Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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63 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A timeless classic..., November 21, 2002
Mick Taylor's decision to quit the Bluesbreakers for the Rolling Stones in May 1969 consolidated John Mayall's reputation as a mentor for new talent, but left him without a band. His response was to recruit two experienced session musicians - Jon Mark and Johnny Almond - and to use them, and remaining bassist Steve Thompson, to push his music into new areas of jazz-blues fusion. Dispensing with a drummer, he immediately put this "revolutionary", and in the end short lived line-up on the road, recording "The Turning Point" at the Fillmore East only two months later.
Viewed initially as a gimmick, the lack of drums was in fact key to the clear, intimate sound Mayall was seeking. Structured to allow virtuoso playing, his highly atmospheric songs are driven along by the bass and acoustic guitars, with instrumental solos emerging from and gliding above their intricate backing rhythms. Mayall's vocals, guitar & harmonica underpin some excellent blues and R&B, while Almond's inspired sax & flute breaks lift several numbers into the realms of pure jazz. As the Melody Maker commented at the time, "the range of sounds and moods they obtain is staggering", but the group's most remarkable feature is their seemingly effortless interaction and the drifting, almost distant, feel this stimulates.
The ecstatic response of the New York crowd mirrors my own reaction on seeing the band a few weeks earlier in the slightly less exalted surroundings of the Slough Adelphi. Standing in a circle, with simple lighting, low amplification, no drummer and one member (Mark) seated on a canteen chair they seemed small and insignificant. But when they played, they just soared, taking the audience with them. To capture their unique style required a live recording and "The Turning Point" does just that: showcasing them in superb form as they create beautiful, enthusiastic, and often highly introspective music that stands out across time.
And, for those who've already discovered the delights of this quite superb album, this remastered and extended version includes three additional tracks from that same magical night, two of which rank only marginally behind those that made the original cut and one - "Don't Waste My Time" - that's as good as anything else on it.
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33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Room To Move", July 28, 2003
For purely sentimental and nostalgic reasons, THE TURNING POINT is my favorite John Mayall album. When I was three, I begged my parents to repeatedly play the exciting harmonica rave-up "Room to Move". It is virtually impossible still for me not to find my aging bones bouncing and hopping still as Mayall rips into that incredibly invigorating piece. A word of warning: do not listen to "Room to Move" while driving. My insurance just went up due to a recent speeding ticket. Also many folks may recognize this signature cut as it has become, like the annoyingly infectious "Who Let the Dogs Out" ubiquitous in sports arenas as a crowd instigator. Of course I obviously prefer the later to the former. The rest of the album is filled with wonderful and intricate musicianship. The guitar, flute and sax interplay is sheer calming brilliance. It provides a great counterpoint to the release of the aforementioned cut. Mayall and his group think loose and play tight like the best of jazz musicians. They fuse elements of jazz, folk, blues and rock. Mayall's often screeching voice is an acquired taste to be sure, but his absolute reverence for the music overcomes any technical shortcomings. A fine album worth discovering.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic , October 26, 2005
When I bought this CD, I figured on it being a fantastic album from the get go. When I received it and loaded it into my cd player, I had thought that I had bought a pig in the poke. Boy was I wrong.
The CD had only one song that I had ever heard was "Room to Move" and I thought that this was the only decent song on it. After listening to it all the way through the first time, I picked out a few more tracks that had some possibilities. Now that I have run it through several more times through headsets this time, I can see where it really is a fine album.
After listening to it a few times, I realized that I had bought one of the best live blues albums ever recorded. This CD is well worth the price and I hope that everyone will give this one more than a few listens to realize this.
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John Mayall shares his favorite music with Amazon customers. See all artists' picks on our Music You Should Hear page.
~ John Mayall
~ John Mayall
~ Al Kooper & Stephen Stills
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~ John Mayall And the Bluesbreakers
by John Mayall 
