Clapton Goes Unplugged Again

EC’S LOCKDOWN BLUES

do when all your touring plans — including a residency at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall — are thwarted, thanks to the pandemic and ongoing effects of Covid? Well, in Eric Clapton’s case, you retreat with your band to the leafy English countryside and record a sees Slowhand and his long-serving comrades (Nathan East on bass/vocals, Steve Gadd on drums and Chris Stainton on keys) giving classic originals the unplugged treatment, as well as three electrified renditions using his Gibson ES-335. The setlist also features a handful of covers, including Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac tracks “Black Magic Woman” and “Man of the World” and blues standard “Key to the Highway,” which was a highlight of Derek and the Dominos’ celebrated 1970 debut album. So, if you’ve ever wondered what “Layla,” “Bell Bottom Blues” and “After Midnight” would sound like through the guitar giant’s favored Martin 000-28 — from inside a Tudor house famously visited by English royals like King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, no less — look no further.