This is the overlooked complement to the Super Session and Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper albums that blues guitar maestro Mike Bloomfield graced back in the late 60s. We say “overlooked” because, until Australian reissue label Raven got hold of it, it didn’t exist – in this form at least.
The recordings gathered here were spread across two albums – Live At Bill Graham’s Fillmore West and Gravenites’ My Labors, with a bonus track, Mary Ann, borrowed from the aforementioned Live Adventures. The whole fits together absolutely seamlessly.
Raven’s time team has assembled a hit here, as Bloomfield’s guitar burns with a frightening intensity. The vocals are probably the least attractive aspect of the recordings, being shared between Gravenites, Bloomfield, Bob Jones and (on One More Mile To Go) special guest Taj Mahal, but there’s no doubting the star of the show. Just fidget through the perfunctory verse and chorus(es) and wait for the fret-melting fireworks!
