Sunday, 9 April 2023

Jeff Beck album by album

 


During the Sixties there were considered to be three great guitarists: Clapton, Page, and Beck. They had similar British electric blues based style, and all three had played in the Yardbirds in the early to mid Sixties, and at the end of the Sixties all three had made influential recordings that would lay the path for future hard rock and heavy metal - Clapton with Cream, Page with Zeppelin, and Beck with the Jeff Beck Group. By the Seventies Beck was developing an interest in jazz fusion and intricate guitar playing, and interest that saw him critically quietly respected, but without drawing much attention from the public, and while continuing to occasionally release solid albums, he largely slipped out of view.  He is largely known by the general public for "Hi Ho Silver Lining",  a pop hit he had in 1967 and again in 1972. 




Geoffrey Arnold Beck (24 June 1944 – 10 January 2023) was an English guitarist. He rose to prominence as a member of the rock band the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, he switched to an instrumental style with focus on an innovative sound, and his releases spanned genres and styles ranging from blues rock, hard rock, jazz fusion and a blend of guitar-rock and electronica.

Beck was ranked in the top five of Rolling Stone and other magazines' lists rankings of the greatest guitarists.[4][5][6] He was often called a "guitarist's guitarist".[7] Rolling Stone described him as "one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock".[8] Although he recorded two successful albums (in 1975 and 1976) as a solo act, Beck did not establish or maintain commercial success like that of his contemporaries and bandmates.[7][3] He recorded with many artists.[9]

Beck earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times and Best Pop Instrumental Performance once. In 2014, he received the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.[10] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: first as a member of the Yardbirds (1992) and secondly as a solo artist (2009).



One of the essential guitarists of the British Invasion, Jeff Beck possessed a mercurial, lyrical style that sounded equally at home in thunderous blues-rock and soft-focus fusion. Beck played both styles in his long, unpredictable career, pioneering psychedelia, heavy metal, and jazz-rock as he did so. His prodigious talent was evident from the moment he joined the Yardbirds, nudging the group toward mind-bending rock on such seminal mid-'60s singles as "Shapes of Things" and "Over Under Sideways Down." Beck left the Yardbirds after spending just over a year in the group, turning his attention to the Jeff Beck Group, a crushingly loud, heavy rock outfit featuring Ron Wood on bass and Rod Stewart on vocals. Truth, their 1968 debut, drew the blueprint Led Zeppelin would soon follow, but Beck never rivaled Jimmy Page's group in terms of popularity. During the early '70s, he cycled through new bands, including a super trio with Vanilla Fudge's rhythm section Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice, eventually settling into a slick jazz groove with the George Martin-produced 1975 LP Blow by Blow. From that point forward, fusion played a crucial role in Beck's music, sometimes taking the forefront -- as on a live 1977 album with the Jan Hammer Group -- but more often providing the glue on such adventurous rock records as 1989's Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop. Throughout his career, Beck balanced his solo recordings with guest appearances on albums by other musicians -- notably, he played lead guitar on Mick Jagger's 1985 solo debut She's the Boss and Roger Waters' 1992 set Amused to Death -- and sometimes these collaborations resulted in a full duet album, as it did on 18, his 2022 album with Johnny Depp.



Jeff Beck, original name in full Geoffrey Arnold Beck, (born June 24, 1944, Wallington, Surrey, England—died January 10, 2023, Wadhurst, East Sussex, England), English rock guitarist whose fast intricate playing influenced the development of the heavy metal and jazz-rock genres and made him one of the most respected guitarists in rock music.
A supporting stint with rock-and-roll eccentric Screaming Lord Sutch brought young guitarist Beck to the attention of blues-rock group the Yardbirds, whose lead guitarist he became in 1965, replacing Eric Clapton. The following year, having left the Yardbirds, Beck founded his own combo, the Jeff Beck Group, featuring vocalist Rod Stewart and bassist Ron Wood. On Truth (1968) and Beck-Ola (1969), the band pioneered a fierce, overdriven approach to the blues that lay the groundwork for early heavy metal.
Stewart and Wood left in 1970 to join the Small Faces (later the Faces), and Beck was injured in a car accident later that year, forcing him to put his career on hiatus. In 1971 he resurfaced with a new Jeff Beck Group that included Bobby Tench on lead vocals and Cozy Powell on the drums. They released two rhythm-and-blues–influenced albums, Rough and Ready (1971) and Jeff Beck Group (1972). With former Vanilla Fudge members Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert, Beck released Beck, Bogert & Appice in 1973. After its negative reception the trio disbanded, and Beck embarked on a solo career. The critically acclaimed Blow by Blow (1975), produced by Beatles collaborator George Martin, featured an all-instrumental, jazz fusion approach in which Beck’s guitar playing essentially took the place of a lead vocalist. He would record largely without vocals for the rest of his career.
Flash (1985), produced by Nile Rodgers, was Beck’s most commercial release. It contained the Grammy Award-winning track “Escape,” as well as a cover of the Impressions’ “People Get Ready,” which featured Stewart on vocals and became Beck’s first hit single. In later years Beck maintained a relatively low profile, touring occasionally and recording, including contributions to such albums as Mick Jagger’s Primitive Cool (1987) and Roger Waters’s Amused to Death (1992). In 1989 Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop won a Grammy Award for best rock instrumental performance.
In the early 21st century Beck began incorporating electronic textures and hip-hop rhythms into his compositions, notably those for 2003’s Jeff, which won a Grammy for the song “Plan B.” Emotion & Commotion (2010) marked a return to Beck’s blues-rock roots and featured a number of guest vocalists, including Joss Stone and Imelda May. In 2011 that album earned him a pair of Grammy Awards, for best pop instrumental and best rock instrumental, and he claimed a third trophy for his collaboration with Herbie Hancock on “Imagine.” Beck collaborated with guitarist Carmen Vandenberg and vocalist Rosie Bones on the aggressive rock album Loud Hailer (2016). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds in 1992 and as a solo artist in 2009.

