PBS GREAT PERFORMANCES
“Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago”
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
9:00-11:00 p.m. ET
Host |
Bill Murray |
Presenter |
Thirteen/WNET New York |
Executive Producers |
David Horn, GREAT PERFORMANCES, and John Beug, Rhino Entertainment |
Director |
Martyn Atkins |
Accessibility |
CC Stereo 5.1 SurroundSound Widescreen/HD where available |
Funders |
National Endowment for the Arts, Public Television Viewers, PBS and Corporation for Public Broadcasting |
Among the many highlights: Jeff Beck’s blistering guitar work that includes a reinvention of the Beatles’ A Day in the Life; Clapton’s former Blind Faith and Traffic bandmate Steve Winwood’s soul-dipped vocals on Presence of the Lord and Can’t Find My Way Home; 81-year-old B.B. King’s stirring tribute to Clapton before turning to an electrifying The Thrill Is Gone; and Clapton going toe-to-toe with protégé Derek Trucks for a towering Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad.
Bill Murray adds his comic genius to the affair, attempting to offer Van Morrison’s Gloria— “the one song I know on the electric guitar” — before he’s saved brilliantly by Clapton’s guitar handiwork. Murray’s parade of outfits — complete with wigs and guitars — pays homage to the various stages of Clapton’s career and keeps the show moving briskly and genially.
Notes an awed John Mayer, regarding the playing around him, “English is a second language here. Guitar playing is the first.”
Founded by Eric Clapton in 1997, The Crossroads Centre, Antigua, was created to provide treatment and education to chemically dependent persons.
An expanded version of “Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago” is available on Rhino Entertainment home video. A two-disc version of the first Crossroads Guitar Festival, from the Dallas Cotton Bowl, became one of the world’s top-selling music DVDs, going platinum eight times in the United States alone.
“Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago” marks Clapton’s fourth GREAT PERFORMANCES appearance in the last three years. Cream Reunion Concert, with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, was a highlight of the 2005 season, while 2004 saw the first Crossroads Guitar Festival followed by his participation in the moving tribute, Concert for George, the Royal Albert Hall celebration of the late Beatle George Harrison.
GREAT PERFORMANCES online contains additional information about this and other GREAT PERFORMANCES programs. The colorful Web companion contains a wide variety of images, in-depth information about the programs and activities for teachers, including lesson plans, tips and resources.