Search - John Mayall :: Godfather of British Blues / Turning Point

Worthwhile historical recording

David Hoeltje | Mariposa, CA United States | 12/06/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I wasn't sure what to expect of this recording when I first saw it listed and after repeated listening I'm still not entirely sure what to think of it. The casual Mayall fan will find the performances and fidelity vastly inferior to the classic original "Turning Point" release. I believe that the band had only been together for a month or so prior to this series of gigs in England and you can frequently hear and sense Mayall & Co. playing off one another and straining to find the vein and groove on a number of the tunes. Mayall, never a vocal giant to begin with, shows some signs of strain and is off key on occasion but that aside, the undeniable talent of the four musicians involved here and Johnny Almond and Steve Thompson in particular highlight this 2 CD package. I've always felt that they are two of the most underrated players from that era and it's a bonus to be able to hear more of them in their prime.



I saw this band in L.A. at the Whiskey (or Troubadour?)...memory fails me here...and it's a joy to hear different versions of these songs essentially being fine tuned on the spot by these incredibly talented performers. You won't find the polish and tightness of the performances found on the original "Turning Point" but the hardcore early period Mayall fan like myself will find this package a welcome addition to the already voluminous Mayall Legacy.



Recommended as an interesting snapshot of a work in progress.

"

Breathtakingly pathetic!

T. F. Welsh | Portland, OR USA | 12/11/2007

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The original "Turning Point" album has long been on my "ten favorites" list. It never gets old. Friends and I see it as a "touchstone" of our musical lives together. I had always thought it would have been great to have an "alternate takes" collection, so I was excited to find this. My sentiments along these lines were obviously what the label was counting on when they had the gall to put this thing out.

Avoid this, that's my best advice......the sound quality is terrible, worse than the worst bootleg I have ever heard (it's in MONO, for chrissake!), and the performances terribly lacking.

I'm surprised Mayall, et al, would ever agree to its release, although perhaps they had nothing to say about it.

This constitutes an obscene legacy of a hallmark of recorded music."