Eric Clapton has always been involved in the blues, even before joining the Yardbirds in 1963. From time to time Clapton's music has strayed into other areas, including pop, but blues has always been an integral part of his music. This two-CD live album focuses on blues-oriented music.

Much of the music is slow and easy, but some of it is electrifyingly fast. Clapton performs several of his biggest hits, including "Lay Down Sally," "Wonderful Tonight" and "Cocaine."

Clapton plays the blues especially well on several of these songs. "Worried Life Blues" is very well done and is performed as well as any blues I have heard. This CD allows this song to extend for eight and a half wonderful minutes. Other extended blues songs include Otis Rush's "Double Trouble" and the mellow song "Rambling on My Mind."

Perhaps the fastest song on this two CD set, or at least the most powered, is the song "Blues Power," where the vocals are powered along by guitars and piano. "Cocaine" is almost as powerful with a strong guitar track. The audience gets into this song with claps and providing an occasional "cocaine" in the background. The lead guitar in this song does a nice job of wailing in places.

Clapton also takes on songs by others such as Don William's "Tulsa Time." Clapton sings a song he made famous, J.J. Cale's "After Midnight."

The second CD closes with the bouncy rock and roll song "Further on Up the Road." This song left me wanting more, and shows that someone was thinking when they ended this CD with this song.

Eric Clapton has always proven that he is a master performer, entering his fifth decade of professional music. This collection originally recorded in 1980 is nicely representative of Eric Clapton the blues man, and fans of the blues and of Eric Clapton should have this one in their collection. Enjoy!