King Corner, played on three consecutive tracks starting with “Someday After A While,” are a must-listen, and the reeling guitar work at the end of “Five Long Years” and beyond is simply incredible. It’s truly impressive how fast his fingers can move. And it’s not just fast playing; it’s Clapton’s signature phrases, full of spirit. Of particular note is “Born Under A Bad Sign,” a song not performed on the club tour. Along with “Crosscut Saw,” this is a rare take that showcases Clapton approaching Albert King. While the highlight of the night was practically every track in the second half, if I had to pick one, it would be “Groanin’ The Blues.” Just listen and you’ll understand. It’s incredible. And “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” is fantastic! This song was written in 1922 and has been covered by various singers, but Clapton based it on a 1923 version by pre-war female blues singer Bessie Smith. Clapton calmly sings, lamenting his unfortunate life: “Even if I’m penniless, even if I jump into the ocean and commit suicide, leave me alone.” However, at the end, the entire band erupts with emotion. Is it a cry of desperation? Or is Clapton encouraging the protagonist by saying, “Don’t give up. Take care of yourself.” His playing here, even in this context, is simply amazing. His solo on this day is also different in style from MSG’s. While an average guitarist might get by with a repetitive phrasing day after day, Clapton plays a completely different phrasing than MSG. This is a testament to his exceptional talent, backed by his advanced technique and unique flair. While this tour featured many blues songs never before recorded in a studio, this song is particularly memorable. Considering it ended the regular set, Clapton clearly had some intention behind it. Compared to the “FROM THE CRADLE” where the shoulders were tense, the “Nothing But the Blues Tour” had a long concert with many songs, so there were times when the number of songs increased, and there were times when the gears were shifted back in, times when the band shifted down a little and relaxed, and it presented an exquisite balance of tempo, including singing. On this day, Clapton’s guitar playing was outstanding, but the singingThe performances here offer even more passionate singing than at any other show. Again, the top-gear, full-throttle playing and singing on Disc 2 are a must-listen. Furthermore, on this arena tour, Clapton had chosen his friend, guitarist Jimmie Vaughan’s band, as the opening act, and the encore featured “Sweet Home Chicago,” with Vaughan making a surprise appearance. This was a treat not present on the club tour, which lacked an opening act. Clapton seemed particularly pleased to perform with Jimmie Vaughan that day, devoting more than twice as much time to Vaughan’s solos as to his own. Vaughan, who was given so much playing time, repaid Clapton’s kindness by delivering an incredibly passionate solo. Such a spectacular encore session could only have been possible in America, the home of blues. Also noteworthy on this tour was that Clapton used a record number of guitars on a single stage: 10. This was in recognition of his respect for the original blues artists and recordings, striving to create an identical sound. To summarize his preferences, he has: 1. Martin 12-string – Motherless Child 2. Martin 000-42 – Malted Milk 3. Dobro – How Long 4. Gibson L5 – Kidman Blues, County Jail 5. Gibson Birdland (brown sunburst) – 44 6. Fender Stratocaster (blonde finish) – Blues All Day Long, Going Away Baby, I Can’t Judge Nobody, Five Long Years, Born Under A Bad Sign, Groaning The Blues, Crossroads, Ain’t Nobody’s Business, Sweet Home Chicago 7. Fender Stratocaster (black finish) – Standin’ Around Cryin’ 8. Gibson Birdland (blonde finish) – It Hurts Me Too, Blues Before Sunrise 9. Gibson ES-335 (brown sunburst) – Third Degree, Reconsider Baby, Sinner’s Prayer 10. Gibson ES-335 (Cherry Red) – Someday After a While, Tore Down, Have You Ever Loved a Woman, Crosscut Saw. The superb sound quality of this album accurately captures the tone of each guitar. We hope you enjoy Clapton’s attention to detail in each song. Centrum, Worcester, MA, USA 14th October 1994 TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc:1 (60:26) 1. Motherless Child 2. Malted Milk 3. How Long 4. Kidman Blues 5. County Jail 6. 44 7. Blues All Day Lon 8. Going Away Baby 9. Standing Around Crying 10. Hoochie Coochie Man 11. It Hurts Me Too 12. Blues Before Sunrise 13. Third Degree 14. Reconsider Baby 15. Sinner’s Prayer 16. I Can’t Judge Nobody Disc:2 (55:35) 1. Someday After A While 2. Tore Down 3. Have You Ever Loved A Woman 4. Crosscut Saw 5. Long Five Years 6. Born Under A Bad Sign 7. Groaning The Blues 8. Crossroads 9. Ain’t Nobody’s Business 10. Sweet Home Chicago (with Jimmie Vaughan) Eric Clapton – guitar / vocals Andy Fairweather Low – guitar Chris Stainton – keyboards Dave Bronze – bass Andy Newmark – drums Jerry Portnoy – harmonica The Kick Horns (Simon Clarke – baritone saxophone, Roddy Lorimer – trumpet, Tim Sanders – tenor saxophone)