Blow by Blow

For the former Philippine boxing television program, see Blow by Blow (Philippine TV program).
Blow by Blow
Studio album by Jeff Beck
Released March 1975
Recorded October 1974
Genre Jazz fusion
Instrumental rock
Length 44:40
Label Epic
Producer George Martin
Jeff Beck chronology
Live in Japan
(1973)		 Blow by Blow
(1975)		 Wired
(1976)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Robert Christgau B− [2]
PopMatters (positive) [3]
Rolling Stone (mixed) [4]
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

Blow by Blow is the seventh album by British guitarist Jeff Beck, released on Epic Records in 1975, and recorded in October 1974. It is the first under his name alone. An instrumental album, it peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.

Contents

Background and content

After the dissolution of his power trio in the spring of 1974, Beck took time for session work with other groups. In December, a half-hearted "audition" for The Rolling Stones took place, Beck jamming blues with the band for one day, their incompatibility obvious to all with the guitarist position vacated by Mick Taylor eventually going to ex-Jeff Beck Group bassist Ronnie Wood.[5]

During this period, Beck purposed to record an all-instrumental album, bringing back keyboardist Max Middleton from the second Jeff Beck Group and hiring George Martin to produce. The third key contributor to Blow by Blow was Stevie Wonder, who gave Beck his songs "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" and a tribute to Thelonious Monk, "Thelonius" (sic), Wonder playing clavinet on the latter uncredited. The former song appeared on an album done with his then-wife Syreeta Wright, "Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta," while Wonder never recorded "Thelonius" himself. A cover of the Beatles song "She's A Woman" was selected, as well as a composition by Bernie Holland of the group Hummingbird consisting of musicians from the second Beck Group. The other five tracks were band originals with Beck and Middleton the main writers, the last track on each side featured string arrangements by Martin. Beck dedicated "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" to fellow guitarist Roy Buchanan, with an acknowledgment to Wonder.[6]

On March 27, 2001, a remastered edition for compact disc was reissued by Legacy Records, Epic and its parent label Columbia Records now a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

Track listing

Side one

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "You Know What I Mean"   Jeff Beck, Max Middleton 4:05
2. "She's A Woman"   John Lennon and Paul McCartney 4:31
3. "Constipated Duck"   Jeff Beck 2:48
4. "Air Blower"   Beck, Middleton, Phil Chen, Richard Bailey 5:09
5. "Scatterbrain"   Jeff Beck, Max Middleton 5:39

Side two

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Cause We've Ended As Lovers"   Stevie Wonder 5:52
2. "Thelonius"   Stevie Wonder 3:16
3. "Freeway Jam"   Max Middleton 4:58
4. "Diamond Dust"   Bernie Holland 8:26

Personnel

Additional personnel

References

  1. ^ Kirschenmann, Mark. Blow by Blow at Allmusic. Retrieved 29 October 2005.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Jeff Beck > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=jeff+beck. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  3. ^ Warner, Simon (26 March 2001). "Jeff Beck: Blow by Blow / Wired > Album Reviews". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/beckjeff-wired. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  4. ^ Marsh, Dave (June 5, 1975). "Jeff Beck Blow by Blow > Album Review". Rolling Stone (188). Archived from the original on 2 October 2007. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/blow-by-blow-19750605. Retrieved 22 July 2007. 
  5. ^ Jeff Beck Fanzine Issue #2
  6. ^ Matt Blackett. "Pure Genius: Guitar's Magnificent Rebel Puts a Twist on Techno." Guitar Player, December 2000, pp. 98-106.
Jeff Beck
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations
Soundtracks
Frankie's House (w/ Jed Lieber)
Songs
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