Blow by Blow
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
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.
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
.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by British guitarist Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, released on Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
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
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.
Background and content
After the dissolution of his power trioBeck, Bogert & Appice
Beck, Bogert & Appice was a hard rock supergroup and power trio formed by guitarist Jeff Beck and evolving from The Jeff Beck Group. the line up included bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice who were both previously in Vanilla Fudge and Cactus....
in the spring of 1974, Beck took time for session work with other groups. In December, a half-hearted "audition" for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
took place, Beck jamming blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
with the band for one day, their incompatibility obvious to all with the guitarist position vacated by Mick Taylor
Mick Taylor
Michael Kevin "Mick" Taylor is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones...
eventually going to ex-Jeff Beck Group bassist Ronnie Wood.
During this period, Beck purposed to record an all-instrumental album, bringing back keyboardist Max Middleton
Max Middleton
David Maxwell "Max" Middleton . He is an English composer and keyboardist and was originally a docker on the Liverpool docks. Middleton is known for his work on the Fender Rhodes Electric piano, the Minimoog synthesiser and his percussive playing style of the Hohner Clavinet...
from the second Jeff Beck Group and hiring George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
to produce. The third key contributor to Blow by Blow was Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, who gave Beck his songs "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" and a tribute to Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
, "Thelonius" (sic), Wonder playing clavinet
Clavinet
A Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...
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
She's a Woman
"She's a Woman" is a song by The Beatles. It was released as the B-side to "I Feel Fine" in 1964, their last single release that year. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 from frequent airplay.-Composition:...
" was selected, as well as a composition by Bernie Holland of the group Hummingbird
Hummingbird (band)
Hummingbird were a British rock band, formed in 1974 by Bobby Tench of The Jeff Beck Group and Streetwalkers fame. Hummingbird recorded three successful albums, released by A&M using Ian "Sammy" Samwell as their record producer...
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
Roy Buchanan
Roy Buchanan was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan was a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still...
, with an acknowledgment to Wonder.
On March 27, 2001, a remastered edition for compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
was reissued by Legacy Records, Epic and its parent label Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
now a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
.
Side one
Side two
Personnel
- Jeff Beck — electric guitarsElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Max MiddletonMax MiddletonDavid Maxwell "Max" Middleton . He is an English composer and keyboardist and was originally a docker on the Liverpool docks. Middleton is known for his work on the Fender Rhodes Electric piano, the Minimoog synthesiser and his percussive playing style of the Hohner Clavinet...
— keyboards - Phil ChenPhil ChenPhil Chen is a well-known Chinese-Jamaican bassist. He was one of England's most utilized session bassists during the 1970s and 1980s, including being part of the Rod Stewart band from 1977 to 1980, but is probably best known for his later work with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors.-Life...
— bass - Richard Bailey — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion
Additional personnel
- Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
— keyboards on "Thelonius" - George MartinGeorge MartinSir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
— producer, arrangements on "Scatterbrain" and "Diamond Dust" - Vic Anesini — mastering
- Denim Bridges — engineer
- Steven Saper — engineer