Amazon.co.uk Review: Eric Clapton and B.B. King first recorded together for one track on King's 1997 album Deuces Wild, an experience so satisfying that they decided they'd better do it again. Before long, Clapton announced on US television that one of his remaining ambitions was to make an entire album with King. Roping in producer Simon Climie, who had been such an integral part of Clapton's hugely successful Pilgrim album, the pair hunkered down in Los Angeles and set to work rejuvenating and re-interpreting a bunch of King's classics including "Ten Long Years", "Three O'Clock Blues", "Help The Poor" and "Days Of Old". They also take on a bunch of other goodies including a slow, bluesey reading of Sam & Dave's "Hold On I'm Coming" and, appropriately enough, a witty take on John Hiatt's "Riding With The King". They reach back to 1946 for the Johnny Mercer/Harold Arlen standard "Come Rain Or Come Shine", and even dip into the 1930s to resurrect Big Bill Broonzy's "Keys To The Highway", where their trading of tasty acoustic licks is a particular joy. Throughout Riding With The King, Climie has kept the production admirably simple, with King's voice and guitar in one stereo channel while Clapton's is in the other, helping create a vital intimacy, as if they're playing across a small room to each other. --Johnny Black
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Riding with the King in a wheelchair
I really wanted to like this album. Two icons of R&B getting together again to cover some classic tracks. Unfortunately, this album is anaesthetic, tame and bland. Maybe 4 out of the 12 tracks are worth listening to. Clapton mumbles away in the background and spoils perfectly good music with muffled vocals and most of the track choice is at best uninspired.
Probably the notable exception is "Key to the Highway", which, along with "Riding with the King" is among the few highlights of ... Read More
Rating: - More grit
This is somewhere between 3 & 4 stars for me, it has some great moments, but overall doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.
The good first:
There is some lovely blues on here and its all well played by Clapton and King with a supporting cast of top notch musicians. These includes Steve Gadd, Joe Sample, Nathan East, Jimmie Vaughan and Andy Fairweather Low. The best tracks are the two semi-acoustic tracks 'Key to the Highway' and 'Worried life Blues' and the romping ... Read More
Rating: - dissappointed russ
As this is sold as a DVD I expected some film footage as well. Unfortunately there is not a single second of video on this DVD? and no picture gallery either. Next time I'll have to read the label more carefully!
Rating: - That's the ticket
What a great contrasting sound and style on this album, as BB and Clapton complement each other.
"Key to the Highway" swings along in country blues call & answer style and what about the soul standard of "Hold on I'm comin"? The first time you listen to this, because of its low key start, takes you by surprise when the penny drops and you're listening to a classic being driven like a steam hammer.
Rating: - A nice little blues/rock record
This album opens with a great rendition of John Hiatt's 1983 rocker "Riding With The King", which has very little to do with blues, but who cares...B.B. King is entitled to a bit of a break now and again, I suppose!
There is a lot of genuine blues here as well, however, and the eight-minute "Three O'Clock Blues" burns with long guitar solos from both men. Other highlights include a good rendition of Big Bill Broonzy's "Key To The Highway", a song which Clapton has recorded again and again ... Read More
- 
- 
-