I believe the thread is still officially on Memories so here goes my take. This is John Mayall’s life story, his autobiography from his childhood, three-year stint in the Army (sent to Korea), his return to civilian life and then his decision to dedicate his life to blues music. And it is well thought out and performed. Memories: rustic, country-folk. made me think of Ron Wood/Ronnie Lane’s Mahoney s Last Stand or, as I said earlier, Free’s ‘Bodie.’ Starts things off at age 11 and his parent’s divorce. Wish I Knew A Woman: A straightforward blues with harp and slide. Fun. The City: yet another country blues (Korner is probably having a heart attack). A lyrical snapshot of Mayall as a schoolboy. In the ‘like’ column. Home In A Tree: I think I’ll send this song to a friend of mine who lives much of the year in a tree house. Country blues. Separate Ways: Apple Music lyrics and song doesn’t match up. Will have to figure this one out later. The Fighting Line: This took a second listen before catching my attention. Describes his three year tenure in the Army nd Korea. “I’m the typewriter king, I’d make a damn good clerk.” Friends being killed, I’m sure he was glad to get back alive. Grandad: beautiful and sweet. Back From Korea: An awkward song, I think. A continuation of his life story so it is interesting in that sense. Nobody cares: Dialed down, sounds despondent (as the title suggests). Some nice piano. “Got my blues...something that's my own.” Play The Harp: That Bo Diddley thunga-thunga rhythm. Mayall declares what he wants to do with his life. overall, very nicely executed. I had never heard this album before so am quite pleased by this discovery. It’s a very solid album and I’ve tentatively marked five tracks for my playlist: Memories ; Wish I Knew A Woman; The Fighting Line; Grandad; and Play The Harp to my playlist.
John Mayall – Thru The Years (1971) Tracklist –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Crocodile Walk 2:14 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* My Baby Is Sweeter 2:59 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Crawling Up A Hill 2:15 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Mama, Talk To Your Daughter 2:58 –Bluesbreakers* Alabama Blues 2:29 –Bluesbreakers* Out Of Reach 4:42 –Bluesbreakers* Greeny 3:54 –Bluesbreakers* Curly 4:50 –Bluesbreakers* Missing You 1:57 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Please Don't Tell 2:26 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Your Funeral And My Trial 3:55 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Suspicions (Part 1) 2:47 –John Mayall Knockers Step Forward 3:12 –John Mayall Hide And Seek 2:22 A1 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Crocodile Walk Written-By – Mayall* 2:14 A2 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* My Baby Is Sweeter Bass – John McVie Drums – Hughie Flint Guitar – Roger Dean (2) Vocals, Harmonica, Organ – Mayall* Written-By – Dixon* 2:59 A3 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Crawling Up A Hill Bass – John* Drums – Martin Hart Guitar – Bernie Watson Vocals, Harmonica, Organ – Mayall* Written-By – Mayall* 2:15 A4 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Mama, Talk To Your Daughter Bass – John* Drums – Aynsley Dunbar Guitar – Peter Green (2) Vocals, Guitar – Mayall* Written-By – Lenoir* 2:58 A5 –Bluesbreakers* Alabama Blues Vocals, Guitar – Peter* Written-By – Lenoir* 2:29 A6 –Bluesbreakers* Out Of Reach Bass – John* Drums – Aynsley* Guitar – Mayall* Vocals, Guitar – Peter* Written-By – Green* 4:42 A7 –Bluesbreakers* Greeny Bass – John* Drums – Aynsley* Guitar – Peter* Written-By – Green* 3:54 B1 –Bluesbreakers* Curly Written-By – Green* 4:50 B2 –Bluesbreakers* Missing You Bass – John* Drums – Aynsley* Vocals, Harmonica, Guitar – Peter* Written-By – Green* 1:57 B3 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Please Don't Tell Written-By – Mayall* 2:26 B4 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Your Funeral And My Trial Bass – John* Drums – Aynsley* Guitar – Peter* Vocals, Harmonica, Guitar – Mayall* Written-By – Williamson* 3:55 B5 –John Mayall's Bluesbreakers* Suspicions (Part 1) Bass – Paul Williams (10) Drums – Keef Hartley Guitar – Mick Taylor Tenor Saxophone – Chris Mercer Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Dick Heckstall-Smith Vocals, Guitar – Mayall* 2:47 B6 –John Mayall Knockers Step Forward Bass – Tony Reeves Drums – Jon Hiseman Guitar – Mick* Organ – Mayall* Tenor Saxophone – Chris*, Dick* Trumpet – Henry Lowther Written-By – Mayall*, Taylor* 3:12 B7 –John Mayall Hide And Seek Bass – Tony* Drums – Jon* Guitar – Mick* Vocals, Harmonica – Mayall* Written-By – Mayall* 2:22 After 1969's "Looking Back", Decca released another compilation of non-LP singles and unreleased rarities. All the tracks were recently released as bonus tracks on the album remasters.
