ROCK CELLAR MAGAZINE STAFFON SEPTEMBER 9, 2021

It’s been an eventful past year or so for Eric Clapton, who has made headlines for his involvement with Van Morrison in the singer/songwriter’s “anti-lockdown” songs and with his own outspoken comments regarding the vaccination efforts combating the COVID-19 virus.

With this flurry of activity for the guitar icon, he also found time to record a number of his own classic songs — and well-known songs by others — for The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions, a new collection announced on Thursday that is scheduled for a Nov. 21 release.

Accompanied by his longtime band mates Nathan East (bass/vocals), Steve Gadd (drums) and Chris Stainton (keyboards) and recorded live at Cowdray House in West Sussex, England, the performance finds Clapton and company revisiting such timeless classics as “After Midnight,” “Layla,” “Bell Bottom Blues,” “Tears in Heaven,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out” and “Key to the Highway.” In addition to revisiting some of Eric’s best-loved selections from his own extensive repertoire, Clapton and crew also offer their own versions of songs that had a profound effect on his career and those of his contemporaries including the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac tracks “Black Magic Woman” and “Man of the World.”

More about the project, per a news release:

The project was initiated as the result of the forced cancellation of Eric Clapton’s concerts scheduled for May 2021 at the Royal Albert Hall due to the continued disruption caused by the pandemic. Looking for a viable alternative and hoping to keep his options open, he reconvened with his band to the English countryside and staged a concert in the presence of only the participants themselves while letting the cameras roll. (Clapton’s wife Melia, the sole outside observer inspired the Sessions title.) The mostly acoustic set was envisioned to be like an Eric Clapton Unplugged II, but not quite, as three songs are played with electric guitars. The result became far more than simply a sequence of greatest hits. Rather, it’s one of the most intimate and authentic performances of Clapton’s entire career, an offering flush with real insight into the make-up of his indelible catalogue.

And the track listing (which notably does not include “This Has Gotta Stop,” Clapton’s recent solo song taking aim at the vaccination efforts):

1. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
2. Golden Ring
3. Black Magic Woman
4. Man of the World
5. Kerry
6. After Midnight
7. Bell Bottom Blues
8. Key to the Highway
9. River of Tears
10. Rock Me Baby
11. Believe in Life
12. Going Down Slow
13. Layla
14. Tears in Heaven
15. Long Distance Call
16. Bad Boy
17. Got My Mojo Working

The 17 songs find Clapton and longtime bandmates Nathan East, Steve Gadd (Drums) and Chris Stainton (Keyboards) performing acoustic renditions

Eric Clapton returns with a remarkable new release, Eric Clapton “The Lady In The Balcony: Lockdown Sessions” on November 12. Available via Mercury Studios on multiple formats, the 17 songs find Clapton and longtime bandmates Nathan East (Bass and Vocals), Steve Gadd (Drums) and Chris Stainton (Keyboards) performing acoustic renditions of Clapton standards and an assortment of other numbers encompassing blues, country and rarified originals.

Overseen by Clapton’s legendary longtime Grammy-winning producer Russ Titelman (James Taylor, George Harrison, Brian Wilson, Randy Newman, Rickie Lee Jones) and recorded live at Cowdray House in West Sussex, England, the performance finds Clapton and company revisiting such timeless classics as “After Midnight,” “Layla,” “Bell Bottom Blues,” “Tears in Heaven,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out” and “Key to the Highway.” In addition to revisiting some of Eric’s best-loved selections from his own extensive repertoire, Clapton and crew also offer their own versions of songs that had a profound effect on his career and those of his contemporaries including the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac tracks “Black Magic Woman” and “Man of the World.”

