This is quite simply the greatest live album ever made. Astonishing performances of great songs, wonderfully recorded and mixed. From the opening notes of NSU to the crescendo close of Sweet Wine, the sonic attack never lets up for a second.

Jack, Eric and Ginger were like three racehorses desperate to cut loose from the gate. The nature of their musical relationship has to be unique in music history. All three having huge competitive egos, they were still totally, absolutely in sync at this magical moment in the short life of Cream. The resulting combined firepower is breathtaking; no wonder no other band wanted to be on the same bill. Clapton is simply phenomenal, and he is by far the weakest of the three musically. Bruce and Baker take the creative spirit to another level, completely free of cliche or repetition.

The heart of the matter is Sweet Wine, essentially a throwaway tune from the first album. Here it is the launch pad for the most complex, evolving, intuitive improvisation in the history of electric music. 35 years later, this music continues to shock and awe and astonish. Play it as loud as you can physically stand it.

'Live Cream' was released in June of 1970, more than two years after most of the tracks were recorded at the Fillmore West and Winterland sites in San Francisco, and 3 years after 'Lawdy Mama', the predecessor to 'Strange Brew', was laid down at Atlantic Studio's. All of the live tracks are extended versions of songs found on the band's first studio release, 'Fresh Cream'. There is a 'Live Cream - Volume Two' (released in March of 1972) disc also available, and those tracks are drawn from Cream's second and third studio releases, 'Disraeli Gears' and 'Wheels of Fire', so it appears some forethought and planning went into these live documents. Together with live tracks from 'Wheels of Fire' and 'Goodbye', there is as much live material available from the band as there is studio work.

Since 'Fresh Cream' was primarily a blues-rock album, 'Live Cream' exudes the same feel. On most of the numbers, however, such as the opener, 'N.S.U.' and 'Sweet Wine', the blues are fairly rapidly clicked up a notch as the band jams in rock mode. While 'N.S.U.' only timed out at 2:47 on 'Fresh Cream', it burns for over ten minutes here, while 'Sweet Wine' keeps pouring out for over fifteen minutes. Mercifully, especially given the year was 1968, we are spared any extended drum solo's, although if any drummer was worthy of an extended drum solo, it would be Ginger Baker. 'Sleepy Time Time' and a fine cover of Muddy Water's 'Rollin' and Tumblin' are only broadened by a few minutes over their studio counterparts on this disc. Jack Bruce contributes all of the lead vocals while Eric Clapton supplies occasional background support. The musicianship is exemplary, with Bruce's bass improvisations predominant. Clapton's guitar is certainly exceptional, but by his standards this isn't his most accomplished recordings. I believe the live tracks from 'Wheels of Fire' put on a finer display of his talents, although my own perception may be biased as I favor his playing in the psychedelic, wah-pedal mode.

For my money the real gem in this collection is the shortest, and most out-of-place track on the disc, that being the closer, 'Lawdy Mama'. If you never heard the song that 'Strange Brew' is based upon, here's your chance. The author of this traditional blues number is unknown, but here we get Cream's version, arranged by Clapton. The lyrics to 'Strange Brew' are better, and as you listen to the song the effects of years of conditioning will most likely compel you to 'hear' those lyrics over the verses of 'Lawdy Mama'. It's a great historical piece, even if it is completely out of place on this disc.

'Cream' had already disbanded when 'Live Cream' was released in 1970. In fact, Clapton had already written the next chapter in his career by recording the 'Blind Faith' album with Steve Winwood the year previous. So the two live discs that were released in the early 1970's were an attempt to further document, and profit from, the short-lived phenomenon that was 'Cream'. We're fortunate to have these recordings, even if they were only dusted off and released because there wasn't anything else being produced. The sound is tremendous, but since the disc was remastered there was an opportunity to expand on the track listings and the liner notes. Unfortunately, the producers did nothing to go beyond what was made available on the original vinyl release.

Cream was at its best live - and it's such a pity that live recording was just emerging from its infancy when these tracks were caught. But even through the murk of my cheap stereo speakers back when I first placed this bit of vinyl on my turntable back in '71, I was astonished. If you are a musician or an instrumentalist, it's hard not to let your jaw drop at the effortless way these three men played together. While every music critic likes to prattle on about the live version of "Crossroads" epitomizing Cream, it's easy to make a case that "Sleepy Time Time" surpasses the old Robert Johnson tune in terms of a performance. Clapton's notes sometimes wait until the last possible moment to sound making you sit on the edge of your seat, his Firebird sounding full and crisp. Jack Bruce plays brilliant counterpoint, when he's not actually taking the lead on passages. And there's Ginger Banker, at times restrained and at times a mad man - but always on point. When I heard that this set had been remasterd for digital audio, I knew I had to have a copy.

This is pretty good. I actually would prefer this over most Cream things just because it's real. No studio BS just real playing. Don't compare to current clapton. This is the clapton with FIRE, not this pop, weak guitar solo from the post drug years. This and Derek and the Dominoes Live are pretty awesome and fiery things. This is a whole band, not just the clapton and backup band junk with an occasional pop song thrown in to sell records. This is music. You can listen again and again and again.

N.S.U., which opens the CD, is one of the best openings for any song. The solo drums sets a frantic pace that gets even more frenetic as the song progresses. One of the things I've always loved about Cream is the way they EXPLODE into their jams. Sonically, it is like a dam bursting. There is enough guitar instruction on this CD to keep one occupied for months.