Eric Clapton has joined Cuban-born percussionist Pedrito Martinez on a reimagined duet version of the classic rock legend’s 1998 release, “My Father’s Eyes.” The widely respected Latin musician had the idea in early 2019 to put together an updated recording of Clapton’s deeply personal song and sent it to the three-time inducted Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member for his thoughts.

Upon receiving the initial recording, Clapton invited the innovative musician to London last year to work together, where he added his own vocals and guitar to the track.

Clapton first released “My Father’s Eyes” in 1998’s Pilgrim, his 13th solo studio album. The song was inspired by Clapton’s own life: he never met his father, Edward Fryer. It also makes reference to the death of Clapton’s young son, Conor. “My Father’s Eyes” went on to earn the Grammy Award for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance.

From the collaboration’s Aug. 21 announcement: Having the opportunity to work closely with Clapton is the fulfillment of a longtime dream for Martinez that had its roots at New York City’s Guantanamera restaurant, where Pedrito’s group got started, and where Clapton was a frequent guest.

Clapton has provided additional guitar contributions to two more songs that will be included in Martinez’s upcoming album, Acertijos, expected to be released in early 2021.

Martinez has also recorded or performed with Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, and Sting, among others, and has contributed, as a percussionist and vocalist, to over 50 albums. He now leads the Pedrito Martinez Group.

He was born in Havana, Cuba, on Sept. 12, 1973.

Of Martinez, The New York Times has written, “among his peers, Pedrito Martinez is firmly established as a source of rhythmic delight and inspiration. he is as close as traditional Afro-Cuban music has to a superstar.”

https://bestclassicbands.com/ - By Best Classic Bands Staff

Steve Lukather and Mascot Records have announced the release of a newly recorded composition titled “Run To Me,” and an accompanying video. The song is heavily influenced by the artist’s fond connection to music from the late 60’s. The track was co-written by David Paich, Joseph Williams and Lukather. Performances include Lukather on guitar, Joseph Williams on keyboards and background vocals, John Pierce from Huey Lewis & The News on bass, alongside Luke’s bandmate and close friend Ringo Starr making a special appearance in both the video and on the record itself.

Lukather shares, “I wanted to release this now because it fits the moment. A time where we all need a happy song for an unhappy time. When I got together with Joseph Williams and David Paich to collaborate on the songwriting, there was pure collective inspiration amongst the three of us to articulate this message of hope directed towards our daughters.

Musically, the song is absolutely influenced by my growing up in the Sixties, inspired by some of my favorite elements of the repertoire that defined that indelible era. And, Ringo, what can I say. It is an honor to have his contribution captured on a song of mine, much less his gracious presence in the video.

Over the course of the last decade, we’ve become dear friends travelling The World with one another, and much like Paich and Williams, I am certainly blessed to have these talented, amazing human beings in my life as both band mates and friends. As we all look towards the unknown of this crazy world we are living in, simply my hope is this tune brings a little peace, love and pleasant distraction to these uncertain times.”

The recording was mixed by Kenneth Freeman, and mastered by Freeman’s body double. Additional engineering by Bruce Sugar (for Ringo) and Joseph Williams. “Run To Me” can be heard on all streaming services globally and is available for download. Details on Steve Lukather’s forthcoming solo album coming in early 2021 will be shared in the coming months.

ABOUT STEVE LUKATHER Over the course of five decades Steve Lukather has placed an indelible stamp on pop culture. Alongside his tenure as the only member of Toto to never take a hiatus from the band, he has performed on thousands of albums as a session musician. Amongst these musical contributions are some of the most successful, influential, and enduring records of all-time including Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Additionally, he released a memoir titled The Gospel According To Luke which was a global best-seller. He continues to be Toto’s band leader, a member of Ringo’s All-Starr Band, and a solo artist performing with multiple ensembles which include Nerve Bundle.

Toto has enjoyed a celebrated resurgence over the last several years tied to the band’s 40th Anniversary, wherein over a thirty-month period they performed for millions of fans across North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia. The band’s repertoire has been streamed over a billion times, while album sales exceed 40 million copies. Simply, Toto is one of the few 70’s bands that have endured the changing trends and styles, and 45 years into a career enjoy a multi-generational fan base.

Credits: By Martine Ehrenclou / https://www.rockandbluesmuse.com/

For Walter Trout, there is no ‘us’ and ‘them’. Across his five-decade career, the great U.S. bluesman’ s music has always been a lifeline and call-to-arms, reminding listeners they are not alone. Now, as the world seeks solace from a tragedy that has touched us all, he comes armed with a boundary-exploring new studio album and eleven searingly honest songs that bring his fans even closer. “There’s a lot of extraordinary madness going on right now,” considers Trout, of the COVID-19 crisis. “This album started because I was dealing with the flaws and weakness inside me. But it ended up being about everyone.”

