John Mayall (L) – Mick Taylor (R) – legendary get-togethers

A dose of UK Blues history for this Monday Lunchroom – from the 1967 National Jazz and Blues Festival at the London suburb of Richmond, a set by John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers featuring Mick Taylor, recorded by the BBC on August 18, 1967. In addition to Mayall and Taylor, aiding and abetting in this summit are: Keef Hartley, drums – John McVie, bass, Chris Mercer, tenor sax and Rip Kant, also tenor sax.

Without question, John Mayall was one of the primary movers and shakers of the Blues movement in the UK, Alexis Korner certainly being the other one. But Mayall was the proving ground, the ultimate jumping-off place for many musicians who went on to stellar careers of their own or with other bands who became household names. The Bluesbreakers were a revolving door for many artists getting their chops down and wood-shedding ideas – John Mayall was the ultimate consortium and cheering section – when one artist departed on to their own to stake their claim or establish their reputation, another up-and-comer was in the wings. That was one of the reasons seeing John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers was essential to see more than once, because the personnel kept changing – you were always guaranteed to have your mind blown.

The National Jazz and Blues Festival was the brainchild of Harold Pendleton, who ran the legendary Marquee Club. The first festival took place in 1961 and was modeled after the Newport Jazz festival in the U.S. – National Jazz and Blues eventually gave way to more Blues than Jazz, and by 1967 was predominately Rock and Blues. In 1971 the festival relocated to Reading and was re-named The National Jazz, Blues and Rock Festival before becoming The Reading Festival, where it more or less is today.

But in 1967 it was still maintaining its roots and John Mayall was one of its biggest practitioners. The sound is a little rough in places, indicating it may or may not have been destined for eventual broadcast – knowing how fastidious BBC Engineers tended to be during that time.

But the end result is a legendary collaboration by a group whose individual members became legends in their own right. The audience going crazy is some indication of the level of energy that August day.

Dig in and enjoy.

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