Jeff Beck

Here's another one of Sony Legacy's two-fers that features a pair of mismatched classics in Jeff Beck's 1975 fusion classic Blow by Blow and his earlier, much more rockist Truth from 1968. While it's hard to discern exactly who the suits over at Legacy are marketing this toward -- Beck fans have long since had both records a couple of times over it seems -- this is a powerhouse pair even if they are ordered in the reverse. The Blow by Blow band featured keyboardist Max Middleton (from an earlier incarnation of the Jeff Beck Group), bassist Phil Chen (Beck played bass as well as guitar here), and drummer Richard Bailey. George Martin produced this set. It contains the original studio version of "Freeway Jam," though it's the live version with Jan Hammer that is usually celebrated. Truth by turns, was produced by Mickie Most, and featured Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood along with guests Jimmy Page, Aynsley Dunbar, John Paul Jones, and Madeline Bell; it's a balls-out rocker full of earthquaking blues such as Willie Dixon's "I Ain't Superstitious" and "You Shook Me," the power ballad "Morning Dew," and a reading of fellow former Yardbird Chris Dreja's "Shapes of Things" along with the well-known guitar hero workout "Beck's Bolero." The value in this budget-priced package is strictly for those who haven't already replaced their LP collections (which they should rethink in the 21st century) or are new to Beck's work outside the Yardbirds. For the latter, these recordings are bona fide classics. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide