Eric Clapton 24 Nights: Live From Albert Hall CD

Filmed live at The Royal Albert Hall, London in 1990 and 1991.

Starting in 1987, Eric Clapton would traditionally take over London's Royal Albert Hall for a number of nights, putting together various themed sets. One show might be all blues while another might find him performing with an orchestra. The two-disc 24 NIGHTS takes four of these sets from the 1990 and 1991 performances, ably demonstrating how flexible Clapton's guitar playing is regardless of the setting. Disc one finds Slowhand playing a Cream-heavy set. On Clapton's blues band set he jams with heroes and friends such as Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan and Johnny Johnson on songs by Guy ("Watch Yourself"), Junior Wells ("Hoodoo Man") and Maceo Merriweather ("Worried Life Blues").

The 9-piece band opening up disc two essays numbers from JOURNEYMAN along with "Wonderful Tonight" and a Derek & The Dominos favorite, "Bell Bottom Blues." Things wrap up with Clapton backed by the aforementioned nonet and The Michael Kamen-led National Philharmonic Orchestra. Along with a version of "Hard Times" that does justice to Brother Ray's original, there's the instrumental "Edge Of Darkness." Taken from the Lethal Weapon movies Clapton scored with Kamen, it shows another side of Slowhand that's usually buried under the deification he's shunned his whole life.

Recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall, London in 1990 & 1991. Includes liner notes by Derek Taylor.

Personnel: Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar); Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, Phil Palmer (guitar); Jerry Portnoy (harmonica); Johnnie Johnson (piano); Greg Philinganes (keyboards, background vocals); Chuck Leavell (keyboards); Nathan East (bass, background vocals); Richard Cousins, Joey Spampinato (bass); Steve Ferrone, Jamie Oldaker (drums); Phil Collins (tambourine); Ray Cooper (percussion); Katie Kissoon, Tessa Niles (background vocals).