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List Price: $18.98 | | Label: Reprise / Wea
Salesrank: 1064
Released: November 7, 2006 |
| Our Price: $6.86 |
| Used Price: $5.99 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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The Road to Escondido Track Listing:
1. Danger
2. Heads In Georgia
3. Missing Person
4. When This War Is Over
5. Sporting Life Blues
6. Dead End Road
7. It's Easy
8. Hard To Thrill
9. Anyway The Wind Blows
10. Three Little Girls
11. Don't Cry Sister
12. Last Will And Testament
13. Who Am I Telling You?
14. Ride The River
Editorial Review:
After years of admiring each other's musical masterworks, guitar great J.J. Cale and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer/Grammy-winner Eric Clapton have teamed up to create an original album together called The Road to Escondido. The resulting hybrid sound defies labels, and instead finds influence across the spectrum of blues, rock, country, and fold. The songs are warm and rich with deep-flowing rhythms while using an economy of words to express much.
Eric Clapton Merchandise
Description of The Road to Escondido:
J.J. Cale penned two of Eric Clapton's career-defining solo hits, "Cocaine" and "After Midnight." And since Clapton has often fashioned his persona in a WWJD manner (what would J.J. do?), this collaboration is long overdue. But despite the rather slick production and long list of guest backing musicians (including four bassists, four drummers, five other guitarists, and three percussionists), The Road to Escondido is still dominated more by Cale than Clapton. The relatively reticent Okie wrote 11 of the 14 tracks, and it's his low-key soufflé of blues, jazz, and country that shapes and directs the disc's tone, with Clapton along for the ride. The opening "Danger" sets the dusky mood as the duo rides a typical Cale swamp groove that gives way to a tightly wound Slowhand solo. They trade lead vocals on a lovely version of the after-hours jazz blues classic "Sporting Life Blues," and the ubiquitous John Mayer makes an impressive appearance on the subtle blues of "Hard to Thrill."
Clapton hasn't sounded this relaxed or involved in his own material for years. The traditionally laid-back, if not quite snoozy, Cale responds with a comparatively energized performance, likely due to the high-profile company. When the two harmonize on the mid-tempo foot tapper "Anyway the Wind Blows," the result is so natural and spontaneous it's a shame these two didn't join forces earlier. On paper, it appears that Cale has the most to gain from partnering with an established superstar, but the fact is this collaboration yields Eric Clapton's most engaging and contagious roots-rock release in a long time. --Hal HorowitzThe Road to Escondido Reviews:
More of an aquired taste 
2008-07-27 - This cd is in the laid-back style of JJ Cale. At first, it seemed almost too uneventfull, but with repeated listenings, I've come to appreciate its subtlety more and more.
If you happen to be preparing for an MMA fight, this isn't likely to be your choice for training music. If, on the other hand, you want to get into a mellow mood and smell the flowers for a while, Road to Escondido will take you there in a flash.
I hope there will be a follow-up from these two terrific musicians.
JJ Cale/ Eric Clapton
2008-07-10 - I grew up in Escondido, California and saw JJ Cale in concert, I think in Carlsbad sometime in the '70's. Loved this cd (even tho' a couple of the songs sounded an awful lot like older tunes).
Do it again!
2008-05-03 - It's not often that the first time I listen to a recording I love it instantly, but that's what happened when I heard The Road to Escondido. There really isn't anything not to like about this recording. The songs, music, and the way that Clapton and J.J. Cale harmonize is just amazing. My only hope is that they do this again and release another recording together.
I believe that their ride to Escondido is in an old Cadillac traveling at 20mph in the fast lane with their blinker on 
2008-01-23 - After years of honoring each other's work, most notably Clapton covering Cale's "After Midnight" and "Cocaine," the two blues guitar greats team up to create a fresh album together. The result is true to both legends' blues roots, but unfortunately lacks any energy or punch to make any of the songs interesting. I don't know if it's because they're getting on in years or they forgot how to kick it up a notch, but somehow I believe that their ride to Escondido is in an old Cadillac traveling at 20mph in the fast lane with their blinker on.
Escondido, Perfect Combination
2008-01-22 - Perfect comination of British and American blues. The song Ride the River is one of the ten best songs ever written and performed. If you like to drive to music, you'll want to take this CD always. Highly recomended.
