RE: here is a good Cream review:

["samba -" <sambacomet@hotmail.com>]

I heard Cream live in '68 I think I was 12.I even recorded it-from the 
nosebleed seats of the Baltimore Civic Arena the tape sounded like goose 
farts in a tin can.  Interesting review-Despite dumb cliches like "..songs 
were an unlikely blend .." I don't know why journalists think they should 
make pronouncements as to what's likely.or unexpected,as if everyone has 
the 
same expectaions.Anyway I agree about the competitive  quality of cream 
bringing the best playing out of Clapton.I liked Blind Faith alot,but have 
mostly found ECs playing since then tastey but lacking fire. On Layla 
Clapton and Duane Alman sound like they're both soloing at the same time 
too- alot of it is really cluttered to my ear. Clapton has said  in 
interveiws that the extended soloing embarrassed him and he never did it 
stuff again.Notably Jeff Beck rather harshly criticzed the self indulgence 
of the long jams,which the rockers seemingly got from Coltrane  and free 
jazz.  I wouldn't expect Clapton to do it,though I'd like to hear them get 
adventurous,and I'd like to hear Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker kick 
Clapton's 
ass like they did in the old days. I assume they defer to him now cause 
he's 
the one making this show happen.On one of those Wheels of Fire live things 
I 
always thought they'd succeeded in getting him lost-and his repsonse was 
to 
play some really interesting stuff. I saw an interview where he 
acknowledged 
that he'd gotten off.and that what came of it was good.What I would expect 
now would be impeccable craftsmanship,which would have course include 
registering true emotion,at least at certain points. Certainly  some of 
Bruce's tunes tended to be quite dark-so much so that it's a wonder 
they're 
considered psychedelic. e Clapton's tones in the old days were really 
incredible- too bad the writer doesn't cover that -like what gear did he 
have?