48. John Mayall with Eric Clapton - Blues Breakers.
Wow! I'm back at the keyboard a day after posting about the Mamas and the Papas. This is a trend that I hope continues. Today's offering is a breath of fresh air. Mr. Mayall and company recorded some blues standards and a couple of original tracks on what is apparently considered one of the seminal recordings of British Blues. Allegedly, this was a game changer, Eric Clapton's combination of a Les Paul and a Marshall amp became the standard for blues rock and its subsequent offshoots. Also on the recording is John McVie of Fleetwood Mac fame. While his cohorts went on to mainstream superstardom, or god status in Clapton's case, Mayall remained true to his craft and slogged it out as a bluesman. At any rate this stuff is fantastic, full on straight ahead power blues.
You drop the needle (or press play) on the first track, "All Your Love" and are instantly rewarded. My first thought is that it sounds like Cream, for obvious reasons, but without the manic drumming. No surprises, just great sounding hypnotic guitar fills over a steady bass line. And the sound is raw and true. I'm expecting the rest of the album is going to be variations on this theme, and am happy to continue on. "Hideaway" is a blues standard originally by Freddie King, with a killer break in between sections with deft guitar licks and keyboard accompaniment..
"Little Girl" is the first of three tracks credited to Mayall. The organ is up front for the beginning, and then Clapton takes over again. The bass is driving in the background, and the tune is predictable, but enjoyable. "Another Man" is blues harmonica and vocals, short and sweet and a welcome break to the constant noodling of Clapton. No disrespect to the playing, it is just a nice change. It shakes things up for the listener and keeps us interested. "Double Crossing Time", co-written by Clapton, is a slow blues number with another exceptional solo. The piano in the background has some nice moments, and it is short and sweet.
The Hammond B3 stands out at the beginning of "What'd I Say", a Ray Charles cover. This one was a chance to showcase the rest of the band, with a drum solo in the middle, and a nod to their friends the Beatles with a riff of "Day Tripper" inserted towards the end. That's the end of Side one, so lets flip it over and see what we've got on the other side.
Side Two starts with "Key to Love" a Mayall composition that features Stax style horns, and cooks along to a toe tapping beat. "Parchman Farm" is credited to Mose Allison, but according to Wikipedia it was based on a tune of the same name recorded by Bukka White, telling of his adventures in prison. Anyhow, its a quick number that grooves along pretty well, showcasing blues harmonica (that isn't shrill like a certain other harmonica player I have whined about ad nauseum), and a peppy bass line.
Up next is an order of slow blues,"Have You Heard" with the saxophone taking the lead at the beginning. Clapton's fills are perfect, and aren't as busy as they are on some of the other tracks. At points the organ slips into the mix, and the drums and bass are spot on. This one feels like a recording of a band, as opposed to a bunch of musicians backing up a guitar hero. Thank heavens, since it is just under six minutes in length, intense riffing for that long could get a little boring. Towards the end the vocalist hits some notes at the top of their range, and it sounds great.
"Ramblin' On My Mind" is apparently the first tune that Clapton recorded vocals for. It's a cover of Robert Johnson, and features slow guitar and blues piano. "Steppin' Out" is a cover of a tune by L.C. Frazier (aka Memphis Slim). This one rocks along quickly and has everything you could want in a fast blues tune. The horns are a standout. The organ takes a lead. The blues licks are as good as anything else on the album. This is the shit. The album winds up by racing through a Little Walter tune called "It Ain't Right". The guitar features some fast picking and the harmonica is wailing and then suddenly it is over and the album is complete.
Well, I have been aware of John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers for ages, but have never taken the time to give them a listen. If you like your blues plugged in, this is forty minutes of bliss. I think I stated before that I prefer blues in a live setting, but I doubt that these cats are going to show up at my house anytime soon, so this will have to do. At first it seemed like a showcase for Eric Clapton's chops, but the flow of the songs, and the selections themselves gave you a sense of group effort and excellent musicianship. I highly recommend it. This one made me want to pick up my guitar and learn some of these riffs. Rolling Stone placed this one at number 195 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2003).
You drop the needle (or press play) on the first track, "All Your Love" and are instantly rewarded. My first thought is that it sounds like Cream, for obvious reasons, but without the manic drumming. No surprises, just great sounding hypnotic guitar fills over a steady bass line. And the sound is raw and true. I'm expecting the rest of the album is going to be variations on this theme, and am happy to continue on. "Hideaway" is a blues standard originally by Freddie King, with a killer break in between sections with deft guitar licks and keyboard accompaniment..
"Little Girl" is the first of three tracks credited to Mayall. The organ is up front for the beginning, and then Clapton takes over again. The bass is driving in the background, and the tune is predictable, but enjoyable. "Another Man" is blues harmonica and vocals, short and sweet and a welcome break to the constant noodling of Clapton. No disrespect to the playing, it is just a nice change. It shakes things up for the listener and keeps us interested. "Double Crossing Time", co-written by Clapton, is a slow blues number with another exceptional solo. The piano in the background has some nice moments, and it is short and sweet.
The Hammond B3 stands out at the beginning of "What'd I Say", a Ray Charles cover. This one was a chance to showcase the rest of the band, with a drum solo in the middle, and a nod to their friends the Beatles with a riff of "Day Tripper" inserted towards the end. That's the end of Side one, so lets flip it over and see what we've got on the other side.
Side Two starts with "Key to Love" a Mayall composition that features Stax style horns, and cooks along to a toe tapping beat. "Parchman Farm" is credited to Mose Allison, but according to Wikipedia it was based on a tune of the same name recorded by Bukka White, telling of his adventures in prison. Anyhow, its a quick number that grooves along pretty well, showcasing blues harmonica (that isn't shrill like a certain other harmonica player I have whined about ad nauseum), and a peppy bass line.
Up next is an order of slow blues,"Have You Heard" with the saxophone taking the lead at the beginning. Clapton's fills are perfect, and aren't as busy as they are on some of the other tracks. At points the organ slips into the mix, and the drums and bass are spot on. This one feels like a recording of a band, as opposed to a bunch of musicians backing up a guitar hero. Thank heavens, since it is just under six minutes in length, intense riffing for that long could get a little boring. Towards the end the vocalist hits some notes at the top of their range, and it sounds great.
"Ramblin' On My Mind" is apparently the first tune that Clapton recorded vocals for. It's a cover of Robert Johnson, and features slow guitar and blues piano. "Steppin' Out" is a cover of a tune by L.C. Frazier (aka Memphis Slim). This one rocks along quickly and has everything you could want in a fast blues tune. The horns are a standout. The organ takes a lead. The blues licks are as good as anything else on the album. This is the shit. The album winds up by racing through a Little Walter tune called "It Ain't Right". The guitar features some fast picking and the harmonica is wailing and then suddenly it is over and the album is complete.
Well, I have been aware of John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers for ages, but have never taken the time to give them a listen. If you like your blues plugged in, this is forty minutes of bliss. I think I stated before that I prefer blues in a live setting, but I doubt that these cats are going to show up at my house anytime soon, so this will have to do. At first it seemed like a showcase for Eric Clapton's chops, but the flow of the songs, and the selections themselves gave you a sense of group effort and excellent musicianship. I highly recommend it. This one made me want to pick up my guitar and learn some of these riffs. Rolling Stone placed this one at number 195 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2003).
Buy it here.
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