Ten Tunes From the Great Jeff Beck

Like millions of his fans, I am still in shock at the passing of the great Jeff Beck. Especially for baby boomers, Beck was the epitome of the Rock Star; the essence of COOL, kind of like The Fonz of guitar players. Along with his contemporaries Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck defined the classic rock guitar sound and the guitar player image. He had an uncanny ability to adapt his style to a variety of genres including blues, rhythm and blues, rockabilly, jazz, reggae, techno, classical and more. He wrote many influential tunes, but when he chose to cover someone else's music he always found a way to give the song new life. 

Below are ten of my personal Beck favorites, organized chronologically: 

*Groundbreaking Guitar Style: "Shapes of Things" (1966). Rock historians all agree that The Yardbirds were one of the most important bands of all time, as they laid down the foundation for what became "hard rock." Beck's playing on The Yardbirds' "Shapes of Things." which is one of the earliest examples of the feedback sound that became the trademark of guitar giants like Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page, expanded the possibilities of the instrument for an entire generation. 

The Yardbirds' "Shapes of Things"

*Reveling in Ravel: "Beck's Bolero" (1966). One of the most influential instrumental tunes of the classic rock era, an opus that actually has members of the Who (Keith Moon) and what would become half of Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones) playing on it. My guess is that the French composer Joseph Maurice Ravel (died 1937) would have been intrigued by this treatment of his famous score. Maybe he and Beck are discussing it right now in some alternative universe. The version below is from Beck's 1968 album "Truth." 

Jeff Beck "Beck's Bolero" 

*Jam Master Jeff: "Rice Pudding" (1969). Beck recorded two albums with vocalist Rod Stewart in the late 1960s as the Jeff Beck Group, "Truth" and "Beck-Ola". Stewart claims that this band was actually the biggest influence on what became the wildly successful Led Zeppelin. I think that that is probably true, though ironically the influence is most clearly shown in the sprawling, raucous instrumental "Rice Pudding." The tune is exactly the kind of jam that found an audience largely due to the risk taking and general excellence of early FM radio. 

Jeff Beck Group "Rice Pudding" 

*Wonderful Cover of a Signature Stevie Wonder Tune: "Superstition." (1973). After the break up of the Jeff Beck Group, Beck experimented with a "super group" formation. He recruited drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice and bassist Tim Bogert, both formerly of the legendary Vanilla Fudge, to record an album with him. The resulting "Beck, Bogert, Appice" album is a minor classic, even though Beck had suggested over the years that the album was a bit of a sell out in that he was aiming for commercial success. I think every song on the album is amazing, but the cover of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" is a rare and intoxicating example of a metal/soul hybrid. 

Beck, Bogert, Appice "Superstition"

*Not Quite Jazz, Part I: "Freeway Jam" (1975). In the mid-1970s Jeff Beck recorded and released two mostly instrumental albums ("Blow by Blow" in 1975 and "Wired" in 1976) that I think have mistakenly been called "jazz" by generations of music fans and critics. Oh there are certainly jazz elements in each, but there's much more going on. In fact I would argue that these records represent a jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock hybrid that was unprecedented for the time and remains unique. 

Jeff  Beck "Freeway Jam" 

*Not Quite Jazz, Part II: "Blue Wind" (1976). Beck always had a way of bringing out the best in other musicians. On the album "Wired," he seemed to liberate legendary composers/instrumentalists Jan Hammer and Narada Michael Walden from pure jazz, working with them to create a more soulful version of jazz-rock. I love the live version of "Blue Wind" performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 2016 at a concert celebrating Beck's 50th year in music. 

Jeff Beck "Blue Wind" 

*Spiritualizing MTV: "People Get Ready" (1985). By 1985 Music Television was dominated by Michael Jackson, electro-pop, and misogynistic garbage. Ironically, two old school rockers (Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart) added some spirit to the channel with an amazing version of the Impressions's 1965 Civil Rights era hit "People Get Ready." No one will ever top Curtis Mayfield's original vocals on that track, but Stewart actually comes close. Meanwhile the video introduced a new generation to Jeff Beck's soulful guitar playing. 

Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart "People Get Ready"

*Techno Vibe: "What Mama Said."(1999).  In 1999 Beck released his first album of original music in ten years, "Who Else!" On it he collaborated with the great Jennifer Batten, a superior guitarist in her own right who played on Michael Jackson's world tours in the 1980s. The album calls to mind "Blow by Blow" and "Wired," but it has a techno edge to it not found in those earlier records. 

Jeff Beck "What Mama Said" 

*Showin' 'Em How It's Done: "Behind the Veil" (2007). The Crossroads Guitar Festival was founded by Eric Clapton to provide a space for showcasing the greatest guitar players in the world. Jeff Beck's 2007 appearance featuring bassist Tal Wilkenfeld remains as one of the most mesmerizing performances in the history of the festival. 

Jeff Beck "Behind the Veil"

*Getting Back to the Roots: ""Live in the Dark" (2016). In 2016 Beck recorded an energetic, socially conscious set of tunes with indie British rockers Rosie Bones and Carmen Vandenburg. The album "Loud Hailer" is actually one of his greatest accomplishments, showing truly how you are never too old to rock and roll. 

Jeff Beck "Live in the Dark" 

This post was just a small taste of Jeff Beck. Search his catalogue and you will not be disappointed. Thanks for the memories and inspiration Jeff, and rest in peace.