Rock: well recorded bass...60s/70s

Bdp: I have no issue with your tone but I think technical proficiency has to be mixed with soul or something that conveys emotion. Maybe less of an issue with drummers since I tend to like good jazz drummers playing rock better than a lot of rock drummers. ( though I like Ringo on the early stuff). Some of those old blues guys convey with what I assume are pretty rudimentary skills. Tone and skill: add David Lindley to the list. Leslie West, who was not as technically proficient as a lot of guitarists could get amazing tone and emotion. Don't know where Chris Whitley fits on the skill-o-meter, but listen to Dirt Floor. His voice and guitar playing give me goosebumps. I get the difference between musicians' musicians and less skilled players. Unfortunately there are so many hugely talented players that are unknown. When we heard Little Richard a few years ago in Manhattan he had one of the best bands- with some of the best individual players- I ever heard. They were not credited on the bill or even on his tour website. I saw the show with somebody who is a pretty famous and skilled multi instrumentalist - his words; "those guys were hired killers."

I wouldn't throw Cream in with Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, etc. but they certainly had songs with a nod in that direction--As You Said, Passing the Time, Deserted Cities of the Heart, for instance. The use of orchestration and time changes is consistent with Progressive Rock. But they still had their bluesy/jazzy feel so the overall effect is different.

The psychedelic movement and associated interest in experiments in music in the mid to latter sixties was what initially spawned early examples of "progressive rock" as per King Crimson, the Moody Blues, etc. Cream was part of all that, but came at it like the Yardbirds and many other British rockers from an original strong base formulated on the blues. So while Cream may not be strictly considered "progressive rock" in their time, they no doubt participated on the road that led to the more purely "progressive" acts that soon followed.

Taht might help explain why I have never taken as strongly to Eric Clapton as many. I appreciate what he does and has done but his music seldom truly touches me.

My favorite Clapton album of late is the one he did with JJ Cale a few years back and I attribute that largely to JJ Cale.

BD,

I really enjoy your posts on popular music. What is your background? Sounds like maybe you are/were in the biz?