Paul Rodgers has always surrounded himself with top class musicians and never more so than in 1994 when he played Montreux, on July 6. Here he is joined by Neal Schon, Steve Lukather AND Brian May and even Festival head honcho Claude Nobs gets in on the act with some deft harmonica. Furthermore, Eddie Kirkland, Sherman Robertson, and Luther Allison lend blues rock gravitas as special guests. Rodgers' current drummer Jason Bonham is also present.

Around this time Rodgers had released 'Muddy Water Blues' which featured Schon and May and this set is peppered with a few tracks from that album along with his stage standards from Free and Bad Company.

Having witnessed Rodgers on his spring UK tour this year, it has to be said that his voice gets better and better but - nearly 20 years ago - this is an excellent document of where he was at, although some duplication is inevitable with the Loreley set released in 1996.

Rodgers has maintained his profile since the Free/Bad Co heyday and most recently with Queen but one can't help thinking a few more solo albums in his own right wouldn't have gone amiss. Indeed 'Now', his last studio solo album was released in 1997. Having spoken with Paul prior to that recent UK tour it is evident that the passion till burns and a new solo/band album may be on the cards.

In the meantime, this Montreux gig is a fabulous document and is also available as a DVD with a personal introduction by Rodgers which is omitted from the CD.

****

Review by David Randall