Jeff Beck: Guitar Hero (Jeff Beck: Performing this week at Ronnie Scott's)

Member Name: adambrown400

Product:	Jeff Beck: Performing this week at Ronnie Scott's
Date:	30/12/08 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing concert

Disadvantages: none

For five nights last year, Jeff Beck played a small residency at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London. Beck has never really shone as bright as he should have done - equal in skill to both Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page - even the great Jimi Hendrix. From the early days in The Yardbirds, to The Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart and his more recent foray into electronica, Jeff Beck has quietly honed his craft without ever being a 'mega star'. He is however, an absolute guitar god - a skill that these days is genuinely regarded as 'classic rock' and mindless self-indulgence.

Beck's unique guitar playing is something you need to see for yourself. What you hear on the CD looks totally different to how you imagine it is played - and on this film its impossible to take your eyes off his fingers as Beck treats his audience to a master class in guitar playing skill.

Beck has assembled a fantastic backing band for this gig, they are able to match him note for note as he races through some of his greatest rock instrumentals. The highlights for me was his take on 'A Day in the Life' and 'Brush With the Blues.'

As well as his own band, Beck also has some great guest spots from Imogen Heap, Joss Stone and Eric Clapton. Imogen Heap comes across best with her really unique vocal range. She has appeared on a number of Beck's more recent albums. Joss Stone comes across as the spoiled brat we all know she is - trying to upstage Beck by adding he 'whoas' and 'ohhhs' at every opportunity. Eric Clapton is out-guitared off stage by Beck by playing 'Who Do You Love' - a bit of a nod to Page and Plant in the audience, whose bastardised version became 'Whole Lotta Love'.

Theres no doubt that Beck's music works really well in close quarters. Ronnie Scott's club is small enough and intimate enough for the crowd to feel right up close and personal to Beck's music and his new band. They love it, and its good to see city bankers mingling with the likes of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page who've come along to watch their contemporaries in action.

It was an amazing gig and congratulations to the BBC for capturing the performance on camera. Hopefully they'll repeat it again soon, as its not available on iplayer.

Summary: An excellent tour de force for Beck