Crossroads Guitar Festival

Organized as a fundraiser for the Crossroads Centre in the West Indies' Antigua (Eric Clapton's nonprofit drug and alcohol rehab clinic), the Crossroads Guitar Festival ran three days in June of 2004 and featured several of the blues-rock legend's heroes and cronies. Clapton is all over this double-disc, 37-song set, playing a blistering version of J.J. Cale's "Cocaine" and later accompanying Cale himself on the latter's spidery, mysterious "After Midnight" and the psychedelic boogie of "Call Me the Breeze." You'll also find him on a titanic duet ("Jingo") with Carlos Santana, paired with Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, and B.B. King on several classics ("Sweet Home Chicago," "Rock Me Baby"), and invoking Robert Johnson's ghost on the fantastic "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day." James Taylor joins Jerry Douglas ("the Muhammad Ali of the dobro") on a lilting "Copperline," and has a blast with Joe Walsh (who later solos on "Rocky Mountain Way") on "Steamroller." Rocker Steve Vai, pedal-steel wizard Robert Randolph, blues enthusiast John Mayer, fusion maestro John McLaughlin, and country legend Vince Gill also spend time in the spotlight, while Texas favorite ZZ Top closes the festival with a lively, hambone "Tush." Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, DVD extras include artist interviews and a photo gallery. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)