Guest Blogger: Music Hour with Dad

Room to Move

Ok, I'm recording from an old album right now to Itunes, I have John Mayall on and it brings back so many memories. For those of you who don't know him he was the grass roots of british blues and had so many artists that got started in his band, most notably, Eric Claptons start along with musicians, John McVie, Sugar Cane Harris, Johnny Almond, Larry Taylor,Harvey Mandel, Keef Hartley,Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones), Jerry McGee and so many more I can't remember. Also his band was the back up band for John Lee Hooker on his British tour in 1964.
I do remember one night at the Grande Ballroom [in Detroit] he was playing in the 60's and before the set was walking around the crowd with a holstered six gun and a cowboy hat just talkin to people (hippies) If you listen to Turning Point and Almonds tenor sax it will blow your mind, also for those of you who like the harmonica (besides me) check out Room To Move. Turning point was an album that he recorded that didn't use the heavy guitar and drums and moved to acoustic guitar, acoustic base and alto sax, an inovation at the time.

Also notable careers such as Peter Green the original Fleetwood Mac guitarist, along with Jack Bruce from Cream. The list goes on forever and it cronicles the movement of blues in Great Britain and major influences in the British invasion of rock in the 60s, and beyond. Check it out!

John Mayall music on Amazon.

[Okay, dad, looks like you'll be burning me a cd today...]