Crocodile Walk: We got a live recording on his first album but this is the studio version. John really sounds like he's not sure of his singing yet. Similar case to Jack Bruce's first vocals with Graham Bond around this time. My Baby Is Sweeter: This was apparently unreleased until 1971, it was later appended to the remaster of the debut album, and it says it was recorded in February 1965, so shortly before Clapton joined the band. Nice, spirited shuffle. Crawling Up a Hill: John's first single and once again, you can hear the voice not being 100% recognizable yet. Mayall said he did so many takes of it that they were really burnt out by the end. I do like the song and think this frantic version works better than Katie Melua's overly sensitive reading that was a hit a few years later. Mama, Talk To Your Daughter: Mayall being the big J.B. Lenoir fan he is, he tackled this song several times over the course of his career. This relatively sparse version later appeared on the remaster of "A Hard Road". I like it but it does sound like an outtake. Alabama Blues: From the same sessions, another JB Lenoir song but sung and played solo by Peter Green! One for all the Greeny fans. In fact, with Peter singing and/or leading the session on five tracks from this album, it's almost half a Peter Green album, especially since John's only contribution is a bit of slide guitar in "Out of Reach". Out of Reach: Speaking of which, still a haunting blues - one of the most depressed I've heard in the genre. Peter sounds awfully troubled here. Great, but dark. Greeny: A nice little instrumental blues shuffle with some subdued B.B. King licks. Curly: Another instrumental but I'm less crazy about this one. Kinda Cream-ish. Missing You: Peter singing again, and also playing harmonica! I like this. Please Don't Tell: Mayall back in the ring and showing the superior harmonica technique (not that PG was bad or anything) Your Funeral and My Trial: A somewhat sloppy sounding session, but again with great harp playing. Suspicions (Part 1): After Part 2 on Looking Back we now get the first half. I like this horn-laden stomp blues extravaganza with Mayall's voice climbing high, but I'd rather hear both parts in one go. Knockers Step Forward: Again with the horns but very much in the R&B tradition until about a minute in where Dick Heckstall-Smith turns the piece inside out. Mick Taylor follows this with a "woman tone" solo. Nice instrumental. Hide and Seek: Great pounding shuffle, John's vocals are a bit of a mixed bag though. But great harp and fantastic Clapton-esque playing by Mick Taylor.
Jazz Blues Fusion (album) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jazz Blues Fusion Live album by John Mayall Released 1972 Recorded November–December 1971 Genre Jazz blues Label Polydor Producer John Mayall John Mayall chronology Memories (1971) Jazz Blues Fusion (1972) Moving On (1973) Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Christgau's Record Guide C–[1] Jazz Blues Fusion is a live album by John Mayall. The first side is from a gig in Boston at the Boston Music Hall on 18 November 1971, and the second side was selected from two concerts at Hunter College, New York, on 3 and 4 December 1971. Track listing Original release All songs by John Mayall "Country Road" - 6:55 "Mess Around" - 2:40 "Good Time Boogie" - 8:20 "Change Your Ways" - 3:25 "Dry Throat" - 6:20 "Exercise in C Major for Harmonica" - 8:10 "Got to Be This Way" - 6:15 Charts Chart (1972) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] 39 Personnel Freddy Robinson - lead guitar Larry Taylor - bass guitar John Mayall - vocals, piano, guitar, harmonica Ron Selico - percussion Blue Mitchell - trumpet Clifford Solomon - alto & tenor saxophone
Jazz Blues Fusion is a Mayall favorite. A truly great band and they sound like they're having a blast on stage.
Call me crazy but I have always loved Wish I Knew a Woman from this album. This song always shows up on my blues playlists. I can't put my finger on it (probably a pun given the lyrics) but this song has a feel and a groove that always creates an ear worm for me. Other songs that have the same feeling or vibe for me would be the Stones Spider and the Fly, Wilbert Harrison's Lets Stick Together and (to a lesser extent) Humble Pie's Natural Born Bugie.
I put this on the Mayall playlist that I’m putting together with this thread…but (!) I ended up cutting it a couple of weeks ago when I happened to be playing the playlist on shuffle. It must have stuck out from whatever it was sandwiched between. I’m not saying it can’t redeem itself ( ) but it’s a tough road to make it back on.
