The Paul Butterfield Blues Band: An Anthology - The Elektra Years 1997

 

Paul Vaughn Butterfield (December 17, 1942 – May 4, 1987) was an American blues harmonica

player, singer and band leader. After early training as a classical flautist, he developed an interest in blues harmonica. He explored the blues scene in his native Chicago, where he met Muddy Waters and other blues greats, who provided encouragement and opportunities for him to join in jam sessions. He soon began performing with fellow blues enthusiasts Nick Gravenites and Elvin Bishop.
                                       

In 1963, he formed the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, which recorded several successful albums and was popular on the late-1960s concert and festival circuit, with performances at the Fillmore West in San

Francisco, the Fillmore East in New York City, the Monterey Pop Festival, and Woodstock. The band was known for combining electric Chicago blues with a rock urgency and for their pioneering jazz fusion performances and recordings. After the breakup of the group in 1971, Butterfield continued to tour and record with the band Paul Butterfield's Better Days, with his mentor Muddy Waters, and with members of the roots-rock group the Band. While still recording and performing, Butterfield died in 1987 at age 44 of an accidental drug overdose.
                           

One of the most influential blues acts of their time, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band introduced a gritty

and authentic brand of electric blues to the white rock audience, and evolved into a group that could incorporate jazz, world music, R&B, and psychedelia into their performances while staying true to their roots.
                                  

The Butterfield Blues Band featured three musicians who would put a srtong, highly individual stamp on the music -- harmonica player Paul Butterfield and guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop --

and the tough but fluid sound they conjured on 1965's The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and the more exploratory approach of 1966's East-West carved out a path dozens of blues-rock acts would follow in the years to come. The group would evolve into a sound more beholden to soul and contemporary R&B on 1968's In My Own Dream and 1969's Keep On Moving, though the strength of their instrumental attack and the sincerity of their vision remained unchanged.
                     

Paul Butterfield died on May 4, 1987 in North Hollywood, California; he was 44 years old. After his passing, a variety of archival releases from the Butterfield Blues Band appeared, including studio

outtakes (1995's The Original Lost Elektra Sessions), early live material (2018's Born in Chicago: Live 1966), and the group's complete Woodstock performance (2020's Live at Woodstock). Mike Bloomfield died on February 15, 1981 at the age of 37, with other important members of the group passing in the years that followed. Drummer Phillip Wilson, who also performed with the Art Ensemble of Chicago, died on March 25, 1992 at the age of 50.
                         

Billy Davenport retired from music in 1981, and died on December 24, 1999 at the age of 68. Gene

Dinwiddie focused on studio work before his death on January 11, 2002 at the age of 65. Bugsy Maugh cut a pair of solo albums, appeared on Todd Rundgren's 1972 album Something/Anything?, and played in a variety of blues groups; he died on July 2, 2015 at the age of 73. Drummer Sam Lay continued to be a fixture on the Chicago blues circuit for decades. He died on January 29, 2022 at the age of 86.   
                           

[An Anthology - The Elektra Years is a double-disc, 33-song set that offers a comprehensive overview

of Paul Butterfield's eight years with the label. His first two albums, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and East-West, were seminal, groundbreaking records that blurred the boundaries between blues, jazz and rock, suggesting everything from blues-rock to psychedelia. They were stunning achievements which proved difficult to match, but Butterfield's remaining albums for the label all had a few good cuts.
                               

An Anthology does a nice job of rounding up those highlights, picking the best moments from uneven

records; consequently, it's quite a valuable package for listeners who simply want a sampling from those later albums instead of purchasing them individually. Butterfield's first two albums remain necessary listens in their own right, but this set offers an excellent summary of his entire stint with Elektra.
By Stephen Thomas Erlewine].

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band – An Anthology: The Elektra Years
Label: Elektra – 62124-2
Format: 2 x CD, Compilation, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 1997
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul, Blues
Style: Blues Rock, Harmonica Blues, Soul, Electric Blues, Chicago Blues, Psychedelic Rock, Modern Electric Blues

DISC 1.

                                   

01. Born In Chicago   3:13
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ – Mike Bloomfield
Written-By – Gravenites
02. Lovin' Cup   2:39
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar [Left Channel] – Elvin Bishop
Guitar [Right Channel], Organ [Hammond, Right Channel], Piano [Right Channel] – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Written-By – Paul Butterfield
03. One More Mile   3:30
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar [Left Channel] – Elvin Bishop
Guitar [Right Channel], Organ [Hammond, Right Channel], Piano [Right Channel] – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Written-By – Paul Butterfield
04. Off The Wall   2:04
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar [Left Channel] – Elvin Bishop
Guitar [Right Channel], Organ [Hammond, Right Channel], Piano [Right Channel] – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Written-By – Paul Butterfield
05. Come On In   2:05
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar [Left Channel] – Elvin Bishop
Guitar [Right Channel] – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Written-By – Mel London
06. Nut Popper #1   2:25
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar [Left Channel] – Elvin Bishop
Guitar [Right Channel], Organ [Hammond, Right Channel], Piano [Right Channel] – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Written-By – Paul Butterfield
07. Ain't No Need To Go No Further/It's Too Late Brother   2:43
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar [Left Channel] – Elvin Bishop
Guitar [Right Channel], Organ [Hammond, Right Channel], Piano [Right Channel] – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Written-By – Paul Butterfield
08. Born In Chicago   3:06
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Guitar, Slide Guitar – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Gravenites
09. Shake Your Money Maker   2:25
Adapted By – Butterfield
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Guitar, Slide Guitar – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
10. Blues With A Feeling   4:21
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Guitar, Slide Guitar – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Walter Jacobs
11. Thank You Mr. Poobah   4:05
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Guitar, Slide Guitar – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Naftalin, Bloomfield, Butterfield
12. Our Love Is Driftin'   3:33
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Guitar, Slide Guitar – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Bishop, Butterfield
13. Mystery Train   2:33
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Guitar, Slide Guitar – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Unknown
14. Last Night   4:17
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums – Sam Lay
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Guitar, Slide Guitar – Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Walter Jacobs
15. Walkin' Blues   3:17
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums, Percussion – Billy Davenport
Guitar – Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Johnson
16. I Got A Mind To Give Up Living   4:57
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums, Percussion – Billy Davenport
Guitar – Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Traditional
17. Work Song   7:53
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums, Percussion – Billy Davenport
Guitar – Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Adderley, Brown
18. All These Blues   2:21
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums, Percussion – Billy Davenport
Guitar – Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Traditional
19. East West   13:09
Bass – Jerome Arnold
Drums, Percussion – Billy Davenport
Guitar – Elvin Bishop, Mike Bloomfield
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ, Piano – Mark Naftalin
Written-By – Bloomfield, Gravenites