The project was initiated as the result of the forced cancellation of Eric Clapton’s concerts scheduled for May 2021 at the Royal Albert Hall due to the continued disruption caused by the pandemic. Looking for a viable alternative and hoping to keep his options open, he reconvened with his band to the English countryside and staged a concert in the presence of only the participants themselves while letting the cameras roll. (Clapton’s wife Melia, the sole outside observer inspired the Sessions title.) The mostly acoustic set was envisioned to be like an Eric Clapton Unplugged II, but not quite, as three songs are played with electric guitars. The result became far more than simply a sequence of greatest hits. Rather, it’s one of the most intimate and authentic performances of Clapton’s entire career, an offering flush with real insight into the make-up of his indelible catalogue.

After his time with the Yardbirds in 1963, Clapton began a career as a professional musician that has seen numerous bands, an abundance of albums, countless worldwide sold out shows, an impressive array of accolades, unwavering critical acclaim and his consistent display of legendary guitar work.

Eric Clapton “The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions” will be available on

DVD+CD, Blu-ray+CD, 4K UHD+Blu-ray, 2 LPs pressed on yellow vinyl, and a Deluxe Edition containing the DVD, Blu-ray & CD packaged in a 40 page 12” x 12” hardback photo book, digital video & digital audio. In addition, a CD-only version will be available exclusively at Target.

Track Listing:

1. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out

2. Golden Ring

3. Black Magic Woman

4. Man of the World

5. Kerry

6. After Midnight

7. Bell Bottom Blues

8. Key to the Highway

9. River of Tears

10. Rock Me Baby

11. Believe in Life

12. Going Down Slow

13. Layla

14. Tears in Heaven

15. Long Distance Call

16. Bad Boy

17. Got My Mojo Working

Pre-Order: HERE

Jimmie Vaughan is opening up the eight-city run, which will be Clapton’s only North American tour dates of the year

-ANDY GREENE

KGC-138/STAR MAX/IPx/AP Images

Eric Clapton is returning to the road in September for an eight-city run of North American shows. It kicks off September 13th at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, and wraps up September 26th at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. According to a press release, these will be his only North American dates for the year. Tickets go on sale this Friday on Ticketmaster.com, and will also be available on Vivid Seats.

His band will include guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, organist Paul Carrack, bassist Nathan East, drummers Sonny Emory and Steve Gadd, keyboardist Chris Stainton, and backup singers Sharon White and Katie Kissoon. Jimmie Vaughan will serve as the opening act.

Clapton has not performed in public since the start of the pandemic. But he did stir up quite a bit of controversy by collaborating with Van Morrison on his anti-lockdown song “Stand and Deliver.” “Do you want to be a free man,” he sang on the widely panned song. “Or do you want to be a slave?”

Clapton caused an even greater uproar in May when he released a public letter blaming the AstraZeneca vaccine for severe numbness in his hands in the days that made him fear he’d never be able to play guitar again. “I continue to tread the path of passive rebellion and try to toe the line in order to be able to actively love my family,” he wrote, “but it’s hard to bite my tongue with what I now know.”

As many doctors and medical experts pointed out, it’s impossible to say whether or not the vaccine caused his symptoms, and Clapton said he was suffering from peripheral neuropathy before he even received the shot.

Eric Clapton 2021 North American Tour Dates

September 13th – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
September 15th – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
September 17th – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
September 18th – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
September 21st – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
September 23rd – Atlanta, GA @ Gas South Arena
September 25th – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
September 26th – Hollywood, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock

The Grammy Award-winning 2000 album features San Diego bassist Nathan East, who says: ‘B.B. was such a great storyteller’

Having already worked separately with B.B. King and Eric Clapton, bass-guitar great Nathan East was understandably delighted to join the two guitar legends in 2000 when they recorded the chart-topping “Riding with the King.” The album, which went on to earn a Grammy Award, is being re-released in expanded form on Friday to commemorate its 20th anniversary.

Yet, while the San Diego-bred East has many vivid memories from those recording sessions, what he most fondly recalls about them is bringing his twin children — then both toddlers — to meet King. The blues giant died in 2015 at the age of 89.

“We went by the studio and B.B. was so excited to meet Noah and Sara,” recalled East, whose many other credits range from George Harrison and Beyoncé to Herbie Hancock and Michael Jackson.

