Blow by Blow
| Blow by Blow | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Jeff Beck | ||||
| Released | 29 March 1975[1] | |||
| Recorded | October 1974 at AIR Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Jazz fusion, instrumental rock | |||
| Length | 44:40 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | George Martin | |||
| Jeff Beck chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Robert Christgau | B−[3] |
| PopMatters | (positive)[4] |
| Rolling Stone | (mixed)[5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [6] |
Blow by Blow is the second solo album by British guitarist Jeff Beck, released on Epic Records in 1975, and recorded in October 1974. It was the first under his name alone, an instrumental album that peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Background and content
After the dissolution of the power trio Beck, Bogert & Appice (BBA) in spring 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, before realising their musical styles were not compatible.[1]
During this period, Beck decided to record an all-instrumental album, bringing back keyboardist Max Middleton from the second Jeff Beck Group. He hired George Martin to produce after hearing his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra.[1] According to Carmine Appice, who played with Beck in BBA, he was involved in the writing and recording process of Blow By Blow but his parts were edited out after a dispute with Beck's management.[7][8] The fourth key contributor to Blow by Blow after Beck, Middleton, and Martin was Stevie Wonder, who gave Beck his songs "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" and "Thelonius", with Wonder playing clavinet on the latter uncredited.[9] The former song appeared on Wonder's album Stevie Wonder Presents: Syreeta, made with then-wife Syreeta Wright, 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, and 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 acknowledgement to Wonder.[10]
Release
The album was released on 29 March 1975. It was a hit in the US, reaching No 4 on the Billboard album charts, eventually selling a million copies. It remains Beck's highest-charting album.[1][9]
On 27 March 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" | Jeff Beck, Max Middleton, Phil Chen, Richard Bailey | 5:10 |
| 5. | "Scatterbrain" | Jeff Beck, Max Middleton | 5:39 |
Side two
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" | Stevie Wonder | 5:42 |
| 2. | "Thelonius" | Stevie Wonder | 3:16 |
| 3. | "Freeway Jam" | Max Middleton | 4:58 |
| 4. | "Diamond Dust" | Bernie Holland | 8:26 |
Personnel
- Jeff Beck – electric guitars, bass
- Max Middleton – keyboards
- Phil Chen – bass
- Richard Bailey – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
- Stevie Wonder – clavinet on "Thelonius" (uncredited)
- George Martin – producer; string arrangements on "Scatterbrain" and "Diamond Dust"
- Vic Anesini – mastering
- Denim Bridges, Steven Saper – engineers
References
- 1 2 3 4 "The Story of The Story of Jeff Beck’s Only Top 10 Album, "Blow by Blow"". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ↑ Kirschenmann, Mark. Blow by Blow at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 October 2005.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Jeff Beck > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ↑ Warner, Simon (26 March 2001). "Jeff Beck: Blow by Blow / Wired > Album Reviews". PopMatters. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- ↑ Marsh, Dave (5 June 1975). "Jeff Beck Blow by Blow > Album Review". Rolling Stone (188). Archived from the original on 2 October 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
- ↑ Jeff Beck: Album Guide at Rolling Stone
- ↑ thodoris (8 September 2014). "Interview:Carmine Appice (Cactus,Vanilla Fudge,Beck Bogert & Appice) – Hit Channel". Hit-Channel.com. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
- ↑ "Interview with CARMINE APPICE". DMME.net. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
- 1 2 "Jeff Beck’s Blow By Blow Turns 40". Gibson (official website). 29 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- ↑ Matt Blackett. "Pure Genius: Guitar's Magnificent Rebel Puts a Twist on Techno." Guitar Player, December 2000, pp. 98–106.