Flac Size: 429 MB

DISC 2.

                            

01. One More Heartache   3:20
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Bass – Bugsy Maugh
Drums – Phillip Wilson
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Keyboards – Mark Naftalin
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson
Written-By – Tarplin, Rogers, White, Robinson, Moore
02. Double Trouble  5:38
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Bass – Bugsy Maugh
Drums – Phillip Wilson
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Keyboards – Mark Naftalin
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson
Written-By – Rush
03. Last Hope's Gone   4:50
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Bass – Bugsy Maugh
Drums, Congas – Phillip Wilson
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Keyboards – Mark Naftalin
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson
Written-By – Sanborn, Hayne, Butterfield
04.  Mornin' Blues   4:56
Baritone Saxophone – David Sanborn
Drums, Congas – Phillip Wilson
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Keyboards – Mark Naftalin
Lead Vocals, Bass – Bugsy Maugh
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson
Written-By – Maugh
05. Just To Be With You   6:10
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Bass – Bugsy Maugh
Drums, Congas – Phillip Wilson
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Keyboards – Mark Naftalin
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Organ – Al Kooper
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson
Written-By – Roth
06. Get Yourself Together   4:08
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Backing Vocals – Maugh, Dinwiddie, John Court, Wilson
Bass – Bugsy Maugh
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Keyboards – Mark Naftalin
Lead Vocals, Drums, Congas – Phillip Wilson
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson
Written-By – Maugh
07. In My Own Dream   5:46
Backing Vocals – Maugh, Dinwiddie, John Court, Wilson
Bass – Bugsy Maugh
Drums, Congas – Phillip Wilson
Guitar – Elvin Bishop
Keyboards – Mark Naftalin
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Soprano Saxophone – David Sanborn
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson
Written-By – Butterfield
08. Love March   2:56
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Baritone Saxophone – Trevor Lawrence
Bass – Rod Hicks
Flute – Paul Butterfield
French Horn – Buzz Feiten
Piano – Ted Harris
Trumpet – Keith Johnson, Steve Madaio
Vocals, Drums, Percussion – Phillip Wilson
Vocals, Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Written-By – Dinwiddie, Wilson
09. Walkin' By Myself   4:28
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Baritone Saxophone – Trevor Lawrence
Bass – Rod Hicks
Drums, Percussion – Phillip Wilson
Guitar – Buzz Feiten
Lead Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Piano – Ted Harris
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson, Steve Madaio
Written-By – Lane
10. Love Disease   3:28
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Baritone Saxophone – Trevor Lawrence
Bass – Rod Hicks
Drums, Percussion – Phillip Wilson
Guitar – Buzz Feiten
Lead Vocals – Paul Butterfield
Piano – Ted Harris
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Keith Johnson, Steve Madaio
Written-By – Dinwiddie
11. Everything's Gonna Be Alright   10:02
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Baritone Saxophone – Trevor Lawrence
Bass – Rod Hicks
Drums – George Davidson
Guitar – Ralph Walsh
Keyboards – Ted Harris
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Steve Madaio
Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Written-By – Jacobs
12. Driftin' & Driftin'   13:41
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Baritone Saxophone – Trevor Lawrence
Bass – Rod Hicks
Drums – George Davidson
Guitar – Ralph Walsh
Keyboards – Ted Harris
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Steve Madaio
Vocals, Harmonica [Harp] – Paul Butterfield
Written-By – Brown, Williams, Moore
13. Blind Leading The Blind   3:59
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Backing Vocals – Clydie King, Dinwiddie, Merry Clayton, Oma Drake, Butterfield, Wash, Hicks, Venetta Fields
Bass – Rod Hicks
Congas – Big Black
Congas, Bongos – Bobby Hall
Drums – Dennis Whitted
Guitar – Ralph Walsh
Lead Vocals – Paul Butterfield
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Steve Madaio
Written-By – Edlen, Butterfield
14. Song For Lee   3:42
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Bass – Rod Hicks
Congas – Big Black
Congas, Bongos – Bobby Hall
Drums – Dennis Whitted
Guitar – Ralph Walsh
Harmonica [Harp], Piano – Paul Butterfield
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Dinwiddie
Trumpet – Steve Madaio
Written-By – Butterfield

Flac Size: 451 MB