“B.B. put Noah on one of his knees and Sara one the other. I then watched him fold up two bills and make little rings for each of them. When we got home, I looked at the rings and they were $100 bills! After that, every time I’d call him, B.B. would say: ‘How are my twins?’ He was really a sweet man.”

East had first recorded with King in 1991 on the song “Better Not Look Down,” which was featured in the hit movie “Thelma and Louise.” The song was co-written by the late jazz-funk keyboardist Joe Sample, who co-founded the band The Crusaders and played alongside East on “Riding with the King.”

East’s first collaboration with Clapton was on the English guitarist-singer’s 1985 album, “Behind the Sun.” It was the start of a still-vital musical relationship that has seen East perform on numerous albums and world tours with Clapton.

“We would be on tour right now for the entire month of June if it was not for the coronavirus pandemic,” said East, a Crawford High School graduate, speaking from his family’s home in Tarzana. “Touring-wise, everything has been shut down for 2020 and everybody’s consensus is the earliest that touring will resume is 2021.”

Nathan East (center back row) with Eric Clapton and B.B. King (center front row)

(Photo courtesy Nathan East)

‘B.B. is this genius artist to me’

“Riding with the King” was the first and only joint album that King and Clapton made. The two first met and played together in 1967 at New York’s Cafe Au Go-Go in 1967. Clapton was 22 at the time, King 42.

While they shared concert stages through the decades after that, the only time they recorded prior to “Riding with the King” was on “Rock Me Baby,” a song from King’s all-star 1997 duets album, “Deuces Wild.”

Clapton had long credited King as one of his greatest inspirations, citing the landmark 1965 album “B.B. King Live at the Regal” as “where it all started for me.”

Discussing King in a 2007 Union-Tribune interview, Clapton said: “B.B. is like a father figure and uncle. He’s this genius artist to me. I can’t ever see myself as being in the same league with him.”

East is the sole bassist on the 12-song “Riding with the King,” which features two drummers, two keyboardists, two backing singers and three guest guitarists. East was also the sole musician to spend the week prior to the recording sessions going over the music with King and Clapton, who initiated the album.

The week of recording and the prior week of preparations were both done at Record One in Sherman Oaks. Watching King and Clapton prepare for the album allowed East to closely observe what amounted to a very elite musical fan club between two legends whose friendship dated back to the 1960s.

“The dynamic between them was almost like two guys constantly opening the door for one another,” East said, chuckling at the memory.

“Eric would ask B.B.: What do you think of that?’ And B.B. would say: ‘If you like it, I like it.’ It was a really close mutual admiration they had for each other — both giving the other guy a big, wide, musical lane to function in — extreme reverence.

“There was definitely a feeling of mutual respect between them. And, obviously, they each honored the other one’s ideas. It was kind of funny, because they were so kind and gentle bouncing ideas off each other that it was almost laughable. One of them would say: ‘Well, however you want to do this is good with me.’ And the other would say: ‘Well, however you want to do it is good with me’.”

The results on “Riding with the King” are polished and enjoyable, although King and Clapton sound almost too deferential, although East begs to differ.

“No, it was just the right amount of deference. It was a real nice balance of give-and-take,” he said.

“As a matter of fact, there were a couple of times where Eric would say to B.B.: ‘You take the solo.’ And B.B. would say: ‘No, you take it. You’re better than me!’ It was fun to see. It was also fun just to see B.B. plug his guitar into an amp and — when he hit that one note — that was B.B. King. When you heard that, it was very magical.”

The new 20th anniversary edition of “Riding with the King” adds two previously unreleased numbers to the original 12-song album. The two, “Let Me Love You” and “Rollin’ and Tumblin’,” fit in nicely with the other chestnuts here, which include such King staples as “Three O’Clock Blues” and “Key to the Highway.”

East recalls several other selections being recorded that have yet to come out. After discussing what songs they wanted to record in the week prior to the sessions, King and Clapton worked out the arrangements with East.

“I think there were several that were agreed on in advance, and I remember discussing songs with them that they both liked and wanted to include,” the versatile bassist said.