Early bands


Beck was in a variety of teenage amateur bands when still at school; then, after leaving school in 1960, joined a professional instrumental band The Bandits who had a summer contract supporting Elvis style singers on tour. When the tour ended, he started a two year fine art course at Wimbledon School of Art, though also joined the semi-professional band The Deltones.  In May 1961 he abandoned the art school, and worked odd jobs in the day while playing with The Deltones in the evening.  When lead singer Johnny Del left The Deltones for The Crescents in the summer of '61, Beck followed.  After the band broke up in late '61, Beck played in various other bands until forming his own band The Nightshift, in 1963. The Nightshift recorded one unreleased single: 

Shortly after The Nightshift supported The Tridents (who had formed in 1961) at Eel Pie Island in late 1964,  Beck was asked to join them in September 1964 and stayed with them until early March 1965. There are several recordings of The Tridents when Beck was with them. 


"Tiger In Your Tank"  Live 1964 Eel Pie Island 
"Nursery Rhyme"  Live 1964 Eel Pie Island 
"Wandering Man Blues"  Oriole Studios (later CBS Studios), London, late 1963 (? - Beck joined in 64)
"Trouble In Mind"   Regent Sound Studios, London, in 1963 (? - Beck joined in 64) 

Additionally, through his friendship with Jimmy Page, he did some session work: 

Fitz and Startz "I'm Not Running Away" / "So Sweet" (1964) 
John Howard "Rinky Dink" / "Java" (1964) 
Phil Ryan & The Crescents "Yes I Will" / "Mary Don't You Weep"   (1964) 
Screaming Lord Sutch  "Dracula's Daughter" / "Come Back Baby"    1964   


  

In December 1964 Beck and Page played together on a recording with Nicky Hopkins on piano and the drummer and bassist from Cyril Connelly's All Stars. The recordings appear on Vol 3 of Blues Anytime.  

"Chuckles" / "Steelin'" 




Side 1 is The Yardbirds with Beck. Side 2 is four tracks taken from Five Live Yardbirds with Clapton on lead. The best Yardbirds album is  Five Live Yardbirds, and this doesn't really advance on that; though it's an attractive record which stands as a mark of the times. The Yardbirds as a whole are representative of an important period in the development of British rock, starting with the British RnB of Clapton's Yardbirds, moving through the pop and psychedelia of Beck's Yardbirds, and reaching a peak with the early heavy rock/metal of Page's Yardbirds which morphed into Led Zeppelin.  

This is a patchy album. Side 2 is, of course great, but its far better to go direct to the  Five Live Yardbirds for a more complete picture of how exciting and cutting edge Clapton's Yardbirds were.  Side 1, which is Beck's side, is an odd mix of British RnB, pop songs, and psychedelia, and doesn't really hold together, though some individual tracks are good by themselves.  "Heart Full of Soul", with some spooky, fuzzy guitar work by Beck overplaying the well crafted pop song by Graham Gouldman (later of 10cc), who had also written the single "For Your Love" (on which Clapton played) and "Evil Hearted You".  "The Train Kept A-Rollin'" is a strong song with a driving rhythm, which was later used for a scene in Blow Up, when Page was also in the band.  



Released15 November 1965
Recorded
  • March 1964 (live)
  • April–September 1965 (studio)
Genre
Length37:40
LabelEpic
ProducerGiorgio Gomelsky

Side 1 (1965 studio with Beck)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."You're a Better Man Than I"Mike Hugg3:17
2."Evil Hearted You"Graham Gouldman2:24
3."I'm a Man"Bo Diddley2:37
4."Still I'm Sad"Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty2:57
5."Heart Full of Soul"Gouldman2:28
6."The Train Kept A-Rollin'"3:26
Side 2 (1964 live with Clapton)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Smokestack Lightning"Howlin' Wolf5:35
2."Respectable"O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley5:28
3."I'm a Man"Bo Diddley4:24
4."Here 'Tis"Bo Diddley5:04
Total length:37:40


Wikipedia 
Score: 4  


Released as Yardbirds in the UK and as Over Under Sideways Down in the US, the album has come to be better known as Roger The Engineer after the drawing of the album's engineer, Roger Cameron, by Chris Dreja, which is used as the cover illustration.  This feels more like a proper album than Having A Rave Up,  and the band are tighter, with a better and more interesting collection of songs.  

The 1998 CD puts together the Mono and the Stereo albums and adds the single "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" with B-side "Psycho Daisies". "Happenings" is an extraordinary track, with Beck and Page both on lead guitars. 



Similar albums from the same year: (Feb)  Boom - The Sonics (5 );  (March) The Young Rascals - The Young Rascals (5);  The Fugs - The Fugs (4);  (April) Aftermath - Rolling Stones (7);  The Seeds - The Seeds (6); (May) Small Faces - Small Faces (6);  (July)  Bluesbreakers - John Mayall with Clapton (8);  (August)  Revolver - The Beatles (8);  (Sept)  The Remains - The Remains (6);  (Oct) Face To Face - The Kinks (10);  The Psychedelic Sounds of - The 13th Floor Elevators (5);  (Dec) Fresh Cream - Cream  (7); Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield  (4);  (Turn On) The Music Machine (4). 