I did say "call me crazy" ............. I love a lot of John's albums and the way he has changed styles over the years and I agree that this track would not be on everyone's John Mayall playlists .... but it does have a certain vibe.
Weird that I just checked into this thread now. I only own three John Mayall albums and this is one of them. I love this one because it accurately captures the feeling of a live performance, the band is hot and it doesn’t feel over rehearsed or stilted. They are all pros and the music just flows. Great sounding lp and it’s a particularly good sounding CD too. I remember that I gave the LP to my cousin as a birthday present when it was first released. He loved it too.
It's been going for a long time! This is the last Mayall album I have until the 80s but I need to revisit it so I can write a song-by-song review. I will say, though, that I have very few complaints with this album. Re: "not over rehearsed", I'll have to pull out the JM biography but I think a lot of the material Mayall was playing live at this time was pretty much made on the spot.
Don't forget Mayall and his band did another album in 1971 that certainly had elements of fusion but it wasn't released until 1986. It is called Lost Session and they are backing Albert King.
You are most welcome, please let me know your opinion as I am not familiar with Mayall's fusion period to begin with.
When I was ten years old, I met John Mayall backstage at the Fillmore East before one of the “Turning Point” concerts. I was a big fan of the albums “Bare Wires” and “Blues From Laurel Canyon”. The Fillmore East had a back door that was open. My two older brothers and I just walked in and John Mayall was sitting there tuning his guitar. He was very nice. We had seen him at the Fillmore on the previous tour with Mick Taylor in the band.
He was great, just like on "Bare Wires" and "Blues From Laurel Canyon". I was very disappointed when he left John Mayall and joined some other band.
You don't like any of his playing with that "other" band? P.s. So you felt it was a big loss to John & his music?
Sorry, but - I'm not a fan of The Rolling Stones other than "Their Satanic Majesties Request" and other such recordings in that style. And I stopped following John Mayall soon after the "Turning Point" album.
It's going to be pretty hard to keep track of everything, especially since he has so many live albums released years after they were recorded. I'll keep it in mind, thanks.
Found it on Amazon streaming as well, listened today. It's more of a funky/blues affair, with mostly guitar solos (of course, it is Albert King!). The band is a little more on the jazz/swing side on the Jazz/Blues Fusion and Movin' On albums. It was a cool listen, but I think I prefer the other stuff, where the solos are spread around more instruments. For this session though, they wisely switched gears a little to back Albert. Thanks again for the tip. Love listening to Larry Taylor play bass on anything!
John Mayall's 88th birthday is a good occasion to post my review of Jazz Blues Fusion! Country Road: A relaxed mid-tempo shuffle with John starting on harmonica and Freddy Robinson (later Abu Talib) playing some nice blues leads. After two vocal choruses, a harmonica solo is followed by Blue Mitchell’s entrance on trumpet. Freddy Robinson is so good he gets three choruses. Drums get more intense on the final guitar chorus. John has another vocal chorus but the lyrics seem pretty unimportant. After this, there is an edit - I guess the original performance went longer. Harmonica soloing over a shout chorus of sorts and the track is through. Mess Around: A slightly quicker steady 8th note groove. John’s lyrics sound very improvised to me. Good Times Boogie: At the beginning, John playfully scolds an audience member: “There’s no more “Room to Move” cause that’s all... way in the past. Why did you come here? To hear an old record or something?” This boogie is the fastest-paced track so far. Freddy Robinson gets a lot of space to show off his clean picking. The next in line is Clifford Solomon. Blue Mitchell’s trumpet interacts with John’s harmonica and Freddy’s guitar. The whole song really starts cookin’. At the end John actually plays harmonica and guitar simultaneously, which I haven’t heard him do often. Change Your Ways: The encore at Boston. Nice midtempo groove. A lot of trumpet and guitar. Not a twelve-bar blues format. This song would've deserved a studio recording. Dry Throat: The only song with keyboards. John starts on the electric piano (Wurlitzer?), which he then plays in unison with the harmonica. Clifford Solomon leads the solo section. I think there's an edit at 5:09, after which the track peters out. Exercise in C Major for Harmonica, Bass & Shufflers: The people clamouring for “Room to Move” get their kicks with the opening, where John employs the same percussive harmonica tricks. Then Larry Taylor has a long bass solo accompanied solely by Ron Selico’s drums. A drum solo links to the second half of the song, which has Freddy Robinson showing off his guitar skills while John plays guitar and harmonica in unison. He also goes really high with his vocal parts, reminding me of the very young B.B. King in places! Got to Be This Way: Harmonica soloing underpinned by horn charts. More trumpet and guitar solos. Free-form ending, a duet between Blue Mitchell and John. I think I can’t really say much about this album because it’s a lot of jamming over a loosely fixed structure. That’s not meant as a negative, but it would be wrong to talk about catchy songs, arrangement ideas or production tricks. It captures a good line-up playing good music. And unlike Diary of a Band, there are no annoying moments. The title may throw some listeners off. Yes, there are jazz musicians involved, and it’s more loose than a lot of blues albums, with not much focus on singing, but a Mayall gig in the mid-60s (especially when Dick Heckstall-Smith was in the band) could be just as ‘free’. So it’s not really a “jazz blues fusion” as much as a “jazzy blues album”. The sonic palette is jazzy, for sure, and aside from having two horn players this is also down to Freddy Robinson’s guitar playing. He’s quite far removed from the Clapton / Mick Taylor style of overdriven electrics, thereby anchoring things more to 40s and 50s recordings á la T-Bone Walker and B.B. King. (In fact, it’s his guitar you can hear on the Howlin’ Wolf session that yielded “Spoonful”, “Back Door Man” and “Wang Dang Doodle”.) What else? Eddie Kramer engineered the album and it sounds great. My CD actually had a sticker on the shrinkwrap stating it’s a remaster but nothing in the booklet indicates as such. Either way, with DR values of 13/14, it’s one of the most natural sounding CDs in my collection.
