Mike Bloomfield website

I'm fairly certain I visited this site a couple of years ago but there wasn't much there. Now there's a two parts of a documentary plus other videos and pictures. It's really grown in the last little while. There's a great section on his guitars and amps. I also found out there is a feature length documentary scheduled to be released in 2012.

Mike Bloomfield

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Super Session

This is the album that turned me on to Mike Bloomfield. I also realized that Al Kooper ( Bood, Sweat and Tears) was an absolute master of the B3. If there is any keyboard that defined a genre it's the B3.

Bloomfield did about half the tracks before he checked himself into a hospital ( or had an anxiety attack, I can't remember which from his biography)and Stephen Stills came in to finish off the session. One of Stills' tracks, Season of the Witch, was recorded live at The Fillmore in December of 1968 ( the 13th to be exact, which thirty years later would be the day my daughter was born) with Mike Bloomfield on guitar.

I find it interesting to listen to the differences in approach between the two and the evolution of the song to live performance. It's a bit shorter with Bloomfield staying within the context of the studio recording but adding his own unique personality.

Super Session

Live at the Fillmore

Mike Bloomfield: Drinking Wine Live!!

Great old clip with Electric Flag. I believe Nick Gravenites is singing. Mike is playing his 59 Les Paul. As always amazing tone. Half the fun in this clip is the audience.

Warning - Dropped guitar

I have decided to do away with the Tonefest clip on my site in favour of posting here. It's just easier. So I moved the existing one over.

This is Mike Bloomfield from the "Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper: recorded live at the Filmore. About two thirds of the way through Mike drops his guitar to the floor.

Finale-Refugee

As always great tone and great playing.

Between sets

I thought I would take a break between winding sets and do another post to the blog. Here's a tune from a Mike Bloomfield cd that I have been listening to a lot lately, "Live At The Waldorf". I found all the cuts to be good but this one stands out. It's the only one that wasn't recorded at the Waldorf and is aguably the best cut of the bunch.

Here it is: Sweet Little Angel/ Jelly Jelly

Enjoy it, because tomorrow's Monday.

What I am listening to right now

"The Live Adventures Of Al Kooper And Mike Bloomfield"

This one was recorded at the Filmore West in 1968 and I think it is the first live performance with them. It's nice to hear a truly live album, warts and all. Like the liner notes say they're sometimes out of tune and time, but the electricity of the playing carries it through. The album consists of takes from 6 shows over three nights, with Bloomfield only making the first two. On the third day he was hospitalized and sedated to sleep after being up for five days or so.

There's some good stuff here. Solid blues playing from Bloomfield and Kooper shows what he can do with a Hammond. For my money there's nothing like a B3. Nothing has ever come close to replicating it.

There's a great cover of "59th Street Bridge Song". A rendition of "The Weight" with no vocals. And "Green Onions". But Bloomfield really shines on "Don't Put Your Love On Me So Strong". Pulling every note out of his very soul it's really a phd on blues guitar playing. For me the highlight of the album.

Bloomfields absence on the third day was filled by the likes of Carlos Santana, Elvin Bishop and Steve Miller. Only Santana and Bishop are on the disc. Santana Plays straight blues on "Sonny Boy Williamson" and is right at home. I believe this performance was captured before he recorded with his band.

All in all, some of the best Bloomfield I have heard.

Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong

Mike Bloomfield

I just finished reading "Mike Bloomfield - If You Love These Blues". It's his biography as told through interviews with Mike and the people who were around him. It starts from childhood to his death in 1981. There's a great discography in the back which I am working my way through.

One of the things that struck me about Bloomfield was his attitude towards money and material things. It seemed to be a reaction to growing up fairly wealthy for the time, or perhaps a result of. He had an absolute disregard for things, to the point of abandoning cars when they quit and leaving his guitar behind in a bar. I can't imagine leaving my guitar behind. It's like a part of me.

He suffered from chronic insomnia throughout his life which, according to some in the book, led to drug and alcohol abuse and ultimately to the overdose that took his life. The book is an excellent read and gives a great picture of the late 50's, early 60's Chicago blues scene. It also comes with a cd that has some rare tracks on it.

Here's a couple to smooth us into the weekend.

Bullet rag
Blues For Roy

And now I am off to wind some pickups.