URBAN ASPIRINES: John Mayall : Blues From Lauree Canyon 1968

Friday, January 19, 2018

John Mayall : Blues From Lauree Canyon 1968

Blues from Laurel Canyon is a 1968 album by John Mayall, featuring British blues music. It was his first album after the breakup of his band the Bluesbreakers in May 1968 , though others claim it was on 14 July 1968. It was also his last album with Decca before moving to Polydor.

John Mayall sings and plays harmonica, organ and guitar on the album. Other musicians include a young Mick Taylor (guitar), Colin Allen (drums) and Stephen Thompson (bass). The guitarist Peter Green is featured on the track First Time Alone. The engineer was Derek Varnals. All the songs on the album were written by Mayall.

The title of the album derives from Laurel Canyon, California, United States (in the Los Angeles area) where John Mayall subsequently lived from 1969 to 1979. It forms a record of his visit there before moving to the US on a more permanent basis. The area was favoured by many musicians at the time. It was recorded at Decca Studios in West Hampstead, London, England between 26 and 28 August 1968, and was released on the Decca label.

The album was innovative for its time, especially by the standards of blues recordings. The first track opens with a recording of a jet airliner landing, dissolving into the driving rhythm of the song. There were no visible track divisions on the vinyl album.

Some songs fade or segue into the next track, others stop on a chord which is immediately followed by the introduction of the next track. Tabla drums are used, as is the technique of hitting guitar strings with a drumstick. The final track is a long song which moves into an extended lead guitar solo underscored by Mayall's Hammond organ, fading into a simple unaccompanied guitar figure which repeats until it too fades.

It is apparent that John Mayall hasn't lost his touch with the blues. "Vacation," the album's opener, reminds one exactly why this artist is so celebrated for his songwriting ability.

The staggering Mick Taylor (here still in his teens) truly proves his worth as a blues guitarist, while Steve Thompson (also in his late teens) works superbly with one of the genre's most interesting drummers, Colin Allen. Blues from Laurel Canyon is as unerring as Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, and equally as musically interesting. Not only is this one of the finest John Mayall albums, it is also a highlight in the blues genus.

A remastered and expanded version of this LP album was released in the UK in August 2007.

TRACKS

01. Vacation 2:47

02. Walking On Sunset 2:50

03. Laurel Canyon Home 4:33

04. 2401 3:42

05. Ready To Ride 3:32

06. Medicine Man 2:43

07. Somebody's Acting Like A Child 3:27

08. The Bear 4:40

09. Miss James 2:30

10. First Time Alone 4:49

11. Long Gone Midnight 3:27

12. Fly Tomorrow 8:59

Originally recorded 1968.

The Decca Record Co. Ltd., London, England.

Label : Deram – 820 539-2

Format : CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered

Country : UK

Genre : Rock

Style : Blues Rock

John Mayall sings and plays harmonica, organ and guitar on the album.

Bass Guitar – Stephen Thompson

Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar [Hawaiian] – Mick Taylor ( Rolling Stones )

Drums, Tabla – Colin Allen

Engineer – Derek Varnals

Engineer [Assistant] – Adrian Martins

Composed By – John Mayall

Design [Album], Artwork – John Mayal

MICK TAYLOR

Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English musician, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1966–69) and the Rolling Stones (1969–74). He has appeared on some of the Stones' classic albums including Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street .

FLY TOMMOROW

Gotta fly tomorrow

Gotta pack my gear

Re-adjust my mind

My time is near

Fly tomorrow

Got to pack up my gear

Fly tomorrow

Now my time is drawing near

Fly tomorrow

Get ready for the change

Living back at home