Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Blues/Bluesrock, Jazz/Jazzrock/Fusion | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 162 / 7-8-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 7.5/10 | Label: Mascot | Autor: ML
When guitarist Eric Johnson is named, many fans as well as guitarists in the blues rock and fusion scene are amazed by the undertone. Last year the US-American went on an extended tour through Europe. The concert in Amsterdam's Melkweg forms the basis for this 14-track live album. Further recordings were made in the Cologne canteen, the Bochum colliery and the New Morning in Paris. "Europe Live" shows the Texan absolutely complete. There are acoustic delicacies, funky spots of colour ("Fatdaddy"), gripping blues rockers, but also jazzy ones like the John Coltrane piece "Mr. P.C." and atmospheric ones ("When The Sun Meets The Sky"). With all facets and styles of the different tracks the singing tone of his guitar captivates in every song. Similar to Robben Ford or Matt Schofield, Johnson manages to put his guitar playing almost unobtrusively, but in a beautiful way into the centre of attention. What makes this album an unobtrusive event is this spacious but never penetrating way of playing the guitar.
Top track: Manhattan
