Austin, Texas, is a good place for musicians who know the roots of America's music and have traveled the world in another lifetime. Bobby Whitlock—a key member and songwriter for Derek & The Dominos—here teams up with his wife CoCo Carmel, as able-bodied a singer, saxophonist, and co-conspirator as Whitlock has worked with. With a strong-armed band behind them, the two of them set fire to such Whitlock-Eric Clapton classics from the Derek & The Dominos days as "Anyday," "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?," "Keep on Growing," and "Tell the Truth." Even a take on Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" recalls the glory days of the early '70s. The remaining tracks are from the duo's studio album Esoteric where they captured the couple's musical chemistry, but the live situation here brings out extra energy. A sweet, soulful version of "John the Revelator" lets the duo's roots in R&B, gospel, and blues take hold, as drummer Brannen Temple, bassist Jimmy Pettit, and guitarist Jeff Blankenhorn lock the couple in tight and secure.
More By Bobby Whitlock
- Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel
- The Spencer Davis Group
- Gary Clark Jr.
- Tedeschi Trucks Band
- Delaney & Bonnie
- Robert Randolph & The Family Band
- Various Artists