Watch: Nathan East Brings Upright Bass to Clapton’s “Black Magic Woman”

When Eric Clapton’s Royal Albert Hall shows were canceled during the pandemic, he and his band headed to the English countryside to record what became The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions. Filmed at Cowdray House in West Sussex, the project captures Clapton and longtime collaborators playing a relaxed set of blues standards and classics in an intimate setting.

The band features Nathan East on bass and vocals, Steve Gadd on drums, and Chris Stainton on keys.

One of the highlights is this take on Black Magic Woman, originally written by Peter Green and first recorded by Fleetwood Mac. For this version, East is on upright bass, giving the tune a late night blues feel that is very different from the more familiar Latin rock treatment made famous by Santana.  Toward the end the tune opens up and turns into a straight blues jam, with the group leaning into the groove and trading feel rather than sticking closely to the original arrangement.