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His clear ringing notes lifts one from out under the mountain into the clear blue sky. This recording contains what has to be the one of the greatest blues/rock songs of all time. It is a preview of what the bands later in the 60's will produce and remains one of the finest example of the extended guitar solo pieces.At this time the Butterfield Blues Band had two of the best guitarist around, Elvin Bishop and (my favorite) Mike Bloomfield. It is Mike Bloomfield's turn next, not with another show stopper solo, instead he pares back the music to the absolute minimum. It is unique moment that everyone deserves to experience.For this reason along, the song East West, makes this recording a must. They each take an extended solo, Elvin Bishop first.
There is nothing else like it that I've ever heard. The song is East West which contains some of the greatest music I've ever heard. From this he slowly builds, never to excess, an exquisite solo that sends us flying above the mountains. Elvin throws out a blazing fast mountain of notes. It is what happens next that makes this an unique experience. I cannot do it justice, this music must be heard.
But there is also all of the rest of the songs, including Butterfield's catchy solo on Work Song.
I sampled all tracks and was surprised that I knew all of them since I had never owned it or even heard it in 30 years. Bought it and love it.
I too had this on vinyl and wore it out 5 times and one listen to "I've got a mind to give up living" will send you out of your head. Maybe this is one of the cd's or of of the bands youeither love or hate because I don't love evry cd they have made. But with this versions line-up, the Butterfield Blues Band ain't s***. Sorry to all u die hards.There are many more memorable sond here than on any other PBBB albums, but go ahead and listen and u be the judge.
I'm a huge fan of Chicago blues and a big fan of Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield, but this album doesn't do it for me. PBBB was on of those groups (like the ned of the Peter Green Fleetwood Mac era) that was trying to push the boundries of the blues, but 30 years later the album ust doesn't sounds that good. I know that from a historical prespective that this was a break through album that introduced white audiences to the beauty of the blues, but the album has not aged well and presents a poor listing experience for me.The title cut East West is great and is nearly half the album hence the three stars. This album sounds a bit dated due to the slightly heavy phycodelic rock influence of the time. Most great blues albums age well or to put it another way are timeless. Think Magic Sam or Lowell Fulson aand you get where I'm coming from.
Obviously, the East-West track is the pinnacle of this exploration. The Jazz-Rock fusion movement of the late 70's (Weather Report, Spyro Gyra, Tony Williams) was born on this album. Listen closely and you will hear East Indian, Calypso, New Orleans Jazz, Bluegrass, and 4 or 5 other distinct musical styles each in a separate movement with very striking transitions. If I could only keep one record in my collection, this would probably be the main contender for that position. This album is a musical safari including a remarkable variety of musical idioms in a Blues context that goes way beyond Blues. When I first got this album as a sophmore in college in 1966, I used to put on the East-West title track in the late afternoon and drift off into a wonderful, dreamy nap carried off in a magical concoction of World music as I think no one had ever heard before.This is just a glorious masterpiece, a high-point in American popular music. It feels as good today to listen to it as it did in 1966.Oh, aspiring blues guitarists would be wise to try to copy Mike Bloomfield's delicate, complex and powerful solo on "I've Got A Mind to Give up Living." I wore out my vinyl copy trying.
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