**1/2 Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, G3

LIVE IN CONCERT

(Epic)

Of the 1980s rock-guitar heroes, none can claim greater recognition than Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Steve Vai. Satriani's wah-inflected "Summer Song" was ubiquitous. Johnson's hummable, virtuoso "Cliffs of Dover" still gets airplay. And Vai's eclectic extravaganza Passion & Warfare is one of the world's bestselling, and most critically acclaimed, instrumental guitar records.

Although G3: Live won't fare quite that well, it's worth having as proof of each artist's live capabilities. Satriani drops the constraints of tight songwriting that hem in his albums, letting his fingers fly on a blistering version of "Cool #9." Johnson's "Cliffs" is notably absent, but his jazzy performance of "Zap" is blindingly perfect -- almost too perfect. Vai revamps his Zappa-influenced "Attitude Song" and adds a weeping guitar epilogue to the already passionate "For the Love of God."

The three collaborate on the last three tracks. Johnson's slippery perfection sweetens the bluesy "Red House" but slows down the crunch rock of "Going Down"; conversely, Satriani's technical expertise inflames the latter but structurizes the former. And though Vai enhances each song, none of the guitarists sounds exactly the way you'd expect. Perhaps that's the album's greatest strength.

-- Steve Rach Mirarchi

(G3, with Kenny Wayne Shepherd in place of Eric Johnson, plus opening act Robert Fripp, will perform at Harborlights this Sunday, June 22. Call 423-NEXT.)