J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton have collaborated on record for the first time on forthcoming release “The Road To Escondido.” The 14-track album, recorded in California in August 2005, captures a bluesy, country, rocky feel. Co-produced by Clapton’s long-term associate Simon Climie, “Road to ...
J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton have collaborated on record for the first time on forthcoming release “The Road To Escondido.”
The 14-track album, recorded in California in August 2005, captures a bluesy, country, rocky feel.
Co-produced by Clapton’s long-term associate Simon Climie, “Road to Escondido” has 11 tracks written by Cale, while Clapton himself contributes “Three Little Girls.” The album also features a John Mayer composition “Hard To Thrill’” and a traditional blues standard “Sporting Life Blues”.
Cale and Clapton’s regular backing musicians including the late Billy Preston, Doyle Bramhall III, John Mayer, Jim Karstein, Nathan East and Pino Palladino are among the 23 contributing players.
In the past, the duo have shown admiration for each other’s work. Clapton famously covered John Cale’s classics such as ‘Cocaine’ and ‘After Midnight.’
The making of this record was a personal ambition for both musicians, Clapton commenting that, “This was the realisation of what may have been my last ambition, to work with the man whose music has inspired me for as long as I can remember.”
The full track listing is: Danger, Heads in Georgia, Missing Person, When This War Is Over, Sporting Life Blues, Dead End Road, It’s Easy, Hard To Thrill, Anyway The Wind Blows, Three Little Girls, Don’t Cry Sister, Last Will and Testament, Who Am I Telling You and Ride The River.
“The Road To Escondido” is dedicated to Clapton and Preston’s late friend Brian Roylance.
“The Road To Escondido” is released through Reprise November 6.