“So at that point, the week before recording began, we determined what the key and tempo of each songs would be. And we worked out arrangements, not really complex arrangements, to form ideas and determine if you would have a modulation in a song or not, and where. The week was more about getting comfortable in that environment and getting to know how you feel in the studio.”

In addition to East and Sample, the featured musicians on “Riding with the King” include: organist Tim Carmon; drummers Steve Gadd and Jim Keltner; guitarists Doyle Bramhall II, Andy Fairweather Low and Jimmie Vaughan; and, on backing vocals, sisters (and former Prince band members) Wendy and Susannah Melvoin.

East and drummer Gadd are Clapton’s touring rhythm section to this day. Making “Riding with the King” enabled them to watch King and Clapton interact up close. During dinner breaks, they relished hearing King reminisce.

“B.B. was such a great storyteller,” East said. “Sometimes he’d share stories about being on the tour bus, riding through Mississippi in the early days, and stories about gigs — or about women that showed up after the gig! When he talked, it was almost like he was singing.”

B.B. King and Eric Clapton are shown playing together in 1967

(Photo-by-Don-Paulsen/Ochs Star/Courtesy Warner Bros. Records)

Pastrami and Krispy Kreme

“B.B. used to carry a bag with meat wrapped in white paper,” East recalled with a laugh. “He’d always have pastrami or corned beef with him.”

No bread?

“Just the meat!” East replied. “That was a really old-school feeling to me. He’d be snacking on that meat; he probably didn’t have the healthiest diet. And we used to send out for was Krispy Kreme donuts. There were always a couple of those floating around the studio.”

But the real nourishment came from the music. And East was thrilled to be collaborating with King and Clapton, whose music he had listened to and played while growing up here in the 1960s and ‘70s.

“To hear these two icons in the studio together, at that level, everything they played was gold,” he said. “It was so much fun to watch these guys trade solos and then both sing. It was like being in the middle of blues royalty.

“It’s funny that I played their songs in bands in San Diego in the early days. You never know what’s going to happen.”

East earned his degree in music in 1979 from the University of California San Diego, where he studied with Bertram Turetzky and Cecil Lytle. He moved to Los Angeles that same year and soon became one of the music world’s most versatile and in-demand bassists.

His hundreds of credits include albums with everyone from Aretha Franklin, Daft Punk, Ringo Starr and Joe Satriani to Bob Dylan, Wayne Shorter, Donna Summer and — earlier this month — Post Malone. East is also a co-founder of leading smooth-jazz band Fourplay, which has made more than a dozen albums since its inception in 1991.

King and Clapton never toured together, although East did record on at least one King album after “Riding with the King.”

Asked now to assess the blues pioneer’s artistry, East replied: “B.B. was the consummate professional, who made his way through hard times and was able to establish a band, a legacy and a sound, based on his guitar playing, his singing and a catalog of material that had great impact in our society. He had that iconic sound with his guitar and his voice. But, as a friend, the strongest thing for me about him was his humanity.”

East also cites Clapton’s humanity, singling out the guitarist’s decades of work as the co-founder and primary fundraiser for Crossroads, a nonprofit drug- and alcohol-rehabilitation facility in Antigua.

“What Eric has done helping people to their sobriety will be a big part of his legacy,” East said. “His guitar playing, his voice and his music — like B.B.’s — are pretty much a fabric of our society, around the world.”

The bassist chuckled when asked if he knew the current whereabouts of the $100 bill rings King made and gave to East’s now-grown children 20 years ago, during the “Riding with the King” recording sessions.

“I think,” he said, “my wife is keeping the rings in a drawer.”

Nathan East, the master musician who teaches bass guitar lessons at ArtistWorks, has clocked in an astonishing number of hours in the studio. In fact, he’s considered to be one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music, with an impressive 2,000+ recordings under his belt. But don’t mistake his large quantity of recordings for a lack of quality.

This Spotify playlist, “Nathan East: People’s Choice,” showcase some of his finest work. Below we discuss a few songs of the many featured in the playlist.

