Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:01
Size: 146,1 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full
1. Instrumental Intro (1:26)
2. Look Over Yonders Wall (2:08)
3. Born In Chicago (4:12)
4. Love Her With A Feeling (5:40)
5. Get Out Of My Life, Woman (3:24)
6. Never Say No (3:41)
7. One More Heartache (3:42)
8. Work Song (12:33)
9. Coming Home Baby (7:17)
10. Memory Pain (2:46)
11. I Got A Mind To Give Up Living (6:36)
12. Walking By Myself (4:17)
13. Got My Mojo Working (5:14)
The release of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band's Live 1966 is a godsend for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it reminds, if that's indeed necessary, of what a vital influence on contemporary blues was (and is) this sextet. Yet, as documented on the heretofore unreleased Got A Mind to Give Up Living's eclectic song selection, the Butterfield blues Band was not satisfied to copy the work of their heroes, even as they covered some of their best material, such as Allen Toussaint's "Get Out of My Life Woman." The dual guitars of Bloomfield and his counterpart Elvin Bishop (who actually preceded his fretboard partner in this lineup) widened up the path Elmore James' opened with "Look Over Yonders Wall," while the choice of jazz-oriented material such as (brother of Cannonball) Nat Adderley's "Work Song" presaged not only its future studio rendition on East-West (Elektra, 1966), but later incarnations of Butter's band with a horn section, not to mention its accurate reflection of the blues-heavy jazz scene of the times.
The presence of an equally authentic tune that would go otherwise wholly unrecorded by this incarnation of the Butterfield Band, Percy Mayfield's "Memory Pain" (which Johnny Winter included on his three-lp-sided sophomore effort Second Winter (Columbia, 1969)) further distinguishes the combination of fervent scholarship and fiery, disciplined musicianship that makes Live 1966 a treasure: though it lacks the band's raga-influence stylistic masterwork "East-West," there's plenty of concise jamming here as on "Comin' Home Baby." And "Born in Chicago," composed by Butterfield's early blues companion student Nick Gravenites, is an original that speaks to and describes the world discovered and revered by members of this group and like-minded aficionados such as the author.
Including the blurry likes of the stage shot at the center of the enclosed booklet, Live 1966 is adorned with vintage photos that capture a moment in time, images of memorabilia effectively replicating the graphic design and style of the Butterfield Blues Band's early Elektra Records releases. Yet, Got A Mind to Give Up Living is much more than an academic artifact: it is instead a living, breathing testament to the power and vision of one of America's most forward-thinking contemporary musical units and its stolid leader, whose impassioned harp work challenges those around him to elevate their own playing.
Even as the thin sound quality, as recorded in Boston's Unicorn Coffee House, leaves more than a little to be desired despite its remastering, the presence of Butterfield, Bloomfield and co. is so forceful, the compulsion to ratchet up the volume to compensate is ultimately as joyful as it is irresistible.
The presence of an equally authentic tune that would go otherwise wholly unrecorded by this incarnation of the Butterfield Band, Percy Mayfield's "Memory Pain" (which Johnny Winter included on his three-lp-sided sophomore effort Second Winter (Columbia, 1969)) further distinguishes the combination of fervent scholarship and fiery, disciplined musicianship that makes Live 1966 a treasure: though it lacks the band's raga-influence stylistic masterwork "East-West," there's plenty of concise jamming here as on "Comin' Home Baby." And "Born in Chicago," composed by Butterfield's early blues companion student Nick Gravenites, is an original that speaks to and describes the world discovered and revered by members of this group and like-minded aficionados such as the author.
Including the blurry likes of the stage shot at the center of the enclosed booklet, Live 1966 is adorned with vintage photos that capture a moment in time, images of memorabilia effectively replicating the graphic design and style of the Butterfield Blues Band's early Elektra Records releases. Yet, Got A Mind to Give Up Living is much more than an academic artifact: it is instead a living, breathing testament to the power and vision of one of America's most forward-thinking contemporary musical units and its stolid leader, whose impassioned harp work challenges those around him to elevate their own playing.
Even as the thin sound quality, as recorded in Boston's Unicorn Coffee House, leaves more than a little to be desired despite its remastering, the presence of Butterfield, Bloomfield and co. is so forceful, the compulsion to ratchet up the volume to compensate is ultimately as joyful as it is irresistible.
Got A Mind To Give Up Living: Live 1966
6 comments:
Red Rooster
Big thanks for this one - I've been curious about the sound quality versus my boot.
You're welcome Steve626 .. and I'm kind of curious on how the bootleg sounds, since even though this issue has been remastered the sound quality isn't the best. Still, in my opinion it's a nice release for fans of Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Thanks for your comment.
Red Rooster
I'll post the bootleg in the Basement for you.
Red Rooster - Thanks a lot for this Butterfield. I've been anxious to hear it since I read that it was coming out around the time I was on a Butterfield kick when all of his albums were reissued recently.
You're welcome Tom C, glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for your comment.
Anyone have the 2016 RSD version - with 4 extra tracks - that they'd be kind enough to post?
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