Customer Reviews

Live at the Old Waldorf

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

 

 

Although never a household name like Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mike Bloomfield was undoubtedly one of the greats of blues/rock guitar. Bloomfield is best known for his stints with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Bob Dylan; he played on such classic albums as Paul Butterfield's "East-West" and Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited." In 1968, Bloomfield teamed up with Al Kooper to produce the "Super Session" album, that recording spawned the instrumental hit "Albert's Shuffle." Mike Bloomfield has often been described as a "musician's musician": a substantial number of his fans have always been fellow guitar players looking for inspiration.

"Live at the Old Waldorf" captures Mike Bloomfield in his element: onstage in his hometown, the San Francisco Bay Area. The Disc is a collection of beautifully re-mastered performances recorded between 1976 and 1977, along with a set of rare photos and extensive liner notes. The music on this disc is outstanding; old fans will be ecstatic and newcomers just may rush out to buy everything else Bloomfield recorded after listening to this disc. The mastery which Mike Bloomfield exhibited over his Gibson Les Paul guitar was amazing; he could churn out sweet, soulful BB King-style riffs or play biting, stinging lead lines reminiscent of a young Eric Clapton's work with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. His solos on blues standards like "Sweet Little Angel" and "The Sky is Crying" are simply jaw-dropping. On several tracks Mike's old running buddy Nick Gravenites contributes his gruff voice and wry vocals; tunes like "Dancing Fool" and "Buried Alive in the Blues" are excellent examples of Nick's inimitable tongue in cheek songwriting. All the tracks on this disc have the loose, spontaneous feel of a great live recording.

Listening to this disc, it is easy to understand why Bloomfield has always been so highly regarded by guitar players. His solos are like textbook examples of how the electric guitar should be played. Anyone with an interest in blues/rock guitar owes it to them selves to check out this disc by one of the lesser known heroes of electric guitar.

As a avid Bloomfield fan I had hesitated getting this CD based on various reviews. However I just picked it up. Much better than people have said. If Mike's playing on My Labors and More is a 5 (or higher?) and Super Session is also a 5, then this is a 4.

He really cooks on My Labors and Super Session; here he is very good. Surprises for me were The Sky is Cryin' and many others. The songs are good even if Mike's licks are not god like; only above us mortals.

Recommend it after you have listen to My Labors, Super Sessions, and the Butterfiled albums. It won't disappoint you.

Michael is without question one of the very best to ever emerge from America on Blues Guitar. This is a collective set of great and rare gems. Michale is doing some of his finest playing here in a smaller club type setting. This one is a jewel and not to be missed. I highly recommend this recording to any and all music collections.

First I need to start off with I feel Michael Bloomfield is one of the greatest blues guitar players of all time. Without a doubt his precision and dedication to playing the blues is unsurpassed. But that being said I cannot say I enjoyed the majority of this CD. His slide guitar playing was at times very sloppy and disorganized. As soon as Michael would put down the slide his true brilliance would resurface instantly. The problem is he was playing slide on a good chunk of this recording.

i have been a micheal bloomfield admirer for many years. "live at the old waldorf" has some great moments. check out his comping on "farther on up the road", and his electric slide playing on "the sky is crying". it sounds as though he is playing a electric trash can!! it is sad that micheal bloomfields legacy is largly ignored these days.

highly recommended

i also recommend >1. micheal bloomfield: don't say that i ain't your man!:essential blues 1964-1969

An essential for any blues fan.But especially if your a Mike bloomfield fan.Nick Gravinites & Mike did an excellent version of the song Nick wrote for Janis Joplin,but she never got to record (buried alive in the blues).And i'm sure her spirit was there when recorded & approved.

First, let me say I am a huge Bloomfield fan; I think he was one of the best electric blues guitarists ever. His "Don't Say that I Ain't Your Man" is an absolute classic, desert-island choice, and a great over-view of his playing. I have also played guitar for close to 40 years. I regret saying that I find this record absolutely unlistenable. I thought I must have missed something, so I went back and listened carefully. Same conclusion. I think someone had these tapes from a bad night during not a great period for him and decided to make some money. I have no doubt that if Mike had lived, and someone had come to him years later with these tapes, he would have buried them.

So Mike Bloomfield in the 1970s wasn't trying to be the hotshot blues virtuoso anymore? Big deal. You can do an awful lot worse than catch this disc (and, if you still have his KGB album or the Electric Flag reunion, you HAVE done an awful lot worse!), which catches him playing one of his periodic footloose gigs in and around San Francisco during the decade where he retreated back to the music and out of the spotlight. His slide playing isn't quite as grating as cracked up to have been, even if Elmore James he ain't. But the feeling remains, in abundance, and when he takes off the slide and lets loose with his customary lyric aplomb, you get a sense of a man at home with his music as he hadn't been for too long a time.

Mike Bloomfield as witnessed by many live was spellbinding. His talent for articulating the passion of the blues is without a doubt the most riviting. Unfortunately his recorded legacy only hints at this fantastic talent. This CD is very rare in that one is transported to an intimate setting where Michael plays with abandon. Further the quaity of thew digitally mastered tapes are crystal clear and his fellow muscians are out there all the way. Most muscians are aware and followed Mikes's insperation. Listen to this and you will also realize why he is considered a master of the guitar.

the title of the album is a misnomer..if you will take a careful listen to the album ,you will notice that Mike is not singing,and his usual tasty guitar licks are absent.in addition to that you will be surprised for the very poor recording of the album,,considering it is a legacy/sony release.the only good thing about this release is the packaging with pictures and liner notes,,nothing more ,nothing less. buy at your own risk.