|
In the early ’60s, the prevailing wisdom was that the blues was a music based on the shared experience of African Americans and that any attempt by a “Caucasian” to play the blues would pale in comparison. In 1965, Paul Butterfield broke that color barrier. The Butterfield Blues Band debut album was released in 1965 and became an instant favorite among blues aficionados. Rolling Stone Magazine ranks the Butterfield Blues Band one of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Downbeat Magazine has the album listed as number 11 of the greatest blues album of all time.
Butterfield teamed-up with guitarists Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield, added Mark Naftalin on organ and hijacked Jerome Arnold on bass and Sam Lay on drums from Howlin’ Wolf’s band. The music that pours from this album is unfiltered, clamored, and let loose, like blues music is supposed to be and played with an intensity and pure passion in every bent note. In front of all these instruments is Butterfield’s harmonica, beautifully dictating a mood and a genuine feel that set the standard for harmonica blowing vocalists.
The album features a mix of folk, rock, psychedelia, and even Indian classical music played over an embedded base of good old Chicago blues. Each song captures the essence of Chicago blues in a different way, from the back-alley feel of “Born in Chicago” to the melting ease of Willie Dixon’s “Mellow Down Easy” to the authentic devotion that emanates from Bishop and Butterfield’s “Our Love Is Drifting.” “Shake Your Money Maker,” “Blues With a Feeling,” and “I Got My Mojo Working” (with Lay on vocals) are all equally moving pieces.
Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
Tracklist:
01. Born In Chicago
02. Shake Your Money-Maker
03. Blues With A Feeling
04. Thank You Mr.Poobah
05. I Got My Mojo Working
06. Mellow Down Easy
07. Screamin’
08. Our Love Is Drifting
09. Mystery Train
10. Last Night
11. Look Over Yonders Wall
Media Info:
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Channels: joint stereo
Samplerate: 44100
Encoder: LAME 3.99
MPEG-1 layer 3
*many thanks and much respect to exy and to all those who care enough to share
|
