The harmonica-led boggy looseness of “Why Worry” opens with John Mayalls Roadshow Blue, reissued with revised artwork and vintage photos. John Mayall and his Bluesbreakers, who spearheaded the British blues-rock explosion of the ’60s, were the proving ground for such faithful as Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Peter Green and John McVie, to name a few. Meanwhile, the “Godfather of English Blues” took a detour and released a solo album called Roadshow blues. The record, originally released in 1980, is a nine-song read of fun blues songs that have been released under various titles over the decades.
The players behind Mayall – guitarist/vocalist James Quill Smith, bassist Kevin McCormick, drummer Soko Richardson and vocalist Maggie Parker – create a rich concoction. Smith whines about the raunchy “Mama Talk To Your Daughter,” one of the highlights, along with the slower, real barn-burning, tail-of-the-walk explanation of “A Big Man.” Mayall’s lead in the latter is clean and clear and while in good form throughout, it could easily be his best of the record.
The staccato reading of the big bass chugger “Joe Lee Boogie,” name-dropping the great bluesman John Lee Hooker, is the most accessible move here, probably the best tune on the album. However, the live versions of the piano-jumping “Mexico City” and “Baby What You Want Me To Do” really give the listener the best idea of what Mayall and his band were all about at the time. It’s a real treat to hear John Mayall play at any point in his career Roadshow blues brings it out perfectly. As he wraps up his latest concert tour, the grooves on this record are all the sweeter.
~ Ralph Greco Jr.
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