Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood Live from Madison Square Garden, 2009
WEA/Reprise, 197 minutes

"I was happily surprised when I chanced to click on a PBS fundraising program that featured a concert of Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood performed last year in Madison Square Garden, now a DVD (Live from Madison Square Garden, 2009). Rather than being content to re-tread their old songs, they played them with a sense of freshness and urgency that literally gave me goose bumps. I heard in Winwood's voice how he was not limited by the change of his voice that has occurred over time, yet used it to its fullness, and enriched the rendition of his songs. I heard in Clapton's guitar playing that he has continued to develop his music beyond blues and pop, giving tribute to Hendrix by not copying him, but by suggesting him while expressing his own mistakable character and sensibilities.

While sometimes (I admit) I feel as if I'm playing out a string by going through the motions of routine, I am happy to realize via performances such as this, that I can dust off the Statocaster in the closet, pull out the paints from the bottom of the drawer, and that I am able, as I am able, to express myself through the arts or woodworking or work, or well, whatever. Suffice to say, I highly recommend this DVD particularly to those who haven't heard Winwood and Clapton of late, and whom might be curious as to what these two on-going and innovative icons just might be up to.

Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton Live from Madison Square Garden, 2009, is available right now on Amazon.com. If you purchase this DVD through Porter-Starke Services' link, a portion of the sale is donated to Porter-Starke Services to help us enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve. "

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