Search - Mick Abrahams :: Mick Abrahams

Great blues from ex-Tull guitarist

J. B Brent | Oak Ridge, Tennessee USA | 05/19/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is the first solo project from Abrahams, who left Jethro Tull after their THIS WAS album to form Blodwyn Pig. After that group's two albums, AHEAD RINGS OUT and GETTING TO THIS, he recorded this one in 1971. It was issued on vinyl as A&M SP 4312. Nice continuation of the Pig's sound with lots of great blues guitar and interesting experimentation. They're many changes within each song to keep the listener interested. And the sound quality is superb."

A Very Good Album, By Any Name

Dave_42 | Australia | 03/08/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mick Abrahams had a stormy start to his recording career. As the original guitarist from Jethro Tull he recorded one album with them, "This Was", and then he was compelled to leave when Ian Anderson's vision for where the band should go did not match his own. He then formed Blodwyn Pig and managed to stay with that group for two albums, "Ahead Rings Out" and "Getting to This", before once again leaving due to musical differences. This album, "Mick Abrahams" is Mick's first album after leaving Blodwyn Pig.



The album is sometimes referred to as "Mick Abrahams" and other times as "A Musical Evening with the Mick Abrahams Band", