Bands we Love: Jeff Beck

Jeff beck

Probably not the type of artist whose music you'd throw on at a kegger, but if you want to hear someone that's mastered his Guitar, play the blues as well as Jazz influanced rock, JEff Beck is The Man.

Scroll down past the album listings for a history of the Jeff Beck .

	After leaving the Yardbirds in late-1966, Jeff Beck hooked up with popmeister Mickie Most (Herman's Hermits, Donovan) but had little luck with the UK singles chart. By 1968, Beck enlisted vocalist Rod Stewart, bass player Ron Wood, and drummer Mickey Waller. Their debut Truth would would be the most consistently satisfying album of Beck's career. The album kicks off with a reworking of the 1966 Yardbird's hit "Shapes of Things" and from there presents a string of blues-based songs that would become the framework for heavy metal in general and Led Zeppelin in particular. --Steve Vrana
	His guitar-slinging contributions to the Yardbirds having dwarfed those of Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page, Mrs. Beck's bad boy spent the next several years playing blues-rock (the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart), soul-rock (the second edition of that band), and leading a power trio. Then, he made this all-instrumental album, which was a huge 1975 success. Produced by George Martin, the nine-song session finds Beck fronting a keyboards-bass-drums outfit, augmented by some tastefully unobtrusive string arrangements. Call it a jazz-fusion album at your own risk. While Beck's playing is less in-your-face than his previous efforts, all the fierce attack, thick tone, microtonal bends, distortion, feedback, vibrato, sustain, sonic hoodoo, and rhythmic and harmonic creativity that the man's fans have come to know and love can be heard here. "Freeway Jam" boasts the most memorable melody and thus remains a Classic Rock staple to this day. "Cause We've Ended As Lovers"--written by Stevie Wonder--is Beck's gorgeous tribute to one of his own guitar-heroes, the now-deceased Roy Buchanan. --Don Waller Digitally Remastered Version of his Classic 1975 Release.produced By George Martin.
	Beck, drummer Narada Michael Walden, and producer George Martin here embark on a potent jazz-rock journey, making stops at the ferocious "Led Boots," the thumb-popping R&B of "Come Dancing," and the hooky "Blue Wind" (written by former Mahavishnu synth player Jan Hammer). Max Middleton's funky clavinet on "Play with Me" and his pulsing Rhodes piano work on "Sophie" add color and rhythmic urgency to Beck's searing guitar, with its unmistakable tone and vocal-like inflections. Released a year after the breakthrough Blow by Blow, Wired generally runs a little hotter, though its low-gear moments--in particular the emotional largesse of Mingus's "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"--will blow your hair back. --James Rotond
	This a great jam band--the 2nd album with Jeff and Rod Stewart--great remaster of this album--great sound and liner notes on the making of the album and the apparent riffs between the band members-Beck, Stewart, and Wood. Extra cuts include a 7 minute live blues song-Sweet Little Angel-which sounds like it should have been on the 1st album-Truth and another song written by Stewart (studio cut) which sounds great-also should have been on the 1st album. Then there are two other versions of Jailhouse Rock and All Shook up which are also excellent-- fans of this group should definitely buy this CD for the extra cuts-well worth it--I saw this group in July 1969 at the Fillmore West in San Francisco--Rod Stewarts first trip to the US--they blew the headliner--Moby Grape off the stage--and I love Moby Grape--Get this album NOW --J. R Sategna
	If you have never heard of Jeff Beck or you simply want to get acquainted, this is the Cd you want to hear. There is not a bad cut on this entire CD. It is hard driving Rock the way it is meant to be played and only the way Jeff Beck can play it. Jeff Beck along with Jimi Hendrix are the most revolutionary players in Rock history. Both are not just master guitarists but master technicians as well. They both are able to find sounds on the guitar that no one else has found. Guitar shop opens the CD on a very strong note and sets the tone. Savoy which is next is a personal favorite and features the keyboards of Jan Hammer. Big Block slows the pace a little but is nothing short of a masterpiece. Where Were You is another outstanding effort, and many think is the best song on this CD. Sling Shot is the finale to a very fine CD. If this CD does not get your attention not much will. You get to listen to one of the masters at his finest moment. This is a must for any Rock collector whether you like Beck or not. After this CD, I dont know how you wouldnt like Jeff Beck --Michael Wheeler
	Released in 1991, this box set pretty much covers Jeff Beck's entire recorded career, from the Tridents treatment of the old chestnut, "Trouble In Mind" to highlights from Guitar Shop, which was probably his best solo album. Some fans might complain that there are too many Yardbirds tracks here---well, not this fan! In my mind, you can never have too many Yardbirds tracks, and every last one here is a keeper, from the Eastern sound Jeff got from his guitar on "Over, Under, Sideways, Down," to the pseudo-Gregorian chants of "Still I'm Sad." Also welcome are the numerous Jeff Beck Group tracks, particularly the ones featuring Rod Stewart. Rod the Mod may have had a stellar career, but saved some of his best work for Beck. (Who do you think Rod asked to give his induction speech to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?). I wish there could have been more BBA tracks, particularly live ones, because the two that are offered here are basically both "Blues DeLuxe" medleys. Still, both are excellent. Most of the choices from his solo albums are apt, including one of the best recordings of "Wild Thing" you will hear anywhere. --chris meesey

Geoffery Arnold "Jeff" Beck (born June 24, 1944 in Wallington, Surrey, England) is a rock guitarist who played in a number of influential bands in the 1960s.

