John Mayall - Rolling With the Blues Live (2CD)

Double CD retrospective of John Mayall with extensive sleeve notes. The seven concerts from which these recordings are taken span just 10 years (1972 to '82) in John Mayall's 60 years-plus-and-still-going-strong career. Musically though, what you have here are brilliant performances which resonate with virtually all stages of his remarkable journey as band leader, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and blues crusader on both sides of the Atlantic. There is a 1982 Bluesbreakers reunion featuring Mick Taylor and John McVie and there are also jazz soloists from the lineup that produced what Melody Maker then regarded as John's finest album to date - 1972's Jazz Blues Fusion. In effect, the music on these two CDs takes you anywhere from the Flamingo Club to Fillmores East and West. Musicians on this release are: John Mayall - Vocals, Harmonica, Piano, Guitar Freddie Robinson - Guitar Blue Mitchell - Trumpet Clifford Solomon - Tenor Sax Victor Gaskin - String Bass Keef Hartley - Drums Red Holloway - Tenor Sax James Quill Smith - Guitar Kevin McCormick - Bass Guitar Soko Richardson - Drums Mick Taylor - Guitar John McVie - El Bass Colin Allen - Drums Steve Thompson - Bass