I finally got all the way through this double DVD set from Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. This massive one day concert took place in Chicago last July, which is the second get together of these guitar legends. This follows slowhand’s first guitar festival, which stretched over a three day weekend in Dallas in 2004.

The idea then and now was to get together all the best players, have fun and raise funds to benefit the Crossroads Centre in Antigua. This DVD is a must have for all guitar and music fans! (Just like the previous DVD, also a double-disc.)

Featuring:
Bill Murray as emcee
Eric Clapton playing host & guitar (with just about everybody)
Steve Winwood
Sonny Landreth
John McLaughlin
Doyle Bramhall II
Susan Tedeschi
The Derek Trucks Band
Johnny Winter
Robert Randolph & the Family Band
Robert Cray Band
Jimmie Vaughan
Hubert Sumlin
B.B. King
Vince Gill
Albert Lee
Sheryl Crow
Willie Nelson

Highlights:
Disc 1:
Sonny Landreth opens the show with a pair of red hot tunes with some smokin’ slide guitar playin’ plus a duet with Clapton. Landreth’s highly skilled style doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves. His playing is right up there with Steve Vai & Derek Trucks.

The Derek Trucks Band with Susan Tedeschi sure picked some great songs to play, like the Junior Wells & Buddy Guy classic “Little by Little” and “Anyday” by Derek & the Dominos. I saw Derek Trucks tour with Clapton last year and his slide playing just blows me away, much like Duane Allman’s did.

There’s a great interview with Johnny Winter, who looks ancient, but did a blistering version of “Highway 61 Revisited” with the Derek Trucks Band, who looked honored to play with such a legend. There were smiles all around the stage on this one.

Disc 2:
Jeff Beck with an amazing band holds the crowd speechless! They rip through two songs “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” and “Big Block.” (YouTube Video) Tal Wilkenfeld on bass is simply spellbounding (only 21 years old and touring with Jeff Beck!) There’s Vinnie Colaiuta on drums (Wow!) and Jason Rebello on keyboards rounding out the band.
Clapton honors George Harrison by performing “Isn’t It A Pity.”

Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton perform four songs together…
“Presence Of The Lord, Can’t Find My Way Home, Had To Cry Today & Crossroads.”
We all flash back to the Blind Faith days of 1969.

Winwood also performs his classic Traffic track “Dear Mr. Fantasy.” This night is magic.

The perfect end to the perfect concert…an all star finale with Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, John Mayer, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmie Vaughan and Johnny Winter performing “Sweet Home Chicago.”

The DVD Bonus Extra is Tab Benoit playing with Skunk Baxter and Harvey Mandel (Canned Heat.) There’s plenty more in this 2 DVD set; it’s over four hours of great material.

Don’t just take my word for it; there’s plenty of other rave reviews online. amazon.com link