Otis Rush Eric Clapton/Switzerland 1986

This recording captures an intimate session with Otis Rush at the 1986 Montreux Jazz Festival! Looking back at Clapton's career, all of the songs he performed on the surprise appearances were familiar to him. He covered Albert King's "Crosscut Saw" on his 1983 album "Money and Cigarettes," and Rush's "Double Trouble" on his 1976 album "No Reason to Cry." Clapton's cover of Rush's "All Your Love" in 1966, when he was with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, shows just how much of a fan he admired Rush from a young age. While there's no studio recording of B.B. King's "Every Day I Have the Blues," it was a number he performed with Derek & the Dominos on their 1970 tour (later included in the set of the 1994 "Nothing But the Blues" tour). For Clapton, this opportunity to perform with his idol, Rush, was likely a compelling opportunity. Just as Otis Rush's 1986 Montreux Jazz Festival performance was also recorded on a stereo soundboard and officially released on CD, this disc's master is a digital copy of the first-generation master recording. However, Clapton did not participate in the full Rush performance, only on the last four tracks. His performance rivals the original bluesman with a sense of intensity! In this master recording, Clapton's playing is mixed slightly to the right of the center channel, while Rush's is mixed slightly to the left of the center channel. While both musicians play Stratocasters, the contrast between Clapton's edgy, wild tone and the Strat's milder tone is intriguing. Rush welcomed Clapton and handed him many of the solo parts. Clapton reciprocated, playing as if he were playing his own set. Rush also featured Clapton on vocals on his own compositions, Double Trouble and All Your Love. Rush must have been pleased that Clapton, a white man, respected him. Black blues guitarist Luther Allison also participated in "Every Day I Have the Blues," featuring vocals as well as guitar playing. While the song's title is "Every Day I Have the Blues," Allison improvised the lyrics, freely singing praises to Rush and praises to Clapton, adding to the excitement. Allison's guitar playing is mixed into the left channel. Clapton, even before his own performance date, joined the stage of his idol, a bluesman. This festival will surely leave a lasting memory in his heart. Le Casino, Montreux, Switzerland, July 9, 1986, STEREO SBD (from Original Masters) (31:05) 1. Crosscut Saw (with Eric Clapton) 2. Double Trouble (with Eric Clapton) 3. All Your Love (with Eric Clapton) 4. Every Day I Have the Blues (with Eric Clapton and Luther Allison) STEREO SOUNDBOARD RECORDING