Dave Lewis

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers: 70th Birthday Concert

by Doug Collette
May 9, 2004

John Mayall’s concerts of recent years can seem somewhat ritualized and to some extent this double CD of a show in Liverpool, England celebrating his 70th (!) is no exception. But the venerable British bluesman, excited himself about the occasion, demonstrates his long-standing ability to meld musicians into cohesive units and thereby coax consummate musicianship from the individuals within the group.

This is pure wizardry—and perhaps there’s no better word for it considering Mayall's longevity as well as the personnel ...