Respectful, if bitty, retrospective, laying out the boogie man's career by linking archive performances with comments from the likes of Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt and Hooker himself. It could have done with more of the early years, and less of what Nick Cave once called "unfortunate guitar work from Carlos Santana."
Given Escovedo's current fate (stricken with Hepatitis C), this 1996 reissue is particularly welcome. Remastered with an extra disc of live recordings from that year, With These Hands was a rocking departure from the ex-Rank And File man's solo predecessors. With Willie Nelson, brother Pete (ex-Santana) and niece Sheila E on board, it's a suitably raucous affair, though the full band tends to swamp Escovedo's dusky timbre occasionally. The spare "Pissed Off 2am" and "Tired Skin" (vox/piano only) are more affecting, as is the title track's percussive Latino snap.
The Rolling Stones recently cancelled what would have been their first ever visit to China. But Morcheeba made the trip earlier this year and their visit is commemorated on From Brixton to Beijing WARNER MUSIC VISION . Live footage, film of the band tobogganing down the Great Wall and a cameo appearance by Lambchop's Kurt Wagner contribute to an intelligently produced DVD that is several cuts above your average point-and-shoot tour diary.