On the occasion of John Mayall’s 70th Birthday, the father
of the British blues boom held a special concert at Liverpool docks on July
19th, 2003. Thankfully the concert was recorded for posterity, as it is -
without doubt - the finest British blues album in decades.
The music kicks off with a couple of numbers from the
Bluesbreakers minus their illustrious leader. Although this sets the standards
for the rest of the night already very high, things really start to cook when
the great man arrives and whips out his harmonica for their third song. After a
few more numbers the festivities truly begin with the introduction of Mick
Taylor on lead guitar. Now remember, Mick Taylor originally made his name with
the Bluesbreakers before he was poached away by the glimmer twins for a five
year stint as a Rolling Stone. Mick Taylor has certainly lost none of his chops
and leads the ensemble through a riotous collection of blues and boogie.
Then Mick Taylor leaves the stage to give space to John
Mayall’s most famous prot้g้, a certain Mr. Eric ‘Slowhand’
Clapton. The selection of songs from the seminal John Mayall and the
Bluesbreakers album featuring Eric Clapton let’s one step back and wonder
with awe.
Next up is the inspired inclusion of Chris Barber on
trombone, who sets up some wonderful duels with Clapton. In the late fifties
Chris Barber was responsible for bringing over to the British shores such
artists as ‘Big Bill Broonzy’, Sister Rossetta Tharpe, Sonny Terry, and the
great Muddy Waters. So, who knows what state British music would be in without
the introduction of these American greats to further inspire the likes of
‘The Beatles’, ‘The Kinks’, and ‘The Pretty Things’?
Although all these great musicians are on stage, the actual
Bluesbreakers are never overawed. To the contrary, they leave the featured
artist space to excel, none more than to the man himself - John Mayall. Mayall,
entering his eighth decade, shows no sign of slowing down or losing his amazing
abilities.
The concert is brought to a climax with twenty-five minutes
of encores with the entire cast on stage. Everybody fights for space to solo,
but usually politely await their turn. The whole thing really rocks.
At just over two and a half hours there is not a moment on
this two disc set that is not covered in magic. The concert was recorded for
DVD, which is also available.
It is quite fun to have a look at all the artists who could
have been invited to this show, who have at one time or another passed through
the ranks of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. There’s Jack Bruce, Eric
Clapton’s old running buddy in Cream. The third part of that particular trio,
Ginger Baker, also played with the Bluesbreakers once, but only sitting in for
a jam on the drums. Peter Green; John McVie; Mick Fleetwood, who left Mayall to
form Fleetwood Mac; Aynsley Dunbar; a fifteen year old Andy Fraser of Free
fame, and Micky Waller. John Hiseman, Tony Reeves, and Dick Heckstall-Smith who
all sneaked off together to form Colosseum. Keef Hartley; Hughie Flint… Oh!
The list is endless, but it does go to show how important John Mayall and his
Bluesbreakers are to British blues.
After a particularly brilliant interchange between Clapton
and Barber, which brings ‘Have You Heard’ to a dramatic finish, John Mayall
shouts from the stage “The blues does not get better than that”. The man is
correct.
Songs
Disc One
1. Grits Ain’t Groceries – Bluesbreakers
2. Jacksboro Highway – Bluesbreakers
3. Southside Story – Mayall/Bluesbreakers
4. Kids Got The Blues – Mayall/Bluesbreakers
5. Dirty Water – Mayall/Bluesbreakers
6. Somebody’s Acting Like A Child – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Taylor
7. Blues For The Lost Days – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Taylor
8. Walking On Sunset – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Taylor
9. Oh, Pretty Woman – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Taylor
10. No Big Hurry – Mayall/Clapton
Disc Two
1. Please Mr. Lofton – Mayall/Clapton/Barber
2. Hideaway – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Clapton/Barber
3. All Your Love – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Clapton
4. Have You Heard – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Clapton/Barber
5. Hoochie Coochie Man – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Clapton/Barber
6. I’m Tore Down – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Clapton/Barber
7. It Ain’t Right – Mayall/Bluesbreakers
8. California – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Taylor/Barber/Lowther
9. Talk To Your Daughter – Mayall/Bluesbreakers/Clapton/Taylor/Barber
Musicians
John Mayall – Piano, Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
Buddy Whitington – Guitar & Vocals
Joe Yuele – Drums
Hank Van Sickle – Bass Guitar
Tom Canning – Organ & Piano
Special thanks to guest artists:
Eric Clapton – Guitar & Vocals (appears courtesy of Reprise Records)
Chris Barber – Trombone
Mick Taylor – Guitar
Horns:
Henry Lowther – Trumpet & Arrangements
Dave Lewis – Tenor Sax
Julian Arguelles – Baritone Sax
That
Bangkok wordsmith Dean Barrett has done it again! Yet another book crafted
around his knowledge of the chrome pole paradise scene in Bangkok. The Go Go
Dancer Who Stole My Viagra (and other poetic tragedies of Thailand) is printed
in Bangkok and was published by Village East Books (ISBN 0-9661899-9-X).
However, this time Barrett has gone poetic on us! (Even though much of it has
escaped the confines of iambic tetrameters and its ilk, to take refuge in blank
verse.) Some poems have been printed in other publications, so consider this
book something of an anthology.
5
Stars *****
