Blues From Laurel Canyon [Import]

John Mayall, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 24, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Universal I.S.
• ASIN: B000001F6W
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,056 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MOTTS FROM PATTAYA BEACH, January 11, 2002

By 

Kim Fletcher (Pattaya, Chonburi Thailand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blues From Laurel Canyon (Audio CD)

This fine collection of songs, could well have been subtitled "Thoughts of an English Gentleman on holiday in America", as this album is the story of John Mayall's 3 week vacation in Los Angeles, written between the break up of his ambitious large entourage of the Blues Breakers which had just recently released "Bare Wires" (most of whom went off to form the wonderful Colloseum) & this solo effort.
One of the most amazing things about this album is that the whole thing was recorded in 3 days, between 26th & 28th August 1968 at Decca's London studios, the band had been together only 2 weeks, but sound as if they've been playing for year's, only Mick Taylor remained from the previous line - up, making him a veteran by Mayall's standards, his previous two guitarist's having lasted an album each, (Eric Clapton for "Blues Breakers" leaving to form Cream & Peter Green for "Hard Road" leaving to form Fleetwood Mac). After this album Colin Allen would move on to rattle the traps with Scottish Rockers "Stone the Crow's, whilst of course the Glimmer twins would come in to smuggle away Mick Taylor for the Rolling Stones, leaving Mayall in his perpetual quest for new & inspiring musicians.
The songs are laid out in chronological order from arrival to departure, and the results of their labours has brought forth some wonderful fruit. Mick Taylor was never to better his licks here, the introduction to "The Bear" (Mayalls take of his exploits on the town in Los Angeles with American Bluesters Canned heat) is worth the price of the album on its own, also the soloing from both the guitarist and Mayall himself on the closing jam of "Fly Tomorrow" should stand as a monument of how to lay bare your soul for the rest of time. Peter Green makes a guest appearance on the atmospheric "First Time Alone", add Mayall's trademark mouth harp and the standard of musicianship is very high indeed. The lyrics by the nature of the songs are very self indulgent, but then you can't have everything, and lets face, it you can only write about what you know.
For those not famililiar with the works of Mr. Mayall this is a good entry point, but be prepared for a bumpy side, as his style changes dramatically over the years.
Out of interest a few other musicians who at sometime were in John Mayall's Blue Breakers reads like a who's who of the British Blues boom, including Jack Bruce, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Jon Hiseman, Aynsley Dunbar, Hughie Flint, Coco Montoya, and of course to complete the Cream connection for one gig Ginger Baker.
Mott the Dog.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my old time favorites, January 1, 2002

By 

Richard Bielak "richieb" (Matawan, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blues From Laurel Canyon (Audio CD)

I first got this album when I was an impressionable seventeen year old. At that age I found the entire story of a summer vacation in a far away country very much parallel to my own summer vacation in Europe that year. Besides that I found that Mick Taylor has played some of his best solos on this record. The solo on "Long gone midnight" is still one of my favorites.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Transitional Album, July 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blues From Laurel Canyon (Audio CD)

After the big band approach of "Bare Wires" fell apart,Mayall went in the opposite direction --- no more "Bluesbreakers", just a "small backup band." Mick Taylor is the lone holdover from previous albums, setting a record for a Mayall guitarist (his predecessors Eric Clapton and Peter Green lasted one album each).

A loose concept album based on Mayall's vacation in California, some of the material is corny and self-indulgent, but Taylor does some of his best guitar work, and "Fly Tomorrow" features one of his best solos. "The Bear", "Walking on Sunset", and "Long Gone Midnight" are also essential songs.

Not as consistent as Mayall's previous work --- or "The Turning Point" which was his next album --- this is still a worthwhile record for anyone who appreciates Mayall's "British Blues" sensibilities and Mick Taylor's guitar work.