The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

A slew of albums by young white men out of their minds in love with music made by older black men came from both sides of the Atlantic during the mid-1960s, but two records really laid the groundwork for the decade's blues revival--the self-titled releases by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers out of London and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band out of Chicago. Both bands were led by harmonica-blowing vocalists; both featured ascending guitar gods--Eric Clapton with Mayall and Mike Bloomfield with Butterfield. Butterfield's ensemble, however, came of age closer to the roots of the music. The rhythm section heard on the group's 1965 debut was hired away from Howlin' Wolf, and Butterfield, while still in his early 20s when the album shipped, was already a familiar face on the Windy City's club circuit. "Born in Chicago" opens the album on a gritty note that never flags through this 11-track landmark. The slashing duo guitars of Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop and Butterfield's flash harp helped make Muddy Waters fathomable for a new audience and, decades later, it's still easy to understand how. --Steven Stolder Amazon.com

Chicago Blues Masterpiece

Along with Earl Hooker's "The Moon Is Rising", this album is a Chicago Blues masterpiece. Though the lead singer and harmonica player is white, his singing is more than credible and his harmonica playing is excellent. Guitarist Michael Bloomfield plays some incendiary lead guitar, and was taken from us much too early. His death is a tragedy in the truest sense of the world. I recently viewed a video of him at one of the many folk festivals during the 1960s, perhaps Newport, talking about how his father is rich, his family is Jewish, he had a Bar Mitzvah, and how he'll never be able to play or sing like Son House. His admiration for the great Son House was more than obvious. Recently, rock guitar magazines have started to talk more about Bloomfield and his wonderful talents, which is a great thing. He deserves to be ranked up there with Clapton and Allman in terms of white guys who play Blues and/or Blues-Rock. Every track on this album is fun, full of energy and masterfully played. I highly recommend this album to anybody interested in Chicago Blues, especially those coming to the Blues from a Classic Rock or Clapton-related background. My personal favorite on the album is the band's cover of Elmore James' "Shake Your Moneymaker", which is a great deal different than the original, but in a good way. August 20, 2008

PLAY LOUD!

This was an amazing album when it was released in 1965, and it is now.
While the vinyl seems superior to the CD [I have 2 copies of the vinyl]
they are both amazing and full of energy. There is a note on the back of the original album cover advising to play loud for maximum effect. That is just as true now as it was then....These are the guys that played with Dylan at times. That is, Sam Lay, Jerome Arnold, Mike Bloofield. April 28, 2008

Don't believe the "East/West" hype--get this one instead.

The general critical consensus seems to be that the PBBB's second album, "East/West," is the one to get, but I disagree. I own both, and I find that this, the band's first release, is much better than album #2. The songs here are played with more intensity and focus (the band is "tighter," as musicians say), and the vocals and harp are tough, gritty and "authentic," in a blues sense. In contrast, the band seems to be trying too hard to sound like great blues on "East/West." On this album, everything feels organic and unforced. Mike Bloomfield, of course, is excellent on every track, and that makes a significant difference between this and any other "white boy blues," or whatever you want to call it, that was around at the same time. Here, and on Dylan albums, he's really the difference between "good" and "great." Get this one--it sounds fresh, almost contemporary, despite its age. January 21, 2008

Yawn...

this white boy blues stuff is so over-done. every band like this from this era all sound the same: boring, watered-down, stuck-in-the-same-groove, white-boy, schlock. pure torture!! sure, the PBBB, John Mayall, Clapton, etc, all did their part by bringing the underlying music (real blues) to the attention of a larger audience, which is not necessarily a good thing, but i can respect that they liked what they heard and copied it. fair enough. however, if you're looking for something that can be felt through your speakers and over time and space, check out Magic Sam, Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, or Lonnie Mack, or, if you like the older stuff, Son House, or RL Burnside. this 3rd generation blues stuff is soooo boring and predictable at this point. September 4, 2007

Mike Bloomfield

I say they don't make music like this anymore.Its a twist of Rolling Stones an Cream and for Mike Bloomfield, to me he is one of the best in his field. So if you like the Stones or Cream you will like this, enjoy. July 18, 2007

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