Eric Clapton/CA,USA 07.31.2004 Complete Soundboard Edition

A gem of a work, completely captured with astonishing ALD recording! A new master has arrived from Taper, a veteran in the UK familiar with Eric Clapton's sound sources! This master captures the San Jose, California performance on July 31st, the final day of the "Me & Mr. Johnson US Tour," which began in the summer of 2004, with a superb stereo soundboard recording using ALD (a distribution system for booths for the hearing impaired) recording! While this sound source already exists, this time, the heavyweight taper has delivered a digital copy of the original master, ensuring the highest quality in terms of freshness. Due to the condition of the original master, there are occasional drops in the ALD noise during "Let It Rain," and the noise and jumps during "Layla" remain. However, the jumps in "Layla" have been compensated for elsewhere to eliminate the discomfort. There are no other flaws. Therefore, this release is the least flawed and easiest to listen to to date. The sound quality is undeniably high, so you can listen with confidence. This tour marked a new frontier for Clapton, as it finally brought Doyle Bramhall II, whom he had been courting since 2000, into the band. Since then, Doyle's precise support and mutually inspiring chemistry have made him an indispensable right-hand man for Clapton, and his first tour with him was a truly refreshing and wonderful experience. To understand where this tour took him in Clapton's career, let's take a chronological look at the highlights of the year. A year marked by the release of a new album and a successful tour: January 4th: Appeared at a concert titled "The Last Fringe," in celebration of the closure of the Guildford Civic Centre in his hometown of Surrey. March 15th: Appeared at the "One Generation 4 Another" benefit concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, benefiting the foundation established by Lord Taverners. <March 30, 2004: Release of the album "ME AND MR. JOHNSON">・March 24 - May 11, 2004: European tour・June 4, 5, and 6, 2004: 1st Crossroads Guitar Festival・June 9 - August 2, 2004: US tour←★Here★・August 4: Appeared at The Crickets' anniversary concert held at the House of the Blues, a club in Hollywood, California.・December 16: Appeared on Jools Holland's New Year's broadcast at the BBC TV studios in London.・December 18: Appeared in a concert by Gary Brooker's band, No Stiletto Shoes, held in Chiddingford, Surrey, England.・December 31: Held the annual charity concert, "New Year's Eve Dance," in his hometown of Woking, Surrey. This was another extremely busy year, coincidentally touring in conjunction with the release of his album "Me and Mr. Johnson." It also marked the first time he hosted his own major event, the "Crossroads Guitar Festival." With all of these accomplishments accomplished, Clapton embarked on his US tour with a sense of fulfillment and elation. While he was essentially off after this tour, as you can see, it was still a year of continued energy. Naturally, the tour included new material from the album (mid-set), and much attention was focused on how Clapton would perform these newly recorded tracks by Robert Johnson, a man he has dedicated his life to. However, it's fair to say the highlights of this tour were in the other tracks. He pulls out a laid-back rendition of Dylan's "Walk Out In The Rain" from the 1978 album "BACKLESS," then delivers a breathtaking performance of the Dominos' "Got To Get Better In A Little While," performed for the first time in 34 years since 1970. Clapton delivers a razor-sharp solo here, truly incredible. He then segues into the relentless "Have You Ever Loved A Woman." The first half alone is sure to knock you out. The second half, with Doyle joining the cast, is just as good! Doyle Bramhall II, the young guitarist whom Clapton finally persuaded to join, is a perfect fit! His ability to take solos on each track clearly shows he already had Clapton's full trust. His sultry solo in the bridge of the opening "Let It Rain" proves that Doyle is no ordinary musician. He also displays his exceptional slide playing following Clapton's "Walk Out In The Rain." Listen to the closing rendition of "Got To Get Better In A Little While," where the two performers share a passionate solo. Clapton clearly craved this passion. This year also marked the final tour featuring his ally Billy Preston in full swing. Furthermore, the powerful black duo of Michelle John and Sharon White were employed for the first time as female backing vocalists. Their soulful vocals have a powerful, gospel-like impact. This band lineup delivers a truly incredible performance. This is a truly remarkable performance, demonstrating how physically and mentally fulfilled Clapton was at the time. Robert Randolph, whom Clapton had appointed for this tour, joined in for the encore, showcasing his signature pedal steel playing. HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA, USA 31st July 2004 SBD(from Original ALD Recording Masters) Disc:1 (51:27) 1. Intro. 2. Let It Rain ★Noise drop at 0:42 / 0:45 / 0:47 / 0:48 3. Hoochie Coochie Man\ 4. Walk Out In The Rain 5. I Wanna Little Gir6. I Shot The Sheriff 7. Me And The Devil Blues 8. They’re Red Hot 9. Milkcow’s Calf Blues 10. If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day 11. Kind Hearted Woman Disc:2 (59:49) 1. Got To Get Better In A Little While 2. Have You Ever Loved A Woman 3. Badge 4. Wonderful Tonight 5. Layla 6. Cocaine 7. Sunshine Of Your Love* 8. Got My Mojo Working * Eric Clapton : Guitar & Vocals Nathan East : Bass Chris Stainton : Keyboards Steve Gadd : Drums Doyle Bramhall II : Guitar Billy Preston : Keyboards Sharon White : Backing Vocals Michelle John : Backing Vocals *Robert Randlph : Pedal Steel Guitar