We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago……
The Chicago style of blues music had a moment in the mid 60’s to mid 70’s. When white rock musicians like the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds started playing the music of the old blues-men that had popularized the style, mainstream audiences became familiar with a louder, electrified version of the Mississippi Delta blues that had made the Great Migration north during the 30’s , 40’s and 50’s. People like Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters,Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon, Elmore James, Buddy Guy and more, were able to record and play to bigger audiences.
One of the guys who popularized the music, played both Monterrey Pop and Woodstock, was harmonica ace Paul Butterfield. Butterfield was born in Chicago and played with Muddy Waters as a young man and later with aspiring players like Elvin Bishop and Nick Gravenites. After jamming with guitarist Mike Bloomfield, the two formed the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The band saw a number of notable alumni over the years including sax man David Sanborn
He had released a number of LPs by 1971 and that year released his final studio recording for the Elektra label. It was the last album for the band before Butterfield went on to other projects through the 70’s and 80s before dying in 1987.
Search out a really good documentary on his life and music…called Horn From The Heart
The final album for the band was called “Sometimes I Feel Like Smiling”. Ralph Walsh played guitar replacing Buzzy Feiten. Many of the charts are horn-drenched (featuring Sanborn,Steve Madiaio and Gene Dinwiddie) and funky with Butterfield and others handling the vocals. Solid backing vocals as well from a veteran crew led by Clydie King, Merry Clayton, Oma Drake and Venetta Fields (it doesnt get much better than that).
The album starts with an uptempo raver called “Play On” sung by Butterfield. The cover of ‘Night Child” is a standout for me as well.
Rocker Todd Rundgren handled the mix and the record sounds good. While probably not as good as some of the early stuff…Butterfield shows he still has the chops and can show you what’s what! Enjoy!
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