Beck never attained the commercial visibility that some of his contemporaries did. However, he has gained widespread critical acclaim, especially in the guitar playing community. What is more, his lack of visibility allowed him to remain on the cutting edge, rather than being pigeon-holed into a certain style. He is noted as a musician who has mastered many genres, including blues rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion. Most recently, he has absorbed the influence of techno, creating a groundbreaking blend of heavy guitar rock and electronica.

Early career with The Yardbirds

Like many rock musicians in the early 1960s, he began his career working as a session guitarist. In 1965, Beck joined The Yardbirds (after Eric Clapton had left the group for John Mayall's Bluesbreakers). It was during his tenure with The Yardbirds that they recorded most of their hits. In 1966, he shared the dual-lead guitar role with Jimmy Page. Time with The Yardbirds was short; Beck left after 18 months, partly for health reasons.

Jeff Beck Group

The following year, Beck formed a new band, The Jeff Beck Group, which featured him on lead guitar, Rod Stewart on vocals, Ron Wood on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Mick Waller on drums. The group produced two albums, Truth in 1968 and Beck-Ola the following year. These two albums are highly acclaimed, and are considered by some to be the earliest precursors to heavy metal, predating the initial Led Zeppelin albums. Owing to friction within the band, Stewart and Wood left the group in 1969 to replace Steve Marriott in the The Small Faces (this new lineup, joining Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones would shorten their name to just "The Faces"). Wood later joined The Rolling Stones.

Fusion

After the failure of the second Jeff Beck Group (it disbanded in 1972), Beck formed the power trio Beck Bogert & Appice, with Carmine Appice on drums and Tim Bogert on bass. This group, too, failed to attract much critical attention and soon split up, although they did have a minor hit with a version of Stevie Wonder's Superstition (Beck later played lead guitar on Wonder's Talking Book album). In 1975, Beck did a solo, all-instrumental jazz fusion album entitled Blow by Blow which received unexpectedly positive critical reviews and substantial sales, reaching number 4 in the U.S. charts. It was followed up by a collaborative effort with former Mahavishnu Orchestra keyboardist Jan Hammer on the 1976 Wired album, which also received critical acclaim.

Later career

During the 1980s and 1990s, Jeff Beck recorded sporadically: Flash (1985, including performances with Rod Stewart and Jan Hammer), Guitar Shop (1989), Crazy Legs (1993), Who Else (1999), and You Had It Coming (2001). Jeff Beck won his third Grammy Award, this one for 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance' for the track Dirty Mind from You Had It Coming. The 2003 release of Jeff showed that the new electro-guitar style he used for the two earlier albums would continue to dominate. This style has been lauded by critics; Beck has skillfully fused an electronica influence with his blues/jazz past. The song Plan B from this release earned him his fourth Grammy Award, again, for 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance'.

In the past few years, Jeff Beck has performed on Les Paul and Cyndi Lauper's new albums, and played guitar on Roger Waters' album Amused to Death. Beck also is featured on one track on Queen guitarist Brian May's last solo album, Another World. Also appears on ZZ TOP's album XXX.

Influence

Beck was one of the first electric guitarists in the 1960s to experiment with electronic distortion (most notably in The Yardbirds' 1966 album, Roger the Engineer), redefining the sound and role of the electric guitar in rock music and anticipating what Jimi Hendrix shortly thereafter took further. Beck's work with The Yardbirds and The Jeff Beck Group's 1968 album Truth were seminal influences on heavy metal music, which emerged in full force in the early 1970s.

Discography

1967 The GTOs
1968 Truth
1969 Beck-Ola
1971 Rough and Ready
1972 Jeff Beck Group
1973 Beck Bogert & Appice
1974 Beck Bogert & Appice Live in Japan
1975 Blow by Blow
1976 Wired
1977 Jeff Beck With the Jan Hammer Group Live
1980 There and Back
1985 Flash
1989 Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop
1991 Beckology (anthology)
1992 Frankie's House
1993 Crazy Legs
1999 Who Else!
2001 You Had It Coming
2003 Jeff

Appears On
Stanley Clarke's School Days
Imogen Heap's Speak For Yourself
Roger Waters' Amused to Death
Tina Turner's "Private Dancer" album
Jon Bon Jovi song "Blaze Of Glory"
Reunited with former Yardbirds bandmates in 1984 with the group Box Of Frogs
Donovan's "Barabajagal"
Mick Jagger's "She's The Boss"
The Honeydrippers Volume One
Appears in the movie "Twins" with Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger
The soundtrack to the movie "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band featuring The Bee Gees and Peter Frampton (once quoted as saying that after seeing Peter Frampton use the guitar mouth tube, Beck gave it up.)
Many More

Trivia

While Beck and Jimmy Page played together in The Yardbirds, the trio of Beck, Page and Eric Clapton never played together in the group all at the same time. The three guitarists did however all play on stage at the same time at the ARMS charity concerts in 1983 in honour of Ronnie Lane.

Beck is largely the inspiration for the character Nigel Tufnel in the film This Is Spinal Tap.

---Wikipedia

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