Released15 July 1966
RecordedApril–June 1966
StudioAdvision, London
Genre
Length35:52
LabelColumbia
Producer


All songs written by Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, Jeff Beck, Keith Relf, and Paul Samwell-Smith

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Lost Woman"3:16
2."Over Under Sideways Down" (Rechanneled)2:24
3."The Nazz Are Blue"3:04
4."I Can't Make Your Way"2:26
5."Rack My Mind"3:15
6."Farewell"1:29
Side two
No.TitleLength
7."Hot House of Omagararshid"2:39
8."Jeff's Boogie" (Rechanneled)2:25
9."He's Always There"2:15
10."Turn into Earth"3:06
11."What Do You Want"3:22
12."Ever Since the World Began"2:09


  • Keith Relf – lead vocals (except "The Nazz Are Blue"), harmonica
  • Jeff Beck – lead guitar, lead vocals on "The Nazz Are Blue", bass guitar on "Over, Under, Sideways, Down"
  • Chris Dreja – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, piano
  • Paul Samwell-Smith – bass guitar (except "Over, Under, Sideways, Down"), backing vocals
  • Jim McCarty – drums, backing vocals, percussion


AllMusic: 9 
Score: 7

   

Jimmy Page joined the Yardbirds, and for a brief period Beck and Page both played lead guitar, as shown in the film Blow Up, with Beck acting out smashing up his guitar. 




Truth  (August 1968)
Jeff Beck Group

Forget all that nonsense about Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath being the unholy trinity of heavy metal. The essence of all that hard rock/heavy metal music would become is set down in steel right here on this album in 1968. That Zeppelin take ideas from this album is clear in that both Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones played on the album; and there is a persistent rumour that Deep Purple guitarist Richie Blackmore played on "Beck's Bolero", recorded in May 1966.  The true trio is Clapton, Beck, and Hendrix. 

AllMusic notes: Like heavy metal, hard rock sprang from the mid-'60s intersection of blues-rock and psychedelia pioneered by artists like Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jeff Beck Group. 

Similar (or related) albums released around the same time:
1967: (Jan) The Doors - The Doors (10);  (March)  Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground (10);  Supernatural Fairy Tales - Art (5) [band  later became Spooky Tooth]; (April) Emotions - The Pretty Things (4);  (May) Are You Experienced - Jimi Hendrix (9);  (June) We Are Paintermen - The Creation (5); (July) Jigsaw - The Shadows (3);  Little Games - The Yardbirds (3);  (Aug) Big Brother & The Holding Company - Big Brother (4);  Vanilla Fudge - Vanilla Fudge (4) [musicians  later formed Beck, Bogert and Appice]; P#The Piper At The Gates of Dawn - Pink Floyd (10); (Sept) Shake Down - Savoy Brown (4);  (Oct) H P Lovecraft - H P Lovecraft (4); Ten Years After - Ten Years After (4); 
1968: (Jan) Heavy - Iron Butterfly (4);  Spirit - Spirit (6);  Steppenwulf - Steppenwulf (4); (Feb) There Are But Four - Small Faces (5);  (July) The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation - The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation [Dunbar had briefly played in the Jeff Beck Group - but it's mostly an electric blues album, not hard rock] (4);  Creedence Clearwater Revival - Credence Clearwater Revival (4);  It's All About - Spooky Tooth (6);  In A Doll's House - Family (5);  Shades of - Deep Purple (5); (Oct) Nazz - Nazz (5); This Was - Jethro Tull (5);  (Nov) The Beatles - The Beatles (6);  

ReleasedJuly 1968 (USA)
November 1968 (UK)[1]
Recorded16 May 1966; 14–26 May 1968
StudioAbbey Road, Olympic and De Lane Lea, London
Genre
Length40:16
LabelEMI Columbia (UK), Epic (US)
ProducerMickie Most

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Shapes of Things"McCarty, Relf, Samwell-Smith3:22
2."Let Me Love You"Jeffrey Rod4:44
3."Morning Dew"Bonnie Dobson4:40
4."You Shook Me"Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir2:33
5."Ol' Man River"Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II4:01
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Greensleeves"Traditional1:50
2."Rock My Plimsoul"Jeffrey Rod4:13
3."Beck's Bolero"Jimmy Page2:54
4."Blues Deluxe"Jeffrey Rod7:33
5."I Ain't Superstitious"Willie Dixon4:53
2006 CD bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."I've Been Drinking" (stereo mix)Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart3:25
12."You Shook Me" (take 1)Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir2:31
13."Rock My Plimsoul" (stereo mix of single version)Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart3:42
14."Beck's Bolero" (mono single mix)Jimmy Page3:11
15."Blues De Luxe" (take 1)Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart7:31
16."Tallyman"Graham Gouldman2:46
17."Love Is Blue"Popp, Cour, Blackburn2:57
18."Hi Ho Silver Lining" (stereo mix)Scott English, Laurence Weiss3:46


Additional credited personnel

Additional uncredited personnel



Wikipedia
AllMusic: 10 
Score: 7 

Beck-Ola  (April 1969)
Jeff Beck Group

More straightforward rock than Truth, so less engaging, less exciting, and perhaps sounding more dated, though easier to get into, and certainly of its time. 



