The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

• Artist: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1965
• Total Time: 38:15
• Genre: Blues

Review

Even after his death, Paul Butterfield's music didn't receive the accolades that were so deserved. Outputting styles adopted from Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters among other blues greats, Butterfield became one of the first white singers to rekindle blues music through the course of the mid-'60s. His debut album, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, saw him teaming up with guitarists Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield, with Jerome Arnold on bass, Sam Lay on drums, and Mark Naftalin playing organ. The result was a wonderfully messy and boisterous display of American-styled blues, with intensity and pure passion derived from every bent note. In front of all these instruments is Butterfield's harmonica, beautifully dictating a mood and a genuine feel that is no longer existent, even in today's blues music. Each song captures the essence of Chicago blues in a different way, from the back-alley feel of "Born in Chicago" to the melting ease of Willie Dixon's "Mellow Down Easy" to the authentic devotion that emanates from Bishop and Butterfield's "Our Love Is Drifting." "Shake Your Money Maker," "Blues With a Feeling," and "I Got My Mojo Working" (with Lay on vocals) are all equally moving pieces performed with a raw adoration for blues music. Best of all, the music that pours from this album is unfiltered...blared, clamored, and let loose, like blues music is supposed to be released. A year later, 1966's East West carried on with the same type of brash blues sound partnered with a jazzier feel, giving greater to attention to Bishop's and Bloomfield's instrumental talents. ~ Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Born in Chicago (Lyrics)	Nick Gravenites	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(2:55)
Shake Your Moneymaker	Elmore James	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(2:27)
Blues with a Feeling	Little Walter	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(4:20)
Thank You Mr. Poobah	Michael Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Mark Naftalin	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(4:05)
I Got My Mojo Working	Muddy Waters	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(3:30)
Mellow Down Easy	Willie Dixon	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(3:40)
Screamin'	Michael Bloomfield	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(4:30)
Our Love Is Drifting (Lyrics)	Paul Butterfield, Elvin Bishop	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(3:25)
Mystery Train (Lyrics)	Junior Parker, Sam Phillips	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(2:45)
Last Night	Little Walter	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(4:15)
Look Over Yonders Wall	James Clark	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	(2:23)

Credits

Michael Bloomfield (Slide Guitar), Paul Butterfield (Harmonica), Paul Butterfield (Vocals), Paul Butterfield (Main Performer), Elvin Bishop (Guitar), Elvin Bishop (Guitar (Rhythm)), Elvin Bishop (Vocals), Sam Lay (Drums), The Blues Band (Performer), Mark Abramson (Producer), Mark Abramson (Assistant Producer), Jerome Arnold (Bass), Jac Holzman (Production Supervisor), Mark Naftalin (Organ), Paul Rothchild (Director), Paul Rothchild (Producer), Paul Rothchild (Mastering), Pete Welding (Liner Notes), The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (Performer), William S. Harvey (Photography), William S. Harvey (Cover Design), Dave Collins (Mastering), Leonard Heicklen (Photography)

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)