JJ Cale - Live (2001)

JJ Cale was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

JJ Cale's first live album came late in his career. The simply-titled Live was released in 2001, and gathered together concert recordings from between 1990 and 1996, run together seamlessly so that they sounded like they all came from the same source. To those fans that had only ever heard JJ Cale on record, it was interesting to hear what he sounded like in concert. On much of his music the studio is a vital part of his signature sound, especially in his use of double-tracked, whispered vocals. In concert it was obviously a different affair, though it's safe to say he still sounded unmistakeably like JJ Cale. The sound was bigger, looser and more powerful, though his distinctive vocals and lead guitar sat comfortably on top of the full band arrangements. The album actually opened with a solo rendition of one of his best-known songs, "After Midnight", and if anything this is him at his most natural and effective, just his voice and his (electric) guitar. For the second song he was accompanied by just the bassist, and from the third song onwards the whole band (which included his wife Christine Lakeland) joined in.

It was a very welcome addition to his discography, giving the record-buying a fans a new take on his music (though of course he had been doing this in concert all his career!).

Guitar Man (1996) <|> To Tulsa And Back (2004)
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