If you hang around the site long enough, you’ll see that the band we have the most posts about is the John Butler Trio, which is probably my favorite band. I’m not big on picking favorites, but its the only band I really follow and check out whenever possible. Some may wonder why; if you check out their music and message maybe you’ll get it. Doesn’t matter. But this is another reason: Ocean.

I’ve seen John play it live 3 times. At Bonnaroo, at the HOB in New Orleans, and in Alabama. Bonnaroo’s Ocean was a little disappointing, because he didn’t do his slap-tap version, which I like best. In Alabama it was the first time I’d seen them live, and had only heard Ocean on CD and seen a video of him playing it at Webster Hall in 2005 in Oz. So that time was amazing, because I was seeing it, and because he did his slap-tap version.

Thats why I’m posting this video. It’s 14 minutes long, and if you can bypass the crowd cheering, you can see why JBT has so many devoted fans and why this is such a favorite. Its entirely instrumental, very impressive, but more than that, it’s just beautiful. I think I know why its called Ocean, if there is a reason for it. I hope you like.

Link to this video.

And heres the video from Webster Hall, much shorter, only 5 minutes.