ReleasedJune 1969

and

August 1969 UK[1]
Recorded3–19 April 1969
StudioDe Lane Lea, Abbey Road and Trident, London; Mirasound, New York City
Genre
Length30:29
Label
ProducerMickie Most

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All Shook Up"Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley4:49
2."Spanish Boots"Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart3:32
3."Girl from Mill Valley"Nicky Hopkins3:44
4."Jailhouse Rock"Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller3:12
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Plynth (Water Down the Drain)"Hopkins, Wood, Stewart3:05
2."The Hangman's Knee"Tony Newman, Beck, Hopkins, Stewart, Wood4:47
3."Rice Pudding"Hopkins, Wood, Beck, Newman7:20

2004 CD bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
8."Sweet Little Angel"B.B. King7:57
9."Throw Down a Line"Hank Marvin2:54
10."All Shook Up" (Early version)Blackwell, Presley3:18
11."Jailhouse Rock" (Early version)Leiber, Stoller3:11



Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 6 

     
"Goo Goo Barabajagal" (Aug 1969)
Donovan with Beck Group

 

AllMusic
Score: 



Music From Free Creek (1969) 
Free Creek

A double album of loose mostly instrumental sessions recorded by an assemblage of musicians organised and directed by Moogy Klingman, a pianist with Todd Rundgren. Jeff Beck plays on four tracks.  Fairly harmless. 


Cissy Strut (A. Neville, L. Nocentelli, G. Porter, Jr. and J. Modeliste
Guitars - Jeff Beck (1st solo, as "A.N. Other"), Todd Rundgren (2nd solo)
Organ - Moogy Klingman
Bass - Stu Woods
Drums - Roy Markowitz[8]
The Free Creek Horns

Big City Woman (Klingman)
Guitar - Jeff Beck
Piano - Moogy Klingman
Bass - Stu Woods
Drums - Roy Markowitz
Lead Vocal - Tommy Cosgrove

Cherrypicker (Jeff Beck, Moogy Klingman, Stu Woods and Roy Markowitz)
Guitars - Jeff Beck, Todd Rundgren
Organ - Moogy Klingman
Bass - Stu Woods
Drums - Roy Markowitz

Working in a Coalmine (Written by Allen Toussaint)
Guitar - Jeff Beck
Organ - Moogy Klingman, Bob Smith
Bass - Stu Woods
Drums - Roy Markowitz

Score: 4 

 
Rough And Ready (1971)
Jeff Beck Group

 This is the Jeff Beck Group Mark II. It's not as powerful, interesting, dynamic, cutting-edge, or entertaining as the original Jeff Beck Group.  Beck is getting into soft jazz. Not really my thing, though occasionally, as on "Situation", the band can get into a pleasant groove. 


Released25 October 1971
RecordedApril–July 1971
StudioIsland, London
Length36:48
LabelEpic
ProducerJeff Beck


Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Got the Feeling"Jeff Beck4:46
2."Situation"Beck5:26
3."Short Business"Beck2:34
4."Max's TuneMax Middleton8:24
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."I've Been Used"Beck3:40
6."New Ways / Train Train"Beck5:52
7."Jody"Beck, Brian Short6:06
Total length:36:48





   
Jeff Beck Group (1972)
Jeff Beck Group

Throwing a little bit of funk into the mix.  But still lacking. 


Released1 May 1972
RecordedJanuary 1972
StudioTMI, Memphis, Tennessee
GenreBlues rock
Length40:29
LabelEpic
ProducerSteve Cropper


Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ice Cream Cakes"Jeff Beck5:40
2."Glad All Over"Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, Beck[11]2:58
3."Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You"Bob Dylan4:59
4."Sugar Cane"Beck, Steve Cropper4:07
5."I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You"Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford, Brian Holland2:42
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Going Down"Don Nix6:51
7."I Got to Have a Song"Stevie Wonder, Don Hunter, Lula Mae Hardaway, Paul Riser3:26
8."Highways"Beck4:41
9."Definitely Maybe"Beck5:02



Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6
Score: 4 

  
Stevie Wonder



   

A rather dull album.  Not bad. Just dull. 


Released
  • March 26, 1973 (NK)
  • April 6, 1973 (UK)
  • August 1973 (US Quadraphonic)
RecordedDecember 1972 – January 1973
Genre
Length36:57
LabelEpic
ProducerDon Nix, Beck, Bogert & Appice


Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Black Cat Moan"Don Nix[4]Beck3:47
2."Lady"Beck, Bogert, Appice, French, HitchingsAppice5:33
3."Oh to Love You"Beck, Bogert, AppiceAppice4:05
4."Superstition"Stevie WonderBogert4:19
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
5."Sweet Sweet Surrender"NixAppice3:58
6."Why Should I Care"Raymond Louis KennedyBogert3:33
7."Lose Myself with You"Beck, Bogert, Appice, FrenchBogert3:18
8."Livin' Alone"Beck, Bogert, AppiceAppice4:13
9."I'm So Proud"Curtis MayfieldAppice4:11


Wikipedia
AllMusic: 5
Score: 4 

 
Blow by Blow (1975)

Influenced by John McLaughlin's Apocalypse album, but with some RnB swing and meat. However, the swing is not enough to lift this above colouring book entertainment. Soft background music in a trendy Indian restaurant with flock wallpaper.  


Released29 March 1975 [1]
RecordedOctober 1974
StudioAIR, London
Genre
Length44:35
LabelEpic
ProducerGeorge Martin

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."You Know What I Mean"
4:02
2."She's a Woman"
4:28
3."Constipated Duck"Jeff Beck2:50
4."Air Blower"
5:07
5."Scatterbrain"
  • Beck
  •  Middleton
5:39
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cause We've Ended as Lovers" (dedicated to Roy Buchanan and thanks to Stevie)Stevie Wonder5:51
2."Thelonius"Stevie Wonder3:17
3."Freeway Jam"Max Middleton4:57
4."Diamond Dust"Bernie Holland8:24


Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 4 



   
Wired (1976)

Instrumental McLaughlin style jazz fusion. Worthy but dull.  Empty guitar doodling. 



Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Led Boots"Max Middleton3:59
2."Come Dancing"Narada Michael Walden5:54
3."Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"Charles Mingus5:26
4."Head for Backstage Pass"Wilbur Bascomb, Andy Clark2:42*
Total length:18:31
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Blue Wind"Jan Hammer5:49
2."Sophie"Narada Michael Walden6:27
3."Play with Me"Narada Michael Walden4:06
4."Love Is Green"Narada Michael Walden2:28
Total length:19:19

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 9
Score: 3 1/2
 
Live (1977)
With the Jan Hammer Group

Live McLaughlin style jazz fusion. 

ReleasedMarch 1977
RecordedUS tour, 1976
GenreBlues rock, rock, Jazz fusion
Length44:31
LabelEpic (PE34433)
ProducerJan Hammer

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Freeway Jam"Max Middleton7:21
2."Earth (Still Our Only Home)"Jan Hammer4:34
3."She's a Woman"John Lennon, Paul McCartney4:25
4."Full Moon Boogie"Hammer, Jerry Goodman6:07
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Darkness/Earth in Search of a Sun"Hammer7:52
6."Scatterbrain"Middleton, Jeff Beck7:25
7."Blue Wind"Hammer6:20
Total length:44:31

Wikipedia 
AllMusic: 4 
Score: 3 


There & Back (1980)


There is a smooth-jazz poppy John McLaughlin feel about this album.  Lacks edge. Lacks.... well, most things that I find engaging and interesting about music. This is just empty instrumental doodlings from someone who had such potential as a guitarist. 


ReleasedJune 1980
RecordedLondon
GenreJazz fusion, instrumental rock
Length35:39
LabelEpic
ProducerJeff Beck, Ken Scott[1]

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Star Cycle"Jan Hammer4:59
2."Too Much to Lose"Hammer2:59
3."You Never Know"Hammer4:03
4."The Pump"Tony Hymas, Simon Phillips5:50
5."El Becko"Hymas, Phillips4:01
6."The Golden Road"Hymas, Phillips4:58
7."Space Boogie"Hymas, Phillips5:10
8."The Final Peace"Jeff Beck, Hymas3:38



Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6 
Score: 4

    
Flash (1985)

Eighties feel to this, with the empty echoey production and upfront mechanical monotonous drums. Slick synth-pop with somewhat old-fashioned and cliched mainstream  hard rock guitar riffs and licks. At least there are proper songs, but they are other people's songs, so where is Jeff Beck in all of this? Essentially this a messy Eighties noise.  Rod is good, though. 


ReleasedJuly 1985
Genre
Length41:09
LabelEpic/CBS
Producer


No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ambitious"Nile Rodgers4:38
2."Gets Us All in the End"Arthur Baker, Tina B6:06
3."Escape"Jan Hammer4:41
4."People Get Ready" (featuring Rod Stewart)Curtis Mayfield4:54
5."Stop, Look and Listen"Rodgers4:27
6."Get Workin'"Rodgers3:35
7."Ecstasy"David Bendeth, Simon Climie3:31
8."Night After Night"Rodgers3:42
9."You Know, We Know"Tony Hymas5:35
Total length:41:09
CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Nighthawks"Rodgers4:48
11."Back on the Streets[nb 1]"Fred Hostetler, Jeff Beck, Karen Lawrence3:41


Wikipedia
AllMusic: 6 
Score: 3 1/2 

  
Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop (1989)


Instrumental soft rock with soft jazz leanings and old fashioned tasteless screaming guitar. It's noisy and boring. 

ReleasedOctober 1989
StudioThe Sol, Cookham[1]
Genre
Length39:51
LabelEpic
Producer

No.TitleMusicLength
1."Guitar Shop"Jeff Beck, Terry Bozzio, Tony Hymas5:03
2."Savoy"Beck, Bozzio, Hymas3:52
3."Behind the Veil"Hymas4:55
4."Big Block"Beck, Bozzio, Hymas4:09
5."Where Were You"Beck, Bozzio, Hymas3:17
6."Stand on It"Beck, Hymas4:59
7."Day in the House"Beck, Bozzio, Hymas5:04
8."Two Rivers"Beck, Bozzio, Hymas5:25
9."Sling Shot"Beck, Hymas3:07
Total length:39:51

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8 
Score: 3 

  
Beckology (1991)

 
3 CD compilation album.  An impressive collection, considered the definitive Beck collection; it is, however, a little long. A double album would have been more powerful. 

