Leave it to J.J. Cale to press 30 years into his recording career before getting around to releasing his first onstage recording. Cale, after all, has his own pace for doing things and it ain't exactly breakneck. Unsurpris... more »ingly, the taciturn Oklahoman's approach to the stage and studio are pretty much the same: in any setting, Cale is one laid-back hombre. Here he ambles through 14 tracks without breaking a sweat, whipping off bluesy solos with offhanded aplomb and delivering his simple but spot-on lyrics with that unmistakable mumble. His infrequent hits resurface here ("After Midnight," "Cocaine," "Call Me the Breeze"), sounding fresher than they have any right to be. And, in truth, there really isn't much of a gap in quality between Cale's best and worst efforts; it's all good. In a world where entire careers are made around making the simple seem to be difficult, Cale has an all-too-rare gift for making the simple seem simple. Bless him for that. --Steven Stolder« less
Leave it to J.J. Cale to press 30 years into his recording career before getting around to releasing his first onstage recording. Cale, after all, has his own pace for doing things and it ain't exactly breakneck. Unsurprisingly, the taciturn Oklahoman's approach to the stage and studio are pretty much the same: in any setting, Cale is one laid-back hombre. Here he ambles through 14 tracks without breaking a sweat, whipping off bluesy solos with offhanded aplomb and delivering his simple but spot-on lyrics with that unmistakable mumble. His infrequent hits resurface here ("After Midnight," "Cocaine," "Call Me the Breeze"), sounding fresher than they have any right to be. And, in truth, there really isn't much of a gap in quality between Cale's best and worst efforts; it's all good. In a world where entire careers are made around making the simple seem to be difficult, Cale has an all-too-rare gift for making the simple seem simple. Bless him for that. --Steven Stolder
"Questions arise when considering that this is the first live album issued by one of rock's most brilliant guitarists. One wonders what we might have heard had he released a live album in his prime, after the release of 1976's "Troubadour." But, like plenty other squandered opportunities at greatness in Cale's notoriously complacent career, it just happens that, three decades into it, he issues his first live album. However, this live set demonstrates that Cale has aged very well, as the album contains a handful of the most brilliant live performances in rock history. Like Richard Thompson, every time JJ Cale delivers the kind of performance that critics and fans are always promising, some people, such as myself, are left wondering "well, why can't he do more of that?" JJ Cale's absolutely riveting solo performance of After Midnight on this live CD is just such a circumstance. It is one of the most memorable live performances by a formidable artist in rock history. Perhaps I am one of those insatiably selfish hardcore fans, but after hearing that performance, I could not help but entertain fantasies of a solo JJ Cale tour. When he is joined by a bass player on Old Man, the result is just as powerfully raw, and when he is joined by the band on Call Me The Breeze and Sensitive Kind, it seems as though this is one of the most fantastic live rock albums ever. However, the live rendition of Cocaine is unfortunately uninspired and adds nothing to the studio version. Money Talks, River Boat Song, Mama Don't and Humdinger are cluttered with background noise, the audience just never stops screaming. While this is to be expected of a live album, the crowd's boisterous antics is a stark contrast to the powerfully clean sound delivered on the first four songs, and when it endures for nearly the rest of the album, it becomes exasperating. Nonetheless, the bursts of brilliance that punch through the album's quieter moments are well-worth the price, and if this CD contained nothing but the first four songs, it would still be worth the price, as they are four of the most memorable live rock performances ever. Another potential mishap here is that these live sets were recorded upon the release of Cale's most recent albums, 1994's Closer To You and 1996's Guitar Man. Not one song form either album appears on this live CD. So, as always with JJ Cale, fans must take the good with the what-might-have-been, and thankfully, that has always proved to be a rewarding exchange."
I was there!
M. Bobak | Hertfordshire, England | 06/27/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I saw two of the concerts from which came the songs on this album. I still remember JJ playing After Midnight accustically and then the band joining him one by one, and then, at the end, leaving the stage one by one during Mama Don't. Perhaps for this sentiments I love this album. The sound is less perfect than the studio records (except of the first 4 tracks) and Cocaine is a bit funny. But JJ has an amazing instinct to make all of his music sound exceptional, and - as the rest of his work - this album is highly recommended."
Fine, fine, fine!!!
Istanbulu | Central Calfornia | 01/29/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"yeah, this is a live album; yeah, crowd noise... but it is an exceptionally well-engineered and mastered live album. Ignore the 'zon reviews which complain about irrationally exuberant bass and drums... if you have good equipment, speakers, and cables, and you are a JJ person, you'll like this album... no ifs, ands, or buts!
*****"
Outstanding
Friendlycard | Norfolk, UK | 08/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There are some great artists who can sound (even) better in live performance, and my supposition that this might prove true of JJ Cale is amply vindicated by this album. Having enjoyed the 'To Tulsa and Back' DVD, I had high expectations of this album, and these expectations were more than fulfilled.
Released in 2001, 'JJ Cale Live' is a collection of fourteen tracks recorded at various venues in the US and Europe between 1990 and 1996. Cale's best-known compositions are here - 'After Midnight', 'Call Me The Breeze', 'Cocaine' - but there are some excellent if lesser-known tracks too.
I've been very surprised to read some criticism of the recording quality of this album, because to me it seems extremely crisp, and is indeed better recorded than many a studio album.
'Mama Don't' is an interesting point of comparison, because the original track (on the excellent 'Shades' album) was itself a live recording, but the version included here is appreciably better, in my opinion. The musicianship - and most especially Cale's guitar work - are superb here. Sound-wise, the only shortcoming here might be that audience participation is a little intrusive, but this seems to capture the essential atmosphere of the live gigs.
This is a very good album and, since it is (so far as I'm aware) Cale's only live release, it's an essential addition to the collection.
"
The best version of all his best known songs
Richard Gibson | Woodland Hills, CA | 08/27/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Other musicians -- Clapton and Skynrd primarily -- have made some of Cale's songs famous, so it is easy to think of him as primarily a songwriter. No, J.J. Cale plays his own work better than the covers, as good as they are. He has a totally unique style. Everybody says that he is laid back. Yes, he is, but he is also very precise, very controlled and very understated. This is a very powerful sound, from a guy who knows exactly what he is doing. I think it is fabulous that we have one true original left, who goes his own way, does his own thing and does not give a damm about the music establishment.
This album shows him at his best. It includes most of his best songs, in one of the best versions recorded. The versions of "After Midnight", "Cocaine" and "Call Me the Breeze" are all really remarkable for their precise, intricate and understated power. My favorite song on the album, though, is a very rocking version of "Riverboat Song.""