Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton (CD - 1999)

Personnel includes: Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar, dobro); Tim Pierce, Darryl Crooks, Robert Cray, Steve Lukather (guitar); Michael Brecker (saxophone); Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker (trumpet); Joe Sample, Greg Phillinganes (piano); Greg Curtis (keyboards, background vocals); Jamie Muhoberac (keyboards); Nathan East (bass, background vocals); Phil Collins (drums, background vocals); Steve Ferrone, Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro (drums); Luis Conte, Mike Fasano (percussion); Bumpy, Greg Curtis (programming); Chyna Gordon, Chaka Khan (background vocals).

Producers include: Rob Cavallo, Babyface, Eric Clapton, Russ Titleman, Tom Dowd.

Engineers: Allen Sides, Brad Gilderman, Alan Douglas.

Personnel: Eric Clapton (vocals, guitar, dobro); Gary Brooker (vocals, keyboards); Jerry Williams (guitar, background vocals); Darryl Crookes, Andy Fairweather Low, Phil Palmer, Robert Cray, Steve Lukather, Tim Pierce (guitar); Gayle Levant (celtic harp); Michael Brecker (saxophone); Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker (trumpet); Dave Bargeron (trombone); Greg Phillinganes, Joe Sample, Richard Tee (piano); Jeff Bova (organ); Greg Curtis (keyboards, programming, background vocals); Chuck Leavell, Jamie Muhoberac, Simon Climie (keyboards); Peter Robinson, Michael Omartian, Randy Kerber, Robbie Kondor, Richard Cottle (synthesizer); Nathan East (bass guitar, background vocals); Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass guitar); Phil Collins (drums, background vocals); Jamie Oldaker, Jeff Porcaro, Jim Keltner, Steve Gadd , Henry Spinetti, Steve Ferrone (drums); Lenny Castro (congas, percussion); Carol Steele (congas); Jimmy Bralower (drum machine); Ted Templeman (timbales); Luis Conte, Ray Cooper , Mike Fasano (percussion); Blumpy (programming); Paul Waller (drum programming); Chyna Gordon, Katie Kissoon, Marcy Levy, Tessa Niles, Chaka Khan (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Chris Lord-Alge; Gary Wright; Alex Haas; Mark Linett; Mick Guzauski; Rob Eaton; Steve Boyer.

Photographers: Kevin Mazur; Norman Watson.

Clapton Chronicles ignores Eric Clapton's 1983 Reprise debut, Money and Cigarettes (which sounded more like an RSO album anyway), starting with the pair of Phil Collins-produced mid-'80s albums, Behind the Sun and August. Though these had a pop sheen, they were album rock holdovers. Clapton didn't get the balance between hard rock and commercial gloss right until 1989's Journeyman, whose featured songs -- "Before You Accuse Me," "Bad Love," and "Pretending" -- form the heart of this compilation. Journeyman was overshadowed by the phenomenal success of "Tears in Heaven" and 1992's Unplugged. Not only did Unplugged go platinum ten times, it established a new public image -- classy, stylish, and substantial. That's the image that prevails on Clapton Chronicles. His triple-platinum blues album From the Cradle is written out of the picture, with songs from movie soundtracks taking its place. Apart from the Babyface-produced "Change the World," these tunes are a little too self-conscious and subdued, as are selections from 1998's Pilgrim. However, this deliberate move to paint Clapton's '80s and '90s recordings as adult contemporary fare is accurate. Clapton's musical journey from 1985 to 1999 was taken mostly in the middle of the road, and Clapton Chronicles certainly captures that journey, missing no major hits from the late '80s and '90s. Whether it's a necessary addition to a Clapton collection is a matter of taste. It's certainly an excellent complement to Unplugged and Time Pieces, his two most popular and pop-oriented albums, but that might not be what every fan wants. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Clapton Chronicles ignores Eric Clapton's 1983 Reprise debut, Money and Cigarettes (which sounded more like an RSO album, anyway), starting with the pair of Phil Collins-produced mid-'80s albums, Behind the Sun and August. Though these had a pop sheen, they were album rock holdovers. Clapton didn't get the balance between hard rock and commercial gloss right until 1989's Journeyman, whose featured songs -- "Before You Accuse Me," "Bad Love," and "Pretending" -- form the heart of this compilation. Journeyman was overshadowed by the phenomenal success of "Tears in Heaven" and 1992's Unplugged. Not only did Unplugged go platinum ten times, it established a new public image -- classy, stylish, and substantial. That's the image that prevails on Clapton Chronicles. His triple-platinum blues album From the Cradle is written out of the picture, with songs from movie soundtracks taking its place. Apart from the Babyface-produced "Change the World," these tunes are a little too self-conscious and subdued, as are selections from 1998's Pilgrim. However, this deliberate move to paint Clapton's '80s and '90s recordings as adult contemporary fare is accurate. Clapton's musical journey from 1985 to 1999 was taken mostly in the middle of the road, and Clapton Chronicles certainly captures that journey, missing no major hits from the late '80s and '90s. Whether it's a necessary addition to a Clapton collection is a matter of taste. It's certainly an excellent compliment to Unplugged and Time Pieces, his two most popular and pop-oriented albums, but that might not be what every fan wants. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

It is hard to effectively document in one collection the career of an artist who is as much a vital part of popular music history today as when he reluctantly ventured into a solo career in 1970. CLAPTON CHRONICLES offers an interesting mix of Slowhand's soundtrack-ready acoustic ballads from the '90s and his electric guitar-driven pop-blues from the '80s.

"My Father's Eyes" is an emotionally uplifting song about a man's search for his identity through his relationship with his father. "Tears in Heaven," the bittersweet eulogy to Clapton's son, may be his most timeless composition and performance. His groundbreaking "MTV Unplugged" performance produced a new arrangement of his plea to Patti Harrison, "Layla." This approach hinted at a new direction for Eric Clapton's music. Clapton's roots break through on the down-and-dirty Delta blues-tinged "Before You Accuse Me." He stands among very few who have carried their musical heart with them throughout their career and have stayed true to it. minimize