Needless to say, if you’re wondering how to play bass guitar, you’ve come to the right place. Nathan East’s online bass lessons with ArtistWorks will fast track your mastery of all things low end. Curious to try them? Here are free sample lessons.

Eric Clapton, “Tears in Heaven (Unplugged)”

Eric Clapton’s Unplugged remains one of the most iconic live albums ever, marking the return of the blues titan. Clapton recruited only the best musicians for his acoustic ensemble, including longtime collaborator Nathan East. This powerful rendition of “Tears in Heaven” served as one of the show’s many highlights and played a huge part in the album’s six Grammy wins.

Hubert Laws, “Family“

Nathan cranks the funk up to eleven in this tune by legendary flautist Hubert Laws. His bass playing immediately makes itself known on “Family,” playing a call-and-response game with the rest of the band throughout the duration of the seven-and-a-half-minute long song. Of all the albums in Laws’ nearly 60-year-long career, Family definitely provides the most groove.

Daft Punk, “Get Lucky”

If there’s one thing that all Daft Punk songs have in common, it’s their funky, driving bass lines. With that in mind, it’s no wonder why the French duo enlisted Nathan for their 2013 smash single “Get Lucky.” The song’s catchy bass work is one of the main reasons why it was seemingly everywhere that year — it’s almost impossible not to dance along to.

Kenny Loggins, “Footloose”

Yes, Nathan even played on this karaoke classic. “Footloose” was just one of Nathan’s many collaborations with Kenny Loggins; he also played on “I’m Free (Heaven Helps the Man),” “Love Will Follow,” and “Forever.” Keep this fact in mind the next time you’re imitating Kevin Bacon on the dance floor.

Whitney Houston, “Saving All My Love for You”

If slow and soulful is more your speed, Nathan’s got you covered. “Saving All My Love for You” would become the first of seven consecutive number one singles by Whitney Houston, a record that still stands to this day. Seemingly overnight, this song sent Whitney from an opening act to the most awarded female artist of all time.

Michael Jackson, “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”

As far as recording credits go, it’s hard to top working with the King of Pop. “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” was the highly anticipated first single from Bad, and set the tone for what was to come from Jackson post-Thriller. The single would go on to be the first of five number one singles from the record, spending 11 weeks in the top 40.

Don’t forget — Nathan will be participating in the Big Guitar Getaway, along with fellow ArtistWorks masters Keith Wyatt and Guthrie Trapp. Winners will get to meet and work with Nathan, Keith, and Guthrie as they share knowledge, jam, and give one-on-one advice. Roundtrip airfare, ground transportation, and two nights’ hotel accommodations included! Enter for your chance to win.

Check out the full playlist on Spotify for yourself:

Ringo Starr has marked today’s (25) release of his 20th solo album, What’s My Name, by unveiling a new video for its current single and title track. The graphic-intensive clip features the world-famous vocalist, drummer and songwriter in a series of images overlaid with lyrics from the upbeat, self-referencing number.

The track features Ringo on lead vocals, drums and percussion, with guitar and background vocals by his longtime collaborator and member of his All-Starr Band, former Men At Work member and solo artist Colin Hay. There’s also guitar by Toto co-founder Steve Lukather, bass by the ever in-demand Nathan East and harmonica by Warren Ham. Stalwart session vocalists Maxine and Julia Waters are also on backing vocals.

In a new interview on the AARP website by Edna Gunderson, Starr talks about the process behind the new album, which he made at his home studio Roccabella West. “I started this record the same as all records,” he says. “I called ten friends and thought, ‘We’ll each write a song together.’ People sometimes just pass by and ring the bell. If I’m in the studio and they can play, they’re on the record.”

He also discusses why he never plays extended drum solos on his records. “I like to play with the band,” he says. “God bless all those drummers who do drum solos. The only drum records I ever bought were Cozy Cole’s ‘Topsy I’ and ‘Topsy II’ [1958]. When I listened to the rock records that came out, I didn’t dial in on the drums. I dialed in on the whole record.”

