Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played - Paul, Les (CD 2005)

Tribute records are a hit and miss affair. They are usually dedicated to a musical giant like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Queen and are full of some of the band s most influential songs. These albums are a dime a dozen and are released by every label and feature every artist imaginable. They are sometimes excellent, but often the remakes pale in comparison to teh original which taints the whole project.

Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played is a unique new tribute album dedicated to a man who is known for his musicianship in addition to invention that revolutionized the world of guitars. His solid body guitar was the basis by which much of Blues and Rock n Roll as we now know it was formed. Without Les Paul, rock music may never have ever materialized and today we may have been without so many great musicians. He helped to inspire multiple generations of guitarists to reach for the stars. Heck, without Les Paul there wouldn t have ever been the Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, the Pixies, U2, or any other band or artist that is rooted in rock music.

On this album, Les Paul joins up with but a few of the many people he inspired. On these classic songs Paul plays guitar. Vocals and additional instruments are provided by other artists who feel indebted to his significant innovation. The artists come from every walk of life and range from Joss Stone to Kenny Wayne Shepherd and from Eric Clapton to Steve Miller. It s an odd mix of folks, but the arrangements are sometimes inspired and usually decent. Fans of guitar rock will definitely appreciate this collaborative tribute album. These are talented individuals who can really play, sing, and emote.

First song, Love Sneakin Up on You is outstanding. It features the contrasting lead vocals of Sting and Joss Stone. These are exciting and joyous performances. Also figuring in Kenny Wayne Shepherd s it s absolutely impossible to ignore this song originally popularized by Bonnie Raitt. I can t imagine a better way to start out an album. It is followed by a low-key rendition of Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo. The Rick Derringer track is voiced by Edgar Winter and Noah Hunt and once again features Shepherd on guitar along side Paul. While it is fine enough, it doesn t catch my attention like the first song. It isn t very organized and lacks a certain amount of fire that the original oozed.

Sam Cooke performs his own Somebody Ease My Troublin Mind with a little help from Eric Clapton on guitar. It s a heartbreakingly gorgeous song and precisely the kind of song that is all too rare on tribute albums. Peter Frampton s version of So Into You doesn t fare so well. It loses me somewhere within the first minute. I want to feel the joy and heartbreak of the earlier excellent songs but only feel the detached emptiness that has always vaguely annoyed me about Frampton.

Considering that this is a Les Paul tribute of some variety, it s interesting to hear excerpts from an old radio show he hosted. How High the Moon is a fine enough song as performed by Alsou but it once again isn t entirely attractive. The same cannot be said for Bad Case of Lovin You performed by Billy Gibbons. Gibbons is of course known as the vocalist and guitarist for ZZ Top. His gruff delivery brings new life to the Moon Martin song (the version from Robert Palmer is most popular). It s dirty, dank, and exciting. Suddenly a song I ve known for many years has been given a new pair of legs to stand on.

The next time I m impressed is once again at the able hands of Sam Cooke who returns with his own (Ain t That) Good News which is pretty outstanding. Surprising too is the Paul McCartney tune Let Me Roll It performed by Richie Sambora. I ve also understood Sambora s vocals talent in addition to guitar prowess (don t laugh). Here he shines. Speaking of shining, I can t ignore All I Want is You. The original U2 song is hauntingly beautiful. Johnny Rzeznik injects his sparkly Goo Goo Dolls style into the song. It somehow seems brighter and takes on new life. This isn t to say it is better than the U2 classic; however it stands up nicely against it.

As Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played winds down, there are also performances from Steve Miller, Mick Hucknall, Joe Perry, and others to digest. It is all-in-all a better than average tribute album that is well worth picking up for fans of blues and guitar rock. The greats are all here and there are even some new and less known individuals to boot. While I wouldn t ever call this an outstanding album it definitely accomplishes its intended goal of honoring Les Paul s impact on music.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Track Listing:
01. Intro
02. Love Sneakin Up on You (Sting & Joss Stone)
03. Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo (Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Edgar Winter, Noah Hunt)
04. Somebody Ease My Troublin Mind (Sam Cooke, Eric Clapton)
05. So Into You (Peter Frampton)
06. How High the Moon (Les Paul, Alsou)
07. Bad Case of Lovin You (Billy Gibbons)
08. I Wanna Know You (Neal Schon, Beth Hart)
09. (Ain t That) Good News (Sam Cooke, Jeff Beck)
10. Let Me Roll It (Richie Sambora)
11. Caravan (Les Paul)
12. Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl (Buddy Guy, Keith Richards, Rick Derringer)
13. All I Want Is You (Johnny Rzeznik)
14. 69 Freedom Special (Les Paul & Friends)
15. Fly Like an Eagle (2005) (Steve Miller)
16. I Love You More than You ll Ever Know (Joe Perry, Mick Hucknall, Kenny Olsen)