Released19 November 1991
Recorded1963–1989
Genre
Length223:48
LabelEpic / Legacy

Volume One
  1. "Trouble in Mind" – The Tridents (unreleased)
  2. "Nursery Rhyme" (live) (Bo Diddley) – The Tridents (unreleased)
  3. "Wandering Man Blues" – The Tridents (unreleased)
  4. "Steeled Blues" – The Yardbirds (B-side of Heart Full Of Soul single)
  5. "Heart Full of Soul" – The Yardbirds (4th single, from Having A Rave Up With The Yardbirds)
  6. "I'm Not Talking" – The Yardbirds (For Your Love)
  7. "I Ain't Done Wrong" – The Yardbirds (For Your Love)
  8. "Train Kept a Rollin'" – The Yardbirds (Having A Rave Up With The Yardbirds)
  9. "I'm a Man" (Bo Diddley) – The Yardbirds (Having A Rave Up With The Yardbirds)
  10. "Shapes of Things" – The Yardbirds (6th single, from Greatest Hits)
  11. "Over Under Sideways Down" – The Yardbirds (7th single, from Yardbirds/Over Under Sideways Down)
  12. "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" – The Yardbirds (8th single, from Greatest Hits)
  13. "Hot House of Omagarashid" – The Yardbirds (Yardbirds/Over Under Sideways Down)
  14. "Lost Woman" – The Yardbirds (Yardbirds/Over Under Sideways Down)
  15. "Rack My Mind" – The Yardbirds (Yardbirds)
  16. "The Nazz Are Blue" – The Yardbirds (B-side of Happenings Ten Years Time Ago single (US))
  17. "Psycho Daisies" – The Yardbirds (B-side of Happenings Ten Years Time Ago single (UK))
  18. "Jeff's Boogie" – The Yardbirds (Yardbirds/Over Under Sideways Down)
  19. "Too Much Monkey Business" (live) – The Yardbirds (BBC Studios, 1965)
  20. "The Sun Is Shining" (live) – The Yardbirds (BBC Studios, 1966)
  21. "You're a Better Man Than I" (live) – The Yardbirds (BBC Studios, 1965)
  22. "Love Me Like I Love You" (live) – The Yardbirds (BBC Studios, 1965)
  23. "Hi Ho Silver Lining" – Jeff Beck (1st solo single)
  24. "Tally Man" – Jeff Beck (2nd solo single)
  25. "Beck's Bolero" – Jeff Beck (Truth)
Volume Two
  1. "Shapes of Things" – The Jeff Beck Group (Truth)
  2. "I Ain't Superstitious" – The Jeff Beck Group (Truth)
  3. "Rock My Plimsoul" – The Jeff Beck Group (B-side of Tally Man single)
  4. "Jailhouse Rock" – The Jeff Beck Group (Beck-Ola)
  5. "Plynth (Water Down the Drain)" – The Jeff Beck Group (Beck-Ola)
  6. "I've Been Drinking" – The Jeff Beck Group (B-side of Love is Blue single)
  7. "Definitely Maybe" – The Jeff Beck Group (Jeff Beck Group)
  8. "New Ways Train Train" – The Jeff Beck Group (Rough And Ready)
  9. "Going Down" – The Jeff Beck Group (Jeff Beck Group)
  10. "I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You" – The Jeff Beck Group (Jeff Beck Group)
  11. "Superstition" – Beck Bogert Appice (Beck, Bogert, Appice)
  12. "Black Cat Moan" (live) – Beck Bogert Appice (Beck, Bogert, Appice Live)
  13. "Blues Deluxe/BBA Boogie" (live) – Beck Bogert Appice (previously unreleased)
  14. "Jizz Whizz" – Beck Bogert Appice (previously unreleased)
Volume Three
  1. "'Cause We've Ended as Lovers" – Jeff Beck (Blow By Blow)
  2. "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – Jeff Beck (Wired)
  3. "Love Is Green" – Jeff Beck (Wired)
  4. "Diamond Dust" – Jeff Beck (Blow By Blow)
  5. "Freeway Jam" (live) – Jeff Beck (Jeff Beck With The Jan Hammer Group Live)
  6. "The Pump" – Jeff Beck (There And Back)
  7. "People Get Ready" – Jeff Beck featuring Rod Stewart (Flash)
  8. "Escape" – Jeff Beck (Flash)
  9. "Gets Us All in the End" – Jeff Beck (Flash)
  10. "Back on the Street" – Jeff Beck (B-side of People Get Ready single)
  11. "Wild Thing" – Jeff Beck (UK single release only)
  12. "Train Kept A-Rollin'" – Jeff Beck (Twins soundtrack)
  13. "Sleep Walk" – Jeff Beck (Porky's Revenge! soundtrack)
  14. "The Stumble" – Jeff Beck (Twins soundtrack)
  15. "Big Block" – Jeff Beck (Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop)
  16. "Where Were You" – Jeff Beck (Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop)

Wikipedia 
AllMusic: 9 
Score: 4 1/2 

   
Frankie's House (1992) – with Jed Leiber

TV soundtrack album, and it sounds like it. 

Released1992
StudioComfort's Place (Sevenoaks, East Sussex)
GenreInstrumental rock
LabelEpic Soundtrax
ProducerJeff Beck, Jed Leiber, Leif Mases

All tracks composed by Jeff Beck and Jed Leiber; except where indicated

  1. "The Jungle"
  2. "Requiem for the Bao-Chi"
  3. "Hi-Heel Sneakers" (Robert Higginbotham)
  4. "Thailand"
  5. "Love and Death"
  6. "Cathouse"
  7. "In the Dark"
  8. "Sniper Patrol"
  9. "Peace Island"
  10. "White Mice"
  11. "Tunnel Rat"
  12. "Vihn's Funeral"
  13. "Apocalypse"
  14. "Innocent Victim"
  15. "Jungle Reprise"

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 4 
Score: 3 



A tribute album to Gene Vincent's guitarist Cliff Gallop, who was an early influence on Beck. It's a bit of harmless rockabilly. 


Released29 June 1993
StudioTownhouse, London
GenreRockabilly
Length41:08
LabelEpic
ProducerStuart Colman

  1. "Race with the Devil" (Gene Vincent, Sheriff Tex Davis) – 2:00
  2. "Cruisin'" (Gene Vincent, Sheriff Tex Davis) – 2:22
  3. "Crazy Legs" (Danny Wolfe, Jerry Reed) – 2:03
  4. "Double Talkin' Baby" (Danny Wolfe, Jerry Reed) – 2:15
  5. "Woman Love" (Jack Rhodes) – 2:35
  6. "Lotta Lovin'" (Bernice Bedwell) – 2:04
  7. "Catman" (Gene Vincent, Sheriff Tex Davis) – 2:24
  8. "Pink Thunderbird" (Paul Peek, Sheriff Tex Davis) – 2:30
  9. "Baby Blue" (Gene Vincent, Bobby Jones) – 2:36
  10. "You Better Believe" (Cliff Gallup) – 2:09
  11. "Who Slapped John?" (Gene Vincent, Sheriff Tex Davis) – 1:55
  12. "Say Mama" (Johnny Earl, Johnny Meeks) – 2:13
  13. "Red Blue Jeans and a Pony Tail" (Jack Rhodes, Sheriff Tex Davis) – 2:18
  14. "Five Feet of Lovin'" (Buck Peddy, Mel Tillis) – 2:11
  15. "B-I-Bickey-Bi-Bo-Bo-Go" (Don Carter, Dub Nalls, Jack Rhodes) – 2:12
  16. "Blues Stay Away from Me" (Alton Delmore, Henry Glover, Rabon Delmore, Wayne Raney) – 2:24
  17. "Pretty Pretty Baby" (Danny Wolfe) – 2:26
  18. "Hold Me, Hug Me, Rock Me" (Gene Vincent, Sheriff Tex Davis) – 2:15