So, after popular demand... The Lost Session (Albert King): Albert King – The Lost Session (released 1986) She Won't Gimme No Lovin' 5:56 Cold In Hand 4:44 Stop Lying 3:52 All The Way Down 3:33 Tell Me What True Love Is 4:56 Down The Road I Go 4:36 Money Lovin' Women 5:39 Sun Gone Down (Take 1) 4:41 Brand New Razor 4:32 Sun Gone Down (Take 2) 5:01 Credits Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Clifford Solomon Bass – Larry Taylor Drums – Ron Selico Organ, Piano, Harmonica, Guitar [12-string] – John Mayall Producer – John Mayall Remix – Danny Kopelson Rhythm Guitar – Lee King (2) Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts Trumpet – Blue Mitchell Vocals, Guitar – Albert King Recorded August 28, 1971 at Wolfman Jack Studios. According to John Mayall’s recollections in the liner notes, John would come up with a tune and Albert would write the words, so these songs are all collaborations. She Won't Gimme No Lovin': Intricate mid-tempo blues with Kevin (last name unknown) playing a percolating piano texture, and the rhythm section sort of moving while standing still. Albert sounds great on vocals and lead guitar. In the piano solo he does a bit of a James Brown thing of shouting out rhythmically - OK, could have done without that. Cold in Hand: Similar rhythm but slower and sparser. Stop Lying: A nice sax opening to this, and an organ/drum texture that sounds vaguely like John’s stuff (very likely John playing the organ). The straight eighth notes groove gets a bit old now. All the Way Down: John’s harmonica is very typical on this slower track. It’s a bit inconclusive, but still good to listen to. Tell Me What True Love Is: A bit of “Born Under a Bad Sign” here with the drum rhythm and the repetitive horn riffs. Albert’s vocal sounds more aggressive than on the previous tracks. His guitar also has more cutting power. Blue Mitchell’s trumpet enlivens the track further. Probably my favourite so far. Down the Road I Go: Aggressive midtempo shuffle. I like this one quite a bit, although it’s without horns. Money Lovin’ Women: The horns are back, and so is the unknown Kevin on organ. This is actually quite funny, as Albert raps about a woman who loves money. Ernie Watts’ tenor sax solo is pretty far out too. Sun Gone Down (Take 1): Slow blues, finally with some more unusual chords in there - reminiscent of T-Bone Walker’s work. A slow burn - Albert really turns up the heat in the instrumental part. Good ending too. Brand New Razor: A barnstorming shuffle with John on piano and appropriately sharp horn riffs. Lyrically, it’s a bit of a similar thing to “Crosscut Saw”. Musically though, it harkens back to Albert King’s very early recordings, pre-Stax. Sun Gone Down (Take 2): A more atmospheric version, thanks to the unknown keyboardist Kevin playing a ghostly organ instead of piano. I've never been the biggest fan of Albert King, so an entire album of his is never going to set me on fire. I don't care too greatly for his singing, and his guitar playing tends to get a bit repetitive after a while. Somehow, I wish John would've interacted more with him, e.g. by singing a duet, but I understand this wasn't what the session was about. Still, it's a good blues album. Would be even better with a different sequencing - the two versions of "Sun Gone Down" should be placed further apart, "Tell Me What True Love Is" and "Down the Road I Go" deserve to appear earlier in the tracklisting.
