Yes, Oh My God, Yes - I probably listened to this album hundreds if not thousands of times when I was in college back in the early 70s. I recently reaquired it and am on pace to beat the previous score. For fans of hippie blues power, this is one of, if not the best albums of all times.
This came out in ...1967! - Yes , on LP ! .. It has stood the test of time, John alone overdubbing instruments with help from drummer either Keef Hartley , or Hughie Flint ..my memory fades here and there .. so my guess is it is Keef Hartley as I recall he may have sacked Hughie by then ! Marsha s Mood I understand is for Marsha Hunt .. who was a gorgeous looking singer , and dated John , and Mick Jagger , etc ..Sonny Boy Blow is for Alec Rice Miller aka Sonny Boy Williamson #2 .. who had recently left the planet (1965) The album is a great listen .. I especially like the harmonica overdubbed over a live train ! I wish John would do something like this again one day ..I purchased his Boogie Woogie Man solo Cd from his website ..and that is a great listen too . The Blues Alone is a kinder gentler album compared to what he is doing now .. rockin very hard , and loud!
Nearly five stars - This album could easily be five stars, but it depends upon your musical desire. I think that the best way to sum up this album is simple blues. Clearly Mayall is better known for the guitarist he helped to introduce but this album is not about the legendary guitarists or the bandmembers with whom he has played. This album is about simple blues and is certainly a great introduction vs. addition to any blues collection.
Its all about Marsha s Mood - I am no expert! Yet in my humble opinion the track Marsha s Mood is the quintessensial blues number. It conveys strong and disturbed emotion with beautiful simplicity. Mayall s music may be described as unpolished but for me this only creates depth and raw sentiment.
You get Mayall - Mayall is revered as a blues legend for the band members he had and has. This old album (which I have played for 30+ plus years) highlights how good Mayall is himself where he plays every sound on the album apart from some drums from Hughie Flint. The result is a classic blues album. The album features his song writing and playing ability whether on harmonic, guitar or keyboards. As the liner notes say, his guitar is unlikely to cause others to jump off bridges (or words to that effect), but listening to his historic 9 string guitar or harmonica or his keyboards envokes strong emotions. There are many highlights, but the best are Sonny boy blow and Broken wings .