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 4 
Score: 3 1/2 



Who Else! (1999)

Instrumental blues, rock, soft jazz doodlings. Doesn't really engage. 


Released16 March 1999
Genre
Length53:52
LabelEpic
ProducerJeff Beck, Tony Hymas

No.TitleMusicLength
1."What Mama Said"Jennifer Batten, Jeff Beck, Tony Hymas3:22
2."Psycho Sam"Hymas4:55
3."Brush with the Blues" (live)Hymas, Beck6:24
4."Blast from the East"Hymas4:46
5."Space for the Papa"Hymas7:41
6."Angel (Footsteps)"Hymas6:30
7."THX138"Hymas6:15
8."Hip-Notica"Hymas, Beck4:40
9."Even Odds"Jan Hammer3:29
10."Declan"Dónal Lunny4:02
11."Another Place"Hymas1:48
Total length:53:52

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8 
Score: 3 1/2  



  
You Had It Coming (2001)

Instrumental guitar rock again, but more focused, fluid, and harmonic than previous releases. Kind of poppy rock, but in a positive way. There's some Eurobeat and HiNRG about this which should be off-putting, but the skillful buzzing and tapping electric guitars keeps it interesting. Odd echoes of Michael Jackson, which may be from the use of Jennifer Batten on guitar, who also worked with Jackson. 




No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Earthquake"Jennifer Batten3:18
2."Roy's Toy"Jeff Beck, Aidan Love, Andy Wright3:35
3."Dirty Mind"Beck, Love, Wright3:50
4."Rollin' and Tumblin'"Muddy Waters3:12
5."Nadia"Nitin Sawhney3:50
6."Loose Cannon"Beck, Batten, Wright5:17
7."Rosebud"Beck, Randy Hope-Taylor, Wright3:44
8."Left Hook"Beck, Steve Alexander, Wright4:22
9."Blackbird"Beck1:27
10."Suspension"Beck, Wright3:20
Total length:35:55

Wikipedia 
AllMusic: 6 
Score: 4 1/2 


  
Jeff   (2003)

Moody and atmospheric. Beck's ethereal guitar sculpting are well formed here. Quite impressive and very listenable.  


Released5 August 2003[1]
RecordedFRS; Metropolis Recording Studios, Apollo Control and BFD Studios in London
Genre
Length51:35[2]
LabelEpic
ProducerJeff Beck, Andy Wright, Apollo 440, Me One, Dean Garcia

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."So What"Dean Garcia, Jeff Beck4:19
2."Plan B"Ron Aslan, Simon White, Beck, David Torn4:49
3."Pork-U-Pine"Beck, Andy Wright, Paul Holroyde4:06
4."Seasons"Ishmael Butler, Craig Irving, Maryann Viera, Syze-up, Beck, Wright, Matthew Vaughan3:48
5."Trouble Man"Beck, Garcia, Wright3:34
6."Grease Monkey"Howard Gray, Trevor Gray, Noko Fisher-Jones, Beck3:34
7."Hot Rod Honeymoon"H. Gray, T. Gray, Fisher-Jones, Beck3:33
8."Line Dancing with Monkeys"Aslan, White, Torn5:18
9."JB's Blues"Garcia, Beck4:20
10."Pay Me No Mind (Jeff Beck Remix)"Me One, Beck3:18
11."My Thing"Beck, Nancy Sorrell, Wright4:10
12."Bulgaria"trad., arr. Beck, Wright2:00
13."Why Lord Oh Why?"Tony Hymas4:41
Total length:51:35

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 8 
Score: 5 




Mostly instrumental, and mostly in Beck's dreamy fusion style. Supported by a bunch of session musicians the album feels empty of commitment or authenticity, while the music is soft, pleasant slightly proggy stuff that could be played quietly in lifts or as title music for daytime TV shows. Beck's guitar playing is intricate and admirable, and it's well done but ultimately dull. 


Released10 April 2010
Genre
Length40:19
LabelAtco
ProducerSteve Lipson, Trevor Horn

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Corpus Christi Carol"Benjamin Britten2:40
2."Hammerhead"Jeff Beck, Jason Rebello4:15
3."Never Alone"Rebello4:22
4."Over the Rainbow"Harold Arlen3:10
5."I Put a Spell on You" (featuring Joss Stone)Screamin' Jay Hawkins2:59
6."Serene" (featuring Olivia Safe)Beck, Rebello6:05
7."Lilac Wine" (featuring Imelda May)James Shelton4:44
8."Nessun Dorma"Giacomo Puccini2:56
9."There's No Other Me" (featuring Joss Stone)Rebello, Joss Stone4:05
10."Elegy for Dunkirk" (featuring Olivia Safe)Dario Marianelli5:03
Total length:40:19

Wikipedia  
AllMusic: 8 
Score: 4 1/2 

  
Loud Hailer (2016)


An album of modern songs with a female singer. Pleasant. Cutting electric guitar. OK album. 

