Clapton surprises with Johnson tribute

Some blues purists are tired of hearing Eric Clapton claim to be a bluesman, then releasing maudlin pop sludge like "Tears in Heaven" and "My Father's Eyes." So there might be some skepticism when one of these said blues purists pick up a copy of Me and Mr. Johnson, Clapton's tribute to the legendary Robert Johnson.\nAfter all, it's cool that Clapton -- and countless other blues disciples -- are allegedly influenced by Johnson, Son House, Skip James and any number of other early bluesmen.\nBut it's a different story entirely when it comes time to walk the walk; over his 40-year career, Clapton has repeatedly betrayed the same forefathers whom he claims to revere, starting with Cream's acid-propelled manglings of Johnson's "Cross Road Blues" and James' "I'm So Glad" and moving into his various attempts at approximating the blues in the 1990s and beyond.\nSuch apprehension is perhaps heightened when looking at the painted cover for Me and Mr. Johnson: Clapton sits in a chair, dressed in a dark suit, with legs crossed, holding an acoustic guitar. The pangs of dread shoot through you -- it looks like the CD will contain just him and his guitar in an attempt to exactly imitate Johnson's music, which would be a recipe for utter disaster, because no one can match Johnson's eerie power and riveting repertoire.\nBut that's not what happens at all. Clapton recruited an all-star lineup for his backing band: Steve Gadd on drums, Nathan East on bass, Billy Preston on organ and piano and Andy Fairweather Low and Doyle Bramhall II on second guitars. Imitation is not what Clapton is after here; instead, he wants to put his own modern spin on Johnson's music while keeping a cutting, bluesy edge.\nAnd, in general, he succeeds; Johnson classics like "32-20 Blues," "Love in Vain," "Hell Hound on My Trail" and "Traveling Riverside Blues" pulsate with a fresh new feel but stay firmly in the modern blues milieu. These aren't rock songs pretending to be blues. These are honest-to-God blues songs. Johnson hasn't been revamped this well since George Thorogood's fiery cover of "I'm a Steady Rollin' Man" 12 years ago.\nIn fact, it just might be authentic enough to melt the heart of even the most stubborn cynic.