JEFF BECK: JEFF BECK WITH THE JAN HAMMER GROUP LIVE (LIMITED EDITION TO 3.000 NUMBERED COPIES)

Performer: Jeff Beck & Jan Hammer Group
Artist: Jeff Beck
Number of Discs: 1
Barcode: 0196588705816
Label: Original Master Recordings
Medium: LP
Genre: Pop/Rock
Year: 2024

Limited edition 180-gram LP, with only 3000 copies worldwide
Remastered from the original analog tapes
An extraordinary audiophile sound quality
An explosive mix of jazz and rock presented by extraordinary virtuosos who loved to play together
An album that showcases the electrifying musicianship and superb chemistry of the 1976-1977 tour

Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live rarely appears on the lists of the greatest live albums of all time. In an era when it seems like every hidden or overlooked gem has already been rediscovered, this 1977 title remains a carefully guarded secret: an album filled with virtuosic flourishes, extraordinary chemistry, high-tension improvisations, and explosive jazz-rock combinations. Given this premise, it's no surprise that many listeners who stumbled upon this album in the late '70s admit they bought more than one copy (after literally wearing out the previous one) and were captivated by its unstoppable energy. Wait until you hear this version.

Remastered from the original analog tapes and presented in a luxurious Stoughton Printing cover, this new Jeff Beck release, reissued by Mobile Fidelity, presents this true tour de force for the first time with audiophile quality. Clear, detailed, and dynamic, this collector's reissue places each of the five fabulous musicians – Beck, Hammer, drummer Tony “Thunder” Smith, bassist Fernando Saunders, and violinist Steve Kindler – in positions that reflect where they were on stage during the 1976-77 tour.

Thanks to the stunning three-dimensionality of the soundstage, you not only hear but also imagine Beck on the right center of the soundstage, Hammer on the left center, Kindler on the right, with Smith and Saunders at the center. The silent surface of the vinyl further enhances the sonic realism, immediacy, and energy. As for Beck and Hammer, the tones are natural and balanced. This MoFi edition also restores and enhances emotional involvement. Focusing on any passage, you can perceive the camaraderie, spirit, and joy shared by the quintet and communicated to the crowd. These guys loved to play together, a fact that comes across with utter clarity.

This is one of the reasons why Beck and his bandmates worked hard to ensure this album wasn’t just another live recording among many. Together with legendary producer/A&R Tom Werman, Beck listened to tracks from various concerts in Allen Toussaint's studio in New Orleans, aiming to select what they felt best met their high standards of musicianship and fidelity. Most of the album is taken from an exceptional concert in Reading, Pennsylvania. Hammer then participated in the project by mixing the record.

Coinciding with the peak of jazz fusion, Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live ideally closes the circle of a fruitful period that began with Beck's acclaimed fourth studio album, Wired, and continued with the extensive tour that inspired this album. This period saw Beck flying low without a full-time band. Instead, he relied on the requests of the top musicians of the time and those who embraced risk—creatives unafraid to challenge the status quo and invent memorable songs on the spot. This flair defines the tracks on this album, which brims with fiery interplay, neck-breaking riffs, acrobatic rhythms, and unique synergies. To be convinced, just listen to the surprising introduction of “Freeway Jam,” where Beck’s guitar and Hammer’s synthesizers converse and recreate a cacophony of car horns before joining their bandmates to evoke an unforgettable highway ride. Think of the interstellar futurism of “Darkness/Earth in Search of the Sun,” the radical reggae makeover of The Beatles’ “She’s a Woman,” the exuberance of “Scatterbrain,” and the full-throttle navigation of “Blue Wind.” Truly remarkable.

Beck and Hammer, Hammer and Beck: one pushes the other, and each responds in kind. Let's not forget the team of Saunders and Smith, who would later provide an unshakable rhythm section for Lou Reed. If you love music and appreciate musical magic, originality, and sensational sound, you won't want to take this record off your turntable.

Jeff Beck, Jan Hammer Group

Freeway Jam
Earth (Still Our Only Home)
She’s a Woman
Full Moon Boogie
Darkness / Earth in Search of the Sun
Scatterbrain
Blue Wind