ERIC CLAPTON – NO REASON TO CRY SESSIONS (3 CD-R)

Description

Shangri-La Studios, Malibu, CA, USA 30th March 1976 STEREO SBD(from Original Masters)

[A rare recording of a Clapton birthday party session featuring a star-studded lineup of musicians]

　　A rare studio session recording has arrived from an overseas taper who has been generously providing original masters of Clapton’s precious recordings in recent years. It is a clear stereo soundboard recording of the “Birthday Session” held on March 30, 1976, Clapton’s 31st birthday, at The Band’s Shangri-La Studios, involving a large number of distinguished guests. The musicians who participated in this session were also those who participated in the album “No Reason To Cry,” which Clapton was recording around that time, and it just so happened that Clapton’s birthday fell during the recording of the album.

　This recording has been leaked before, and several previously released versions exist, but the master we have acquired this time is a low-generation master, which we received from the sound engineer who worked at the studio at the time. Therefore, the sound quality is outstanding. With its superb stereo separation, it is a fascinating source that allows you to clearly hear the playing of almost every musician.

　We previously released a different master of this session on 2CDR as a gift item, but this release contains even more tracks, so we can confidently say that this is the definitive version of this session’s recordings. This release includes all the tracks from Disc 1 that were not included in the previous gift item, as well as numbers like Adios Mi Corazon, The Water Is Wide, Idiot Wind, and Big River. In short, this release completes the collection of recordings from this session.

　Disc 1 mainly contains mono rough mix versions of songs from “No Reason To Cry.” These were likely mixed for listening purposes before the final master version was decided. Of course, just like the final version, The Band member Bob Dylan participates. Ronnie Wood is probably playing the electric sitar on “Carnival.” Of particular interest are the first track, “Jam,” and “Tenho Sede.” The former is a warm-up to form the band’s groove, and musicians at the time used jams like this to communicate with each other. The latter is a number sung in Portuguese by Yvonne Elliman, a female singer who was in Clapton’s band at the time.

　The first three tracks on Disc 2 feature Bob Dylan as the main vocalist. The birthday session, which began late on the 30th, continued throughout the night, with Dylan reportedly showing up at 8 a.m. the following morning. These three tracks (and Disc 3-7) were apparently recorded during that session.

　From the fourth track onwards, Disc 3 features sessions with the Clapton band and all the members of The Band who participated in the all-night session: Ronnie Wood, Van Morrison, and Billy Preston. Since the album “No Reason To Cry” does not include any tracks featuring Van Morrison or Billy Preston, it is rare to hear their voices on this album (Billy Preston’s name is listed under “many thanks to” on the back cover of the album, but for some reason Van Morrison’s name is not). Billy Preston is the one on vocals and organ on “Right Now.”

　In “Steppin’ Out,” Clapton’s dobro plays a major role. Lead vocals are handled by Levon Helm of The Band. The vocals on “What Would I Do” are by Richard Manuel, also of The Band. Van Morrison sings on “Who Do You Love,” and Billy Preston sings again on “Tried To Make The Devil Mad.” The final take is performed after practice takes in which Preston teaches the chord progressions. “Won’t Somebody Tell Me” is a number with Clapton on vocals and features three guitars. Clapton takes a solo using halftones, followed by Robbie Robertson’s solo utilizing pinch harmonics. These are the parts that are worth listening to. The third guitar, playing a subtle yet precise style, is thought to be George Terry of the Clapton Band.

　For “It’s Eric’s Birthday,” the lineup has changed slightly, with Ronnie Wood joining in on obbligato in the right channel. This number is an improvisation led by Billy Preston’s vocals and piano. Clapton delivers a solid solo of his own. These masters were able to brilliantly shape even a bluesy improvisational jam like this, where only the key was decided. “Hard Times” is a Ray Charles number that Preston once supported, and features poignant vocals by Rick Danko of The Band. “Big River” is recorded separately here, and is from a session when Dylan was still in the band. You can hear a duet vocal performance by Clapton and Dylan. The final track, “Stormy Monday,” is a blues song that Clapton also likes, and his guitar playing shines in the center channel. The vocals are by Van Morrison.

　Overall, this is far from the rambling, unbearable studio sessions that are so common. It’s a high-quality session, and if an expanded edition of “No Reason To Cry” were to be released in the future, it seems likely that several tracks from this recording would be edited and included as bonus tracks. The conversations between songs, which are clearly audible, are also interesting, and you can sense that Billy Preston, who is often called upon, was a beloved figure among everyone. As a record of a bygone era, this is a work that Dylan and The Band fans will surely enjoy.

Disc:1 (31:04)
1. Shangri-La Jam
2. Sign Language
3. All Our Past Times
4. County Jail
5. Tenho Sede
6. Carnival

Disc:2 (51:24)
1. Adios Mi Corazon
2. The Water Is Wide
3. Idiot Wind
4. Right Now
5. Shuffle Jam
6. Right Now
7. Steppin’ Out
8. What Would I Do

Disc:3 (58:31)
1. Who Do You Love
2. Tried To Make The Devil Mad
3. What Would I Do
4. Won’t Somebody Tell Me
5. It’s Eric’s Birthday
6. Hard Times
7. Big River
8. Stormy Monday

Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
Carl Radle – bass
George Terry – guitar
Jamie Oldaker – drums
Dick Sims – keyboards
Yvonne Elliman – vocals
Marcy Levy – vocals
Sergio Pastora – percussion
Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar
Georgie Fame – organ
Ron Wood – guitar
Van Morrison – vocals
Rick Danko – bass, vocals
Robbie Robertson – guitar
Jesse Ed Davis – guitar
Billy Preston – vocals, keyboards
Garth Hudson – organ
Richard Manuel – vocals, piano
Levon Helm – vocals, drums
Wah Wah Watson – guitar