With the riff of Train Kept A-Rollin' you could say that he invented Led Zeppelin, with Heart Full Of Soul he puts himself at the forefront of psychedelia and shows that a guitar (with a good fuzz pedal) can sound like a sitar, while the solo with slide on Evil Hearted You is another great example of the incredible guitarist he is, sounding halfway between Morricone and surf. Even “Nessum Dorma”‘s main movement is here, and Jeff Beck matches its profound emotional load easily. If you enjoy our site, please consider supporting us by sparing a few seconds to disable your ad blocker.

The guitar sound on Over Under Sideways Down’s rave-up is still impossible to pin down: part snake charmers’ pungi, part kazoo – how *did* he do that?

Hunt down this excellent three-CD box (released in 1991 but, sadly, currently out of print) for a comprehensive overview of Jeff Beck’s career spanning 1963 to 1989. On the rest of the album the guitar he used is the mythical Oxblood (originally a heavily modified 1954 Gold Top, with the P-90s replaced by humbuckers) with which he can be seen on the cover. B. King and Steve Cropper, he honed his craft from 1963 in The Tridents, a four-piece led by the Lucas brothers, bassist and vocalist Paul and rhythm guitarist John.

With Jan Hammer in the group, it was a continuation of his Mahavishnu Orchestra jazz /rock fusion experimentation. Apart from a sizzling instrumental version of "High Heeled Sneakers," less devoted listeners will find 'Frankie's House' as captivating as most other incidental film music.The biggest radio hit off the album was a version of Curtis Mayfield and the “Impressions” 1965 “Civil Rights” anthem “People Get Ready. On “Beck’s Bolero,” Jimmy Page himself contributed 12 string guitar, and wild man Keith Moon, who was on the outs with The Who at the time and considering leaving them, nonetheless showed up under cover and pounded the skins into dust.

From early, ground-breaking cuts with The Yardbirds, to The Jeff Beck Group, solo triumphs and dazzling collaborations with everyone from Kate Bush and Stevie Wonder to a real-life blackbird, MOJO salutes ‘the guitarist’s guitarist’ by selecting 20 of the best songs and performances from across Jeff Beck's career. Right now it’s my favorite Jeff Beck album, and pretty much has stayed there ever since it was released.Beck and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons had been close friends for decades (see the clip below of Beck presenting Gibbons – “the guy who made beards famous” – with his MOJO award in 2009). The opening tracks of "Black Cat Moan" and "Lady" gives listeners a nice after-taste of the Jeff Beck Group before it descends into soft and funky rock with "Livin' Alone" and "I'm So Proud". Beck-Ola is Jeff Beck’s second studio album by the Jeff Beck Group released in 1969 and features the same lineup as Truth including keyboardist extraordinaire Nicky Hopkins. Hammerhead,” which begins as a ‘60s riff rocker before quickly heading to Blow by Blow territory; “There’s No Other Me".

One of the few Yardbirds tracks to feature both Beck and his old mate and soon-to-be-successor, Jimmy Page. Freeway Jam" was one of Beck's most popular songs, and for good reason: The solo he fired off was one of his very best.If you enjoy guitar playing that goes beyond just the screaming guitar in a band, get this CD and see what can be done in the right hands. The Shape Of Things To Come is a prime example of the sheer transcendent power the unit he assembled could summon. But, as I said, the Yardbirds were always a singles band rather than albums, so the best thing to do when listening to this album is to get the extended version in which appear Happenings Ten Years Ago and Psyco Daisies, the only two songs that Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page recorded together in the band, which are a huge treasure for any lover of the six strings. The Beck and Rod Stewart duo are spectacular, and are well accompanied by Ron Wood on bass (Beck was worth the solo spot on guitar), Micky Waller on drums and the special collaboration of Nicky Hopkins on piano. Wonder originally wanted Beck to release his version first, but Motown boss Berry Gordy had other ideas and denied Beck a hit.