Bold Mr. Beck’s solo album “Blow by Blow,” recorded in 1974 and released in 1975, is largely instrumental, inspired by the creativity of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the fine work of band fusion guitarist John McLaughlin.
To help capture the sensibility of the group, Mr. Beck hired producer George Martin, who had overseen Mahavishnu’s album “Apocalypse” the previous year (he rose to fame with the Beatles). gentlemen. Baker told the New Statesman in 2016, Mr. Martin provided “a pair of gigantic wings”.
“Just knowing that someone with such a keen ear agrees with what’s going on, you’re flying,” he said.
gentlemen. Beck’s follow-up album, Wired, featured two players from Mahavishnu: Narada Michael Walden on drums and Jan Hammer on keyboards, expanding the fusion elements in the music. gentlemen. Baker later toured with Mr. Hammer’s band produced the album “Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live”, which went gold in 1977.
gentlemen. Hammer also played an important role in Mr. Baker’s 1980 album “There & Back” reached No. 1. No. 21 on the Billboard charts. In 1985, Mr. Baker re-worked with the singer on his “Flash” album, with Mr. Stewart singing a version of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready.” (The video became an MTV hit.) Another instrumental record, “Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop,” was released in 1989 and became his final gold record.
Beginning in the 1990’s, Mr. Beck began doing a lot of session work, providing solos on albums by Jon Bon Jovi, Roger Waters, Kate Bush, Tina Turner and others. He demonstrated the continued breadth of his style on his 2010 album Emotion & Commotion, which included the standard “Over the Rainbow” and Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma.” The latter track won a Grammy, and the album reached number one. Billboard number 11.