John Mayall's on a new crusade here – hitting lines that are almost more truly blusey than his previous albums – thanks to a new lineup in the Blues Breakers combo! Alongside Mayall's lead on vocals, organ, harmonica, and bottleneck guitar – the group also features Mick Taylor on guitar, John McVie on bass, Keep Hartley on drums, Chris Mercer on tenor, and Rip Kant on baritone sax – the latter two of whom help keep the set from being a straight Chicago electric blues copy. Titles include "I Can't Quit You Baby", "Streamline", "Snowy Wood", "Man Of Stone", "Stand Back Baby", and "My Time After A While". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album from one of the most legendary versions of John Mayall's Blues Breakers – a quartet that features drummer Aynsley Dunbar, bassist John McVie, and lead guitarist Peter Green – who's also singing a fair bit on the album as well! The style here is tighter and more focused than before – showing a bit more of a rockish bent, especially on the guitars – but still strongly drenched in American R&B traditions, served up in a way that never waters down the sound for a mainstream audience. While other UK artists were taking American roots and softening them up for the charts, Mayall only seemed to deepen his commitment to more authentic representation of the styles – really only taking a bit more liberties with the strength and length of guitar parts. As before, there's a bit of reed work here that's especially nice – served up by UK jazzers Ray Warleigh, John Almond, and Alan Skidmore – and titles include "A Hard Road", "It's Over", "The Stumble", "Dust My Blues", "There's Always Work", "The Same Way", "The Supernatural", and "Living Alone". LP, Vinyl record album

Another great step forward for the legendary John Mayall – proof that he was never just content to copy American blues modes, and always willing to bring something new to the table! Although steeped in sounds from the delta on up to Chicago, the record's also got a hipper, almost trippier feel at times too – long-winding interplay between the guitar and organ, and some slow-building rhythms that shake off blues stereotypes, and mark Mayall as having an equal ear for forward-thinking 60s rockers. The group here is great – with Mick Taylor on guitar, Henry Lowther on cornet, Chris Mercer on tenor, and Dick Heckstall-Smith on tenor and soprano sax – all playing in a freely creative mode that stands the test of time surprisingly well Titles include "I'm A Stranger", "Harley Quits", "Killing Time", "Sandy", "She's Too Young", and "No Reply". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite diary of this unique British combo of the 60s – and a set that's arguably one of the band's bluesiest to date! The set features live recordings from 1967 – most very long and stretched-out, with a feel that's arguably even more rootsy than any American blues of the time – an possibly even more so than some of Mayall's earlier records too! The looseness of the performances really unlocks some new sounds in the group – and given the experimentation and intensity of some of these tracks, it's easy to see why they were such an important force at the time. Mick Taylor serves up some great guitar solos – and other players include Dick Heckstall-Smith and Chris Mercer on saxes, plus Keef Hartley on drums. Titles include an unusual interview section, plus "Blood On The Night", "Edmonton Cooks Ferry Inn", "I Can't Quit You Baby", and "My Own Fault". LP, Vinyl record album

John Mayall's definitely getting back to his roots here – and he's also getting help from an all-star cast as well! Mayall's vocals and piano are in fine form – almost with a rough-edged Blues Breakers sort of vibe, but sometimes a bit funkier too – in ways that strongly show the evolution of the older Brit blues groove into some hipper, more soul-drenched territory. Players on the record are a range of familiar names – including Eric Clapton on guitar, Johnny Amond on sax and flute, Harvey Mandel on guitar, Sugarcane Harris on violin, and Keef Hartley on some especially nice drums. Titles include "Prisons On The Road", "Groupie Girl", "My Children", "Home Again", "Blue Fox", "Boogie Albert", "Unanswered Questions", "Goodbye December", "Force Of Nature", and "Dream With Me". CD also features bonus tracks too – including "Accidental Suicide (1988 rmx)", "Force Of Nature (1988 rmx)", "Boogie Albert (1988 rmx)", "Television Eye (1988 rmx)", "Looking At Tomorrow (1988 rmx)", "Mr Censor Man (1988 rmx)", and "Home Again (1988 rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

British blues meets LA's Laurel Canyon – a trans-Atlantic (or is it Pacific?) blend that makes for one of John Mayall's most compelling albums of the 60s! The album was recorded after the breakup of the Blues Breakers group – but it still features strong support from Mick Taylor on guitar – a key factor in the previous combo's sound, given almost even more space here to stand out front with Mayall. Other instrumentation includes bass and drums, plus a bit of tablas – and the overall approach is a lot more spare than other Blues Breakers sets – still bluesy in approach, but with some definite freer-thinking moments too, picked up from a trip to Laurel Canyon that was Mayall's inspiration for the set. Titles include "Walking On Sunset", "Vacation", "Ready To Ride", "Medicine Man", "Miss James", "The Bear", "First Time Alone", and "Fly Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

