One day at age 14 I visited the home of my 16 year old friend who was lead guitarist in a local band (I saw him as some sort of god as he was doing what I wanted to do) I remember he put this album on for me to hear, Id never heard of John Mayall.......anyway I sat and listened to the whole thing and I can honestly say it had a huge effect on me, Ive never gotten over that magical feeling it gave me, Im 14 again whenever I listen to it....
Im not gonna cover the whole album as I know most on here will never have heard it so this is just a taster for one of my top 5 of all time albums..
Mayall had expanded his line up for this phase, gone was Clapton, Green (to Fleetwood Mac), in came the very young Mick Taylor.
it was released in 1968;
John Mayall – vocals, harmonica, piano, harpsichord, organ, harmonium, guitar
Mick Taylor – lead guitar, Hawaiian guitar
Chris Mercer – tenor, baritone saxophone
Dick Heckstall-Smith – tenor, soprano saxophone
Jon Hiseman – drums, percussion
Henry Lowther – cornet, violin
Tony Reeves – string bass, bass guitar
These guys were some of the finest young musicians in England, some were (like Jack Bruce) from a more Jazz background, Mick Taylor who ended up in the Stones is of course primarily a blues guitarist (par excellence)......Jon Hiseman IMO is one of the finest drummers (along with Bill Brufford) around and his work on this whole album is stunning, Im not a drummer but I love listening to the intricate things he puts into each track.
The album is an introspective, kinda like Plastic Ono Band and the first 22 minutes is a medley of songs (The Bare Wires Suite) that segue kinda like Abbey Rd.
Heres the opening track, Where Did I Belong
this track 'I Started walking' gives an idea of the superb Rhythm section and a sublime guitar solo from Mick Taylor (one I have tried to play ever since but still cant)