Released15 July 2016
Length45:04
LabelATCO
ProducerJeff Beck, Filippo Cimatti

All tracks written by Jeff Beck, Carmen Vandenberg and Rosie Bones, except where noted. Vandenberg and Bones are two of the members of Bones UK.

  1. "The Revolution Will Be Televised" – 3:53
  2. "Live in the Dark" – 3:47
  3. "Pull It" (Jeff Beck, Filippo Cimatti) – 2:09
  4. "Thugs Club" – 5:15
  5. "Scared for the Children" – 6:07
  6. "Right Now" – 3:57
  7. "Shame" – 4:40
  8. "Edna" (Jeff Beck) – 1:03
  9. "The Ballad of the Jersey Wives" – 3:50
  10. "O.I.L. (Can't Get Enough of That Sticky)" – 4:41
  11. "Shrine" – 5:47

  • Jeff Beck – electric guitar
  • Carmen Vandenberg – electric guitar
  • Rosie Bones – vocals
  • Davide Sollazzi – drums
  • Giovanni Pallotti – bass

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 7 
Score: 5 1/2 


   
18 (2022) 
With Johnny Depp

 
Jazzy, proggy, moody, yet leaden and dull. There's affinities with late Pink Floyd (when they got boring and way too guitar focused), and Prince (who is generally dense and dull - too much effort and texture, not enough class). Beck's guitar is pristine and crystalline, and notes flow easily. Polite applause for the technical skill. But the playing lacks depth, weight, and authenticity.    

Beck's last album before his death in Jan 2023. 

Released15 July 2022
Recorded2019–2022
GenreRock
Length55:14
LabelRhino


  • Jeff Beck – lead guitar (all tracks), rhythm guitar (tracks 8, 9, 13), acoustic guitar (track 5), bass (tracks 3, 8), drums (track 8), producer
  • Johnny Depp – lead vocal (tracks 2-4, 6, 8-13), backing vocals (track 8), rhythm guitar (tracks 2, 4, 6, 10, 13), acoustic guitar (tracks 6, 10, 12), baritone guitar (track 11), bass (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 10-12), drums (tracks 6, 10), percussion (track 9), keyboards (track 4), producer
Additional musicians
  • Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (tracks 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 12, 13)
  • Rhonda Smith – bass (tracks 7, 13)
  • Pino Palladino – bass (track 9)
  • Robert Adam Stevenson – keyboards (tracks 1, 3, 9, 11, 12), piano (tracks 11, 12), strings (tracks 1, 9, 11, 12)
  • Tommy Henriksen – keyboards and strings (track 6)
  • Ben Thomas – keyboards (track 3)
  • James Pearson – keyboards (track 7)
  • Jason Rebello – piano (track 3)
  • Vanessa Freebairn-Smith – cello (track 1)
  • Olivia Safe – vocals (track 5)

Wikipedia
AllMusic: 4 
Score: 4 


Discography



Summary 

Voice/Musicianship (15%)
Beck very rarely sang, it was his guitar playing that he is known for. He is technically accomplished, and delivered powerful and very fluid licks during the Sixties, showing great promise. During the Seventies he got into jazz fusion which somewhat limited his playing to rather showy and self-indulgent licks. However, when disciplined and focused, he could use his skills to deliver pleasing sounds. [12]

Image/Star quality (5%)
Not a star, and too quiet and unassuming to have much of an image.  [2]

Lyrics/Music (20%)
Though he did occasionally contribute to writing, he was not really a writer. He was an interpreter of others songs, which he did in his own way more than respecting the needs of the song. [5] 

Impact/Influence (10%)
He was a guitarists' guitarist and was highly respected. His Sixties work contributed to laying the ground for hard rock and heavy metal. [8] 

Popularity (5%)
His best known song is "Hey Ho Silver Lining". [2] 

Emotional appeal (5%)
He had the ability to touch a chord, but once he got into jazz fusion and soft rock, his playing was too detached. [3]

Solid during the Sixties. It's a more confused journey after after that, with heavy leanings into commercial music, though still retaining his own personal interest in fusion. [10] 

Art (5%)
Yes. [4] 

Classic albums/songs (5%)
Yes. Truth. [3]

Originality/Innovation (5%)
Mostly a follower, though, picking up on the British electric blues work of Clapton, he delivered a blueprint for hard rock and heavy metal. [3] 

Legacy (10%)
Didn't achieve what everyone thought he was capable of. The jazz fusion and soft rock stuff from the Seventies onwards was derivative and second place. However, his work with The Yardbirds and the Jeff Beck Group will ensure him a place in music history. [6] 

Total: 58/100




Top tracks

Beck's Bolero xxxxx xxxxx xxxx
Cause We've Ended As Lovers xxxxx xxxxx
Freeway Jam  xxxxx xxxx
I Ain't Superstitious xxxxx xxx
People Get Ready xxxxx xxx
Superstition xxxxx xx
Heart Full of Soul xxxxx x
Hi Ho Silver Lining xxxx
Led Boots xxxx
Happenings Ten Years Time Ago xxxx
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat xxxx
Shapes Of Things xxx
Jeff's Boogie xxx
Over Under Sideways Down  xxx
Looking For Another Pure Love (Stevie Wonder)  xx
She's A Woman xx
Stroll On (Train Keep Rolling On) xx 
You Shook Me xx
Scatterbrain xx 
Blue Wind xxx
A Day In The Life xx
Nadia xx
Hammerhead xx
You're The One (Kate Bush) xx
Spanish Boots x
Going Down x
Train Kept A Rollin'  x
Guitar Shop x 
Angel (Footsteps) x
Come Dancing x 
Over The Rainbow x 
Brush With The Blues  x


* Variety 




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