29 July 2013 (Day 210) – J.J. Cale

Still feeling the effects of my bronchitis, I returned to work.  After a couple of weeks away, there was much to do, my most pressing concern being the need to work up a presentation I have to deliver at a prestigious seminar next week.  This task is not helped by a number of coughing fits and an inability to concentrate for lengthy periods, usually a massive strength of mine.  I also worked with a heavy heart after hearing about the death of J.J Cale.

I can’t say that I’m been a lifelong Cale fan but I’ve learnt to appreciate his influence over modern music.  Indeed there was a period of time where I resented his influence, particularly over Eric Clapton’s solo work, assuming that he was solely responsible for Slowhand’s retreat from the fiery rock of Derek And The Dominoes towards a quieter, more reflective sound. 

It was only as time went by and I realised it’s far more satisfying to have access to a much wider musical palate that the penny dropped.  I learnt that Cale knew how to exploit guitar virtuosity without ever having to resort to loud and lengthy soloing.  Listen to his best records and it becomes apparent how he draws attention to the best musical elements in each track, including his distinctive Southern drawl, without ever compromising the song.  And yet, almost inevitably, attention is drawn to his sublime guitar work irrespective of whether it’s just a brief lick or a solo. No wonder Clapton was drawn to him.  Although the music has a leisurely, unfussed quality, it is actually quite intricate and listening to it on headphones is a rewarding experience.

And so in tribute to the man, I set my iPod to its sole Cale album on repeat, fastened on my headphones and set the volume to low;

(# 534) J.J Cale – Anyway The Wind Blows.  The Anthology [disc 1 only] (1997)

This is a two disc 50 track overview of Cale’s career and Disc 1 covers his most influential recordings.   Call Me The Breeze (later covered successfully by Lynyrd Skynyrd), Crazy Mama, I’ll Make Love To You Anytime, Don’t Cry Sister, Magnolia, After Midnight and Cocaine are all present and accounted for in remastered versions.  But there’s lots of other tracks to enjoy including Midnight In Memphis, an evocative instrumental; Lies, with its incredibly distinctive Claption sound alike guitar lines; the Santana influenced Durango and Sensitive Kind with its deft use of strings.