John Mayall 29 November 1933 – 22 July 2024

[cloughie]

Breaking the real blues to so many of us back in the 60s - brought on so many budding musicians - set Clapton’s career alight, the foundations of Fleetwood Mac and Mick Taylor brought back the blues to the Stones following Brian Jones demise. I saw him as a sprightly 83 year old on his continuing 80th Birthday tour, with his current Bluesbreakers in 2017 at Hall for Cornwall. I first saw him in 1965 with Clapton, McVie and Hughie Flint. Over 64 years since the first Bluesbreakers formed in 1960 he played organ, guitar and harmonica at the helm of many a different lineup but stuck with the blues music all those years.
RIP John Mayall OBE.

[eighthobstruction]

[johncorrigan]

Just recently I inherited a few old Blues LPs after my great friend died. I've been working my way through them, really enjoying memories of listening to old blues with him. One double LP is of John Mayall from around the time of 'Laurel Canyon', 'Bare Wires' and the like. I hadn't listened to him for ages and enjoyed the LP very much.
Personally I thought 'Turning Point' was a piece of genius with Jon Mark and Johnny Almond. I still love that record. 'California' still sounds amazing. Mayall wrote some great songs, championed the Blues, and supported new artists. He was a very fine moothie player too.

[Serial_Apologist]

He gave jazz musicians work in the 60s - the kinds of work that did not merely use saxophones, for instance, as mere backing or to provide riffs, but gave them solo space to be themselves rather than shoe-horned into single and half choruses. This was one among the few homegrown contexts in which our jazz drummers like Jon Hiseman re-formulated jazz sophistication to influence those better known to be associated with American Fusion. And it was much needed paid work that to the maximum extent possible at the time kept many heads above the water line.

[Pulcinella]

Times obituary here:

https://www.thetimes.com/article/f7ad1603-6776-4b5c-8b2f-55963135be7f?shareToken=e5af4326b7c15318df95c706790f2472

[richardfinegold]

Was he involved with Toots and the Mayalls?

[Serial_Apologist]

Was he involved with Toots and the Mayalls?

Not too sure to answer that with a or a !

[cloughie]

Not too sure to answer that with a or a !

Or just a ‘no’ - not even spelt (or even spelled) the same way.

Also S_A following on from use of Jazz musicians, former Mayall disciple and drummer employed Henry Lowther on Trumpet and Electric Violin and also a number of jazz musicians in recording sessions and in his Big Band, which in sound equalled and maybe surpassed the Americans ( Blood Sweat and Tears and Chicago ).

[johncorrigan]

For all that, I can't stop thinking of this Bonzos' classic.

https://youtu.be/v_iPAUplrdI?si=Dbe8aKK3qm2r5elv

[johncorrigan]

Interesting wee doc made around the time of 'Turning Point' with comments by the band and contributions from the likes of Mick Taylor, Peter Green, John McVie and Eric Clapton. Highlights that he was the boss man, that he was a great moothie man, but not the greatest singer. Well worth a watch.

https://youtu.be/GES-TJxzYXU?si=zoUVwqG91LKAyMC8

[cloughie]

For all that, I can't stop thinking of this Bonzos' classic.
https://youtu.be/v_iPAUplrdI?si=Dbe8aKK3qm2r5elv

T here was also this one, jc, from the Liverpool Scene, which Andy Roberts guitar really gets the sound right.

https://youtu.be/ujmXl03KupI?si=Zn5vK5bHGK_fKdjz

[johncorrigan]

There was also this one, jc, from the Liverpool Scene, which Andy Roberts guitar really gets the sound right.

Thanks, cloughie. Adrian Henri wrote it I think - terrific guitar indeed.
Fine wee tribute from Eric Clapton in the first half of this week's Blues Show on BBCR2 - also interviews with JM and live sets from the BBC archives.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0021b6g

[richardfinegold]

In College there was a kid who played the album with Clapton on it, trying to memorize the guitar parts

[Serial_Apologist]

In College there was a kid who played the album with Clapton on it, trying to memorize the guitar parts

Which is how many a budding jazz musician starts out - namely by mimicking or trying to emulate recorded solos.

[richardfinegold]

Which is how many a budding jazz musician starts out - namely by mimicking or trying to emulate recorded solos.

Yes, very different from the Classical Music Model