Customer Reviews

Blues From Laurel Canyon

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

As a Mayall junkie, this is one of my original albums I continue to play. This album contains some of the best guitar by Mick Taylor that I have heard from him. Check out 'First Time Alone' and 'Fly Tomorrow' particularly. It also contains the memorable mood track 'First Time Alone' featuring Peter Green. 4 stars may be a little high, but Mayall has always failed to get the nod from the critics and he deserves much more.

"Bare Wires" and "Blues from Laurel Canyon" form a pair of albums, that even though differing in personnel and approach, represented a new kind of music, a fusion of blues, rock and jazz into something modern and lush. At this particular point in his life, John Mayall was absolutely on fire creatively, evidenced by the speed in which this record was written and peformed.

It happens every now and then like that, the Muse just touches someone for awhile. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving musician, as Mayall, though conceited and a little on the dramatic side, was a innovator and a tireless promoter of blues music. These albums are his life acheivement, though I'm sure he had no notion at the time they would be his zenith.

This album, well where to begin? It's a candid depiction of John Mayal's best work. Anyone who is anyone could agree that this is a wide range of beauty and a deep array of some of the most splendid, auxilerating musical artwork ever seen before by human ears. "Hero at 2401" shivers up the spine. "take ME to your Medicine man" please, it's a fab 4 all the way. John Mayall- I love you! -joe

It's been a long time since I've heard this album,and while I remain less than impressed with John Mayall in general, he always did manage to surround himself with excellent musicians- in this case a young Mick Taylor who does an intro to "The Bear" that alone is worth the price of the record.

This is wandering john's view of a distant land that would soon become his home.

De los grandes trabajos que nos tiene acostumbrado el viejo john, este quizas sea uno de los mas accesibles y sencillo, sin dejar de ser por ello un gran disco! temas como "walking on sunset" o bien "the bear (homenaje al recordado cantante de canned heat)" son muestras suficientes del espiritu vago y relajado que se respira en el album. altamente recomendable, con guitarras de un adolescente mick taylor que brillaria luego en los stones y aqui ya esta pidiendo pista.......

No wonder all the young musicians moved on.Mayalls infatuation with himself is nauseating.So how did he manage to get together so many great bands??Add to that his awful whining voice and the mystery deepens.But and there is no disputing this some of his albums (even with the aforementioned faults are really great.My favourites in order of preference are The Beano,A Hard Road ,Bare Wires and The Turning Point.
This one is merely passable.Get the others first.