Robert Cray – 4 Nights of 40 Years Live
Mascot Records
http://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/robertcrayband-4nightsof40yearslive-cddvd.html

Rating: A

Robert Cray is celebrating 40 years of playing ‘live’ with a phenomenal 2-CD/DVD release of him, you guessed it... playing live in concert! 

Robert’s most famous moment was the tune “Smoking Gun,” a song that drew praise from all the right people including Eric Clapton!  Cray, however, is much more than just that one song.  Blues fans realize this, and have long considered him to be among the best still out there today.  They know what they are talking about... when Cray takes the stage, the blues in his soul comes alive!

Cray is an interesting artist as well, and likes to release his music in ways his fans will find interesting.  For instance, the first CD contains new live recordings from four nights recorded at four different venues in Los Angeles.  The second disc features live recordings from the 1980s.  The track listing for this release spans his entire career, making it a must-own for his fans. 

But wait, there’s more! The DVD contains a 90-minute concert and in-depth interviews with Cray and his band.  Thrown in for good measure on the DVD are words of praise from some of Robert’s most-known fans, including Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Keith Richards, Jimmie Vaughan and Bonnie Raitt.

At the end of the day, THIS is how a live CD/DVD should be done… start with great songs being amazingly performed and then throw in audio, visual and some famous friends saying how great thou art. 

Robert Cray deserves a project of this magnitude.

Here’s to 40 more years of Cray concerts! 

Tracklisting DVD:
1. Intro / I Shiver
2. T-Bone Shuffle
3. Love Gone To Waste
4. I Guess I Showed Her
5. I'll Always Remember You
6. Your Good Thing Is About To End
7. Too Many Cooks
8. Wrap It Up
9. Won't Be Coming Home
10. Smoking Gun
11. Sittin' On Top of the World
12. Two Steps From The End
13. Bad Influence
14. These Things
15. Right Next Door (Because Of Me)
16. The Forecast (Calls For Pain)
17. Time Makes Two          

Tracklisting 2CD:
Disc 1
1. I Shiver
2. I'll Always Remember You
3. Poor Johnny
4. Won't Be Coming Home
5. Your Good Thing Is About To End
6. Sittin' On Top of the World
7. Wrap It Up
8. Love Gone To Waste
9. Bad Influence
10. These Things
11. Right Next Door (Because Of Me)
12. The Forecast (Calls For Pain)
13. Time Makes Two

Disc 2
1. I Guess I Showed Her (1987 recording)
2. Right Next Door (Because Of Me) (1987 recording)
3. Smoking Gun (1987 recording)
4. Still Around (1987 recording)
5. Too Many Cooks (1982 recording)
6. T-Bone Shuffle (1982 recording)
 

By Jeb Wright