Written by: Charles Brown, Eddie Williams, Johnny Moore
Recorded: 20 July 1997
Released: 12 February 2021
Available on:
Look At The Moon! (Live Phoenix Festival 97)
Personnel
David Bowie: vocals, acoustic guitar
Reeves Gabrels: acoustic guitar
David Bowie and Reeves Gabrels performed ‘Driftin’ Blues’ prior to ‘The Jean Genie’ at Bowie’s Phoenix Festival appearance in July 1997.
The song is a blues standard, sometimes known as ‘Drifting Blues’, first recorded by the group Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers in 1945. The songwriting is credited to all three members – lead singer Charles Brown, Eddie Williams, and Moore – although it was likely composed solely by Brown.
‘Driftin’ Blues’ was an R&B hit in 1945 and became a blues standard. It was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989 in the Classics of Blues Recording category.
The song has been covered many times, including by Ray Charles, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, John Lee Hooker, and Eric Clapton.
The release
In June 2020 the David Bowie estate announced the launch of Brilliant Live Adventures (1995-1999), a box set containing six live albums recorded during Bowie’s three tours in the 1990s.
Look At The Moon! (Live Phoenix Festival 97) was the fourth of the releases. It was announced on Friday 29 January 2021 and went on sale the same day, ahead of its 12 February release.
The album was longer than the previous Brilliant Live Adventures ones, and was released as two-CD and triple vinyl sets.
As with the other Brilliant Live Adventures releases, 6,000 compact disc and 4,000 vinyl editions were made available. The vinyl edition of Look At The Moon! sold out within two hours.
