Beck, Bogert & Appice Live in Japan 1973, Live in London 1974 4LP Box Set (Grape Vinyl)

Beck, Bogert & Appice (BBA) Live in Japan 1973, Live in London 1974 captures previously unreleased live performances by the original supergroup featuring Jeff Beck, Tim Bogert, and Carmine Appice.

Before his death in January 2023, legendary guitarist Jeff Beck revisited concert recordings made by Beck, Bogert & Appice, the power trio he formed in 1972 with drummer/singer Carmine Appice and bassist/singer Tim Bogert. The live music captures the band at the beginning and end of its short-but-influential partnership, with two shows in Japan in 1973 and one of the group's final performances in London a year later.

All three band members were involved in creating Live in Japan 1973, Live in London 1974, and the collection is dedicated to Beck and Bogert, who died in 2023 and 2021, respectively. The set includes an expansive booklet with extended liner notes detailing the group's history by music journalist/manager Bruce Pilato, along with memorabilia, archival photos, and a replica poster.

Beck and Appice mixed all the concerts in this set from the original multi-tracks that had been in Beck's archive for almost 50 years, thus knocking the many bootleg quality releases, that Beck hated, out of the park! The two performances at Koseinenkin Hall in Osaka, Japan (recorded May 18 and 19, 1973) were released exclusively in Japan a few months after the shows, but never in the U.S. The complete concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London, England (recorded January 26, 1974) has never been released anywhere.

In the booklet, Pilato explores the short existence and lasting legacy of Beck, Bogert & Appice, a supergroup that critics once hailed as "the first successor to Cream" (Melody Maker) and an "ensemble of virtually unparalleled magnificence" (NME).

Live in Japan 1973 was recorded only a few weeks after Beck, Bogert & Appice's self-titled debut came out. The music ripples with raw energy as the group delivers exhilarating live versions of nearly every song on the album, including "Superstition," "Lady," and "Livin' Alone." The trio also played songs by the Yardbirds ("Jeff's Boogie") and the Jeff Beck Group ("Morning Dew" and "Going Down").

The concert on Live in London 1974 was recorded eight months after the shows in Japan and right before the trio disbanded. The performance introduces several songs the group planned to record for BBA's never-completed second studio album, including "Satisfied," "Jizz Wizz," and "Solid Lifter."

Power trios are strangely hard to come by in today's rock world. That reality only makes the achievements of some of the great groups like this one feel that much more momentous. Particularly when listening to these live recordings of guitarist Jeff Beck, bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice. Their dynamic chemistry and virtuosic playing papered over any idea that something might have been missing from their collective sound. These two double-LP sets, packaged in a big box along with bonus goodies like a big poster and recreation of the tour program from the trio's run of Japanese shows, capture the group at the start and finish of their short history. Neither recording has been officially available here in the States, either, which only makes this set more craveable for collectors. Both sets were electrifying with the right amount of looseness that kept both the audiences and the musicians on their collective toes. Bogert sounds especially hopped up on the London recording as he did everything in his power to pull an otherwise taciturn crowd at the Rainbow Theatre out of their shells, using every ounce of his charisma to get them up and dancing. As with the lone studio album the group recorded, this whole set is really a tribute to Beck, who left us earlier this year. His playing throughout this collection scorches as he pushes electric blues to greater peaks of intensity and sensuality. With all respect to the fine work of his playmates, Beck is the star of this show and he shines as bright as ever.