Ordinary Madness was completed mere days before the U.S. shutdown, its cathartic songcraft and themes of shared troubles couldn’t chime better with a period in which our souls and spirits are under fire from tumultuous global events.

Admirably open about his troubled youth, and his own ongoing struggles with mental health, the bluesman had spent recent tours soothing himself by scribbling down his thoughts and feelings. It was only later he realized he’d just written the most honest lyric-sheet of his career – and felt he had an opportunity to let fans share and identify with him. “Everybody is dealing with something,” he says. “And I’m no different from anybody else. Ordinary Madness doesn’t mean you’re gonna end up in a mental institution. It’s just being human. It’s common humanity.”

Trout’s formative blues influences are well-documented, spanning from Paul Butterfield’s 1965 self-titled debut alongside Mike Bloomfield to John Mayall’s seminal 1966 ‘Beano’ LP with Eric Clapton. But as he cut his teeth in New Jersey, the young guitarist was also drawn to the maverick songwriters, taking in The Beatles, Dylan, and Neil Young’s Crazy Horse. At every step of his career – moving to California in ’74 to back up giants like John Lee Hooker, joining Canned Heat and Mayall’s Bluesbreakers in the ’80s, then flying solo in 1989 – the stockpile of songs kept growing.

This time around, Trout is doing things a little differently. Led in by an electronic intro created by eldest son Jon Trout, the song sets off on a hypnotic groove with a gloriously languid guitar break that’s anything but autopilot blues. “I’ve broken the pinkie on my left hand three times in the past year,” remembers Trout, “so the guitar playing on this album took a little work, and there’s some anger and frustration in some of the solos. I really like that solo on the title track. It took two or three re-takes. But I think I nailed it.”

From that jump-off, a career-best album spilled out, as Trout convened his band of Michael Leasure (drums), Johnny Griparic (bass) and Teddy ‘Zig Zag’ Andreadis (keys) – along with long-time producer Eric Corne, plus special guests Skip Edwards, Drake ‘Munkihaid’ Shining and Anthony Grisham. The backdrop, once again, was the private LA studio of Doors legend Robby Krieger. “The whole place is full of vintage gear, and it’s all there for you, whatever you want. The keyboard that Ray Manzarek used in The Doors – it’s just fucking sitting there. I remember, on the rhythm track for OK Boomer, Michael Dumas, who runs the studio, comes walking in and says: ‘Here’s the SG that Robby used in The Doors – wanna try this?’ Then, for the rhythm guitar on Heartland, he says: ‘Here’s one of James Burton’s Paisley Telecasters…’”

Musically, Trout’s antennae are up, as he pushes the envelope on the psychedelic layered vocal harmonies of “The Sun Is Going Down,” a song about dealing with aging. Trout shares, “Lyrically, it’s about running out of time. You gotta look at death, deal with it, accept it. That’s a condition of being alive.” The blissed-out anthemics of “Up Above My Sky,” nods to peak-period Pink Floyd and Trout worked with the U.S. Blues singer Teeny Tucker on the bereft “All Out Of Tears” – a tribute to her late son. On the haunting “Heaven In Your Eyes,” Walter was stunned by Marie Trout’s lyrics about the desperation of trying to find ways to reach the person you love but being unable to find the words.

“As the lyric says in ‘Up Above My Sky,’ he reflects, “sometimes you have to see through the darkness to find the light. I can’t wait get back out there again, meet the people at shows, hug them and pose for a photo. And I’m really looking forward to playing these songs live. Because I think this album speaks to these times…” Touring plans will be announced in the coming months as The World returns to some level of normalcy enabling all artists to return to staging appearances.

REDITS: Steve Karas – American Blues Scene

Deftones have announced their first album in four years and have shared the titular track from the 10-song album ‘Ohms’.

Drummer Abe Cunningham recently gave away that they had a new album on the way a couple of months ago when he revealed the album was done. “We actually tracked everything over the summer, last summer — June and July — we were in the studio tracking,” Cunningham explained during an interview at Download Festival TV in June. “But we actually just completed everything. We were down in LA recording, but we mixed up in Seattle.

“We’re working with our old pal Terry Date, who did a bunch of our earlier records and stuff, too,” he continued. “He’s up there [in Seattle] with this whole distancing thing; it was a bit rough, but we figured out a way to kind of do the mixes without being there.”

Adding: “It’s a lot better when we’re all in the room; we can knock it out quick and argue and do our things,” he admitted. “But, yeah, we just completed that. It’s getting mastered right now, and that’s been the main thing. So, it’s been something to do in this strange off time.”

The new record, Ohms, follows 2016’s Gore and was recorded at Henson Studios and Trainwreck Studios. The band worked with producer Terry Date, who they collaborated with on 1995’s Adrenaline, 1997’s Around the Fur as well as 2000’s White Pony.

CREDITS: Joe Taysom - https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/