What’s My Name also features Ringo’s much-reported version of the John Lennon demo ‘Grow Old With Me,’ with vocals and bass by Paul McCartney and guitar by Joe Walsh. The album has further contributions from other friends such as Edgar Winter, Dave Stewart, Benmont Tench and Richard Page.

What’s My Name is released on 25 October. Scroll down for the tracklisting, and pre-order it here.

Listen to the best of Ringo Starr on Apple Music and Spotify.

You’ve heard this guy’s basslines many, many times in your life even if you don’t know it. A quick scan of his credits reveals involvement with some of the most famous songs throughout the decades. Songs including, Footloose (Kenny Loggins), Get Lucky (Daft Punk), and Tears In Heaven (Eric Clapton). He has worked with Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Geroge Harrison and Beyonce. I’m going to stop there as just listing the names would take up a whole post.

As a live performer, East toured extensively as the bass player for Phil Collins and Eric Clapton.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS AS A SESSION BASS PLAYER

Watch this clip from Nathan’s DVD The Business Of Bass (skip to 23 seconds).

This is what artists want from Nathan (and you too if you want to make a living as a session player).

1. Listen
2. Play what’s appropriate
3. Be professional
4. Be a nice person to hang around with
5. Know how to play lots of styles of music well

VERSATILITY

East is also an accomplished songwriter having co-written the mega-hit Easy Lover with Phil Collins and Philip Bailey.

He sang backing vocals on Footloose and also takes the lead in the video above. He also finds the time to lead a prolific jazz group; Fourplay. Being this good has enabled him to live in this massive house.

BASS GEAR

A long-time Yamaha endorsee, East favours five-string instruments live but plays six-string and upright too.

Modelling yourself on the great bass players is a sure-fire way to improvement. You don’t have to copy them, just see what works and do more of the same in your playing. For a career in bass playing, Nathan East is a pretty decent blueprint. Check out more awesome bass players here.

In this handy video lesson, bass legend Nathan East offers his tips for playing with feel.

You can also win a trip to meet and jam with East live and in-person — more on that below!

One of the most sought-after bass players in the history of music — with an impressive 2,000+ recordings under his belt including everyone from Michael Jackson to Daft Punk — East certainly knows a thing or two about the topic. “I don’t care how many notes you know,” he comments. “If you don’t feel good to play with, all of that is not going to make any difference at all.”

Feel is an aspect of music that is all-important, but also elusive and difficult to explain. Luckily, East has some methods for developing your technique using a simple shuffle, while employing long and short notes, octaves, and walking lines. Add these tips to your arsenal and you’ll be playing more expressively in no time.

How about getting some game-changing bass tips in-person from the man himself? The opportunity could be yours thanks to ArtistWorks’ Big Guitar Getaway.

Winners will receive a meet and greet with East — as well as brilliant guitarists Guthrie Trapp and Keith Wyatt — plus a full studio tour, one-on-one lessons, an intimate in-studio jam experience, a fully-loaded swag bag, and a one year VIP subscription to any ArtistWorks music instruction course.

It all goes down at ArtistWorks HQ in beautiful Napa, CA, December 6-7, 2019. Round trip airfare, transportation, and two nights stay is included. Players of all levels are encouraged to enter.

Sign-up ends on 10/25, so enter now for your chance to win here: go.artistworks.com/big-guitar-getaway

You can also try free sample lessons of Nathan East’s ArtistWorks course at artistworks.com/freelessons. 

Bully Resistant Show with Special Guest Nathan East from California. Nathan is considered one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music and that is constantly on tour with the biggest names in the music industry.

He has been on the road with Eric Clapton for over 30 years and has also worked with the following artists: Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Paul McArtney, Babyface, Anita Baker, The Bee Gees, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Herbie Hancock, George Harrison, Al Jarreau, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind & Fire , B.B. King, Kenny Loggins, The Manhattan Transfer, Sting, Barry White, and Stevie Wonder, and it goes on and on and on…