Discoverring John Mayall

[captouch]

I picked up Looking Back on vinyl a little while ago - my only material by him. Only listened to it briefly as background music, but wasn't really focusing on whether I liked it or not.

Is this album representative of his music?

 

[bobsvinyl]

I started off listening to Blues Breakers in high school. That opened the door for me to many of the great white boy blues acts. I always loved Back to the Roots showing what a gifted group of musicians went through Mayall's band over the years. The double LP is a really nice package with an huge booklet.

 

[Westy56]

Any Mayall album with Don "Sugarcane Harris" is a must listen.

 

[hotdogst]

I only have USA Union, but I love the vibe of that record. It's so laid back and I think the whole approach of playing blues without a drummer is unique and lends itself to a super distinctive sound.

 

[qdrone]

Looking Back

I picked up Looking Back on vinyl a little while ago - my only material by him. Only listened to it briefly as background music, but wasn't really focusing on whether I liked it or not.

Is this album representative of his music?

It sure is,it is a retrospective of his work up to that period. I always liked Empty Rooms,it was the very first album I ever bought that held my attention as sparse as it was instrument wise.

 

[qdrone]

Read my review

Whilst perusing the local thrift for some cheap sheets to cover plants with, I had a look at the small CD collection they had and picked up one of John Mayall's titled "Blue For You." Now I like Stevie Ray, both Albert and B.B. King, several others but I must admit to being only vaguely aware of Mr. Mayall. That will soon be corrected as I can't stop spinning this CD!

Any others stand out from his collection for digging deeper?

Thanks any suggestion or ideas! it does make me wonder who else I've missed!

of his USA Union album over at the Music Review forum.

 

[cubdog]

Is this album representative of his music?

Mayall has had such a long and diverse career that one album from 1969 comes nowhere close to representing his music. It is only a slice from the early stage of his career. Enjoy it and keep digging. There are more gems to unearth.

cubdog

 

[Westy56]

I like his early recordings much more than his later ones. By a long shot.

 

[cubdog]

I like his early recordings much more than his later ones. By a long shot.

I do as well. Still, there are some highlights in his later work. They are just a bit harder to find.

cubdog

 

[Wigwam Jones]

If you like John Mayall's Blues Breakers, then you should also like Charlie Musselwhite, Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield. Those are great bluesmen of the era and style.

Digging deeper will take you back to Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and deeper yet, from Chicago blues to Delta Blues and so on.

 

[Mahalo]

I second The Turning Point. A favorite live album.

 

[phatster]

Turning Point has the diddy "Room to Move" which is one of my favorites.

 

[Njoy-Music]

Yes I really like that one. I also picked up "Blues From Laurel Canyon" and "Blues Breakers." It's been a treat hearing them and it's hard to pick a favorite because they're all so good in their own way.

 

[qdrone]

Blues from Laurel Canyon

Yes I really like that one. I also picked up "Blues From Laurel Canyon" and "Blues Breakers." It's been a treat hearing them and it's hard to pick a favorite because they're all so good in their own way.

The song The Bear is about Bob Hite ex lead singer for The Canned Heat. He had one of the largest collection of blues vinyl and John and him used to sit around listening to them in his home in Laurel Canyon..