The title certainly gets it right – as the album definitely brings a bit of jazz into the mix for the great John Mayall – given that the set features strong work from funky jazz heavyweights Blue Mitchell on trumpet and Freddy Robinson on guitar! Both are musicians that we love for their late 60s records on their own, and they work mighty nicely here with Mayall in a live setting – alongside heavy saxes from Clifford Solomon, and lots of great guitar, harmonica, and piano from John Mayall himself! The style is still more blues than jazz, but definitely shows an expanding style past the more slavish roots of Mayall's early years – especially reflecting his new interaction with the American scene after the breakup of the Blues Breakers. The first side of the album features a live set from Boston – and includes "Country Road", "Mess Around", "Good Time Boogie", and "Change Your Ways" – side two is from New York shows, and features three longish tracks – "Dry Throat", "Exercise In C Major", and "Got To Be This Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A real shift in sound for John Mayall – as the album lives up to its title, and mostly features solo work from the artist! Through the magic of overdubbing, Mayall's singing here along with his own work on organ, harmonica, and guitar – and apart from some brief additional drum work from Keef Hartley, most tracks here have a relatively spare sound overall – bluesier and rootsier than even the previous Blues Breakers albums! As you might expect, Mayall sounds great in the setting – and titles include "Down The Line", "No More Tears", "Harp Man", "Broken Wings", "Cancelling Out", "Don't Kick Me", and "Sonny Boy Blow". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by BB King, John Lee Hooker, Magic Sam Blues Band, Freddie King, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Muddy Waters, Lowell Fulson, Snooks Eaglin, and Howlin' Wolf. CD

There's few folks who know the British mod scene better than Eddie Piller – as the DJ and head of Acid Jazz records has done plenty in recent decades to both give exposure to older British groups who never got their due, and also help some contemporary mod combos get the exposure they deserve! Yet here, Eddie's going way back to the roots – to present a set of tracks that really gets at the full scope of musical genius that exploded on the British scene in the mid 60s – not music that us Americans were digging in the Brit Invasion, but grittier groups who were drawing heavily from soul, jazz, and R&B – and really setting the scene for all the musical changes that were beginning to take place in England. At some level, this might be the first moment where British groups really started to diverge from American rockers – something you can definitely hear in the way the rhythms, vocals, and instrumentation come together – superbly directed through Piller's great choice of material. 4CD set features a massive 100 tracks in all – with work from Sharon Tandy, The Eyes, Carnaby, The Creation, Birds, Fleur De Lys, Syndicats, Wynder K Frog, Bluesology, Love Affair, PP Arnold, Apostolic Intervention, Alan Bown Set, The Quik, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Georgie Fame, Small Faces, High Numbers, Artwoods, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, Richard Kent Style, Dusty Springfield, The Organisers, Tony & Tandy, and Jimmy James & The Vagabonds. Sleeve notes from mod author Paul Anderson – in a cool book-styled package with photos as well! CD

Music from Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Skip James, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Son House, Ray Charles, Etta James, B.B. King, Mohn Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Keb' Mo', Susan Tedeschi, Los Lobos, Cassandra Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, and Robert Cray & Shemekia Copeland – 21 tracks in all. CD

There's few folks who know the British mod scene better than Eddie Piller – as the DJ and head of Acid Jazz records has done plenty in recent decades to both give exposure to older British groups who never got their due, and also help some contemporary mod combos get the exposure they deserve! Yet here, Eddie's going way back to the roots – to present a set of tracks that really gets at the full scope of musical genius that exploded on the British scene in the mid 60s – not music that us Americans were digging in the Brit Invasion, but grittier groups who were drawing heavily from soul, jazz, and R&B – and really setting the scene for all the musical changes that were beginning to take place in England. At some level, this might be the first moment where British groups really started to diverge from American rockers – something you can definitely hear in the way the rhythms, vocals, and instrumentation come together – superbly directed through Piller's great choice of material. 2LP set features a whopping 34 tracks in all – with work from Sharon Tandy, The Eyes, Carnaby, The Creation, Birds, Fleur De Lys, Syndicats, Wynder K Frog, Bluesology, Love Affair, PP Arnold, Apostolic Intervention, Alan Bown Set, The Quik, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Georgie Fame, Small Faces, High Numbers, Artwoods, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, Richard Kent Style, Dusty Springfield, The Organisers, Tony & Tandy, and Jimmy James & The Vagabonds. Sleeve notes from mod author Paul Anderson! LP, Vinyl record album