Review Clapton Winwood DVD

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood
Live from Madison Square Garden
Reprise/Warner Music Group

At one stage in this mesmerising DVD, during a jam between himself and Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton drops his “professional musician at work mask” gets over himself and begins to play as if he is really having fun and enjoying every minute of it.
And there is no reason why he should not be having fun after all he’s up there on stage with an old mate and the world is at his fingertips.
Clearly Clapton is the more accomplished of the two, but Winwood adds a raw edge that makes the magic between these two palpable.
Clapton and Winwood go back to the early days when Briit pop was just beginning to look at the US Blues scene. They shared a flat and spent hours hunched over their guitars listening to blues records learning the notes one by one. Then Clapton went off to join John Mayall and Winwood joined the Spencer Davis group which had a hit with Gimme some Lovin’ before he went on to form Traffic.
Then at the height of the hippie era (now more than 40 years ago) they came together as Blind Faith, forming the first ever supergroup. They delivered one incredible album then broke up.
In an interview featured here, Clapton takes the blame for that. He was “unfaithful” he says. Went off with another band. So at last the truth has emerged. Apparently Steve took a long time to forgive him and they recently became friends again.
Now we have these two giants on the same stage jamming and having a lot of fun together.
In 20 recorded tracks they play the Blind Faith classic Presence of the Lord, some JJ Cale, some Jimi Hendrix (Voodoo Child) some Traffic, Glad from Cream but mostly they jam, swapping notes, singing off and on key and pushing each other to the limit.
For those who weren’t there then and wonder what music was like when musicians such as these were at the top of the pile this is it. And it’s as astounding to watch, as it is to listen to. EJH