Riding With The King 「天王競飆」

Release Date: June 13, 2000
一個被稱作『吉他之神』Eric Clapton，另一個是芝加哥『藍調之王』B.B. King，這兩個幾乎相差20歲，卻同樣是藍調/搖滾史上最重要的英雄人物，1967年首度在紐約Au Go Go俱樂部同台演出，整整30年後才又在1998年比比金與13位當代流行、搖滾好手對口合唱的專輯「Deuces Wild」中再度合作，不過對於兩位天王來說，只合作一首歌就如同隔靴搔癢般，無法淋漓盡致地發揮兩人神乎其技的工夫，因此兩位英雄會在2000年合作灌錄最新專輯「天王競飆」就不難理解了，不過最重要的是天王們看家本領盡出，聽眾樂迷才有耳福。
從「天王競飆」專輯的曲目，樂迷不難發覺這是一張表現『少敬老』(5首比比金的經典舊作)和以天王觀點重新詮釋他們心目中所喜愛的藍調樂曲，而兩位吉他大師在主、伴奏相互搭襯烘托中，樂迷可以深刻地感受憂鬱、熱情並行不悖的藍調魅力，期間兩人超卓的即興搭奏趣味，精彩之處更令人嘆為觀止。
如翻唱自作曲家/歌手John Hiatt的1983年的同名標題曲“Riding With The King"，比比金連說帶唱配合吉他與唱詩班背景和聲，表現了芝加哥藍調光輝榮耀的一刻，“Ten Long Years”是比比金五○年代的經典，在此歌曲中段後增加艾力克萊普頓的吉他對奏，讓三、四十年的舊曲依然煥發著雋永的魅力，Big Bill Broonzy三○年代草根藍調的經典“Key To The Highway"，艾力克萊普頓忠於原音以共鳴吉他表現原曲流浪歌謠的性格，歌聲雖不夠滄桑，吉他技巧卻有精進洗鍊的美處。
另一首比比金著名的五○年代經典“Three O’Clock Blues"，克萊普頓和老金無輪在演唱、吉他彈奏或酒吧藍調氣氛的營造上都相當完美，鋼琴手的串場也同樣叫人動容，取自比比金1962年的“Help The Poor"，雖然並未改變太多原曲如“Black Magic Woman"式的編法，克萊普頓在曲尾的吉他獨奏為新版加分，而越到最後，專輯越是精彩像以Blues Shuffle處理的“Days Of Old"、重新被賦予無限哀怨魅力的比比金名曲“When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer"、混合這靈魂精髓與搖滾動力的“Hold On I’m Coming"乃至兩人嘗試改編爵士標準曲目“Come Rain Or Come Shine"而成迷離憂鬱的藍調版本，光這幾首就足以讓這次的「天王競飆」留下『千禧年不可不聽的藍調經典專輯』美名了！(from KKBox )

Reviews from Amazon by Steve Vrana
Forget any apprehensions you may have had about this pairing of blues legend B.B. King and guitar god Eric Clapton. This CD should satisfy fans of King, Clapton and blues purists alike. Unlike the sometimes strained vocals on Clapton's 1994 blues album From The Cradle, there is nothing forced about this collaboration.

Some of these songs are reworkings of some of King's earliest sides like 1951's "Three O'Clock Blues," where King's single-note leads are balanced against Clapton's more fluid runs. And Joe Sample's piano playing is stellar throughout. Or the slow blues of 1954's "Heart Beats Like a Hammer" and 1955's shuffling "Ten Long Years," where Clapton steps back from the mic and lets King's vocal carry the song. (Although with Clapton now in his mid-fifties, he's nearly twice as old as King was when he first recorded these songs and has earned the right and acquired the ability to sing the blues with authority as he does on the rest of the tracks on this CD.)

Whether they're playing the acoustic blues of Big Bill Broonzy's "Key To The Highway," a funky version of the Sam and Dave classic "Hold On I'm Coming" or the electrifying "Days Of Old," these two artists play the blues with conviction. And the supporting cast is superb, including guitarists Andy Fairweather Low and Texas blues sensation Doyle Bramhall II. (In fact, two of Bramhalls's songs from last year's Jellycream--"Marry You" and "I Wanna Be"--are included here.)

The only song that at first glance seemed out of place was John Hiatt's title track, but once I hit the play button any misgivings I had immediately disappeared. There is not a false note on this album. The only disappointment is that after sixty minutes, it's over. If King can still play like this at his age--he'll turn seventy-five this fall--I'm looking forward to what clapton will be doing in another twenty years. This is as good as the blues gets. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED



Song Title
1. Riding With The King
2. Ten Long Years
3. Key To The Highway
4. Marry You
5. Three O'Clock Blues
6. Help The Poor
7. I Wanna Be
8. Worried Life Blues
9. Days Of Old
10. When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer
11. Hold On I'm Coming
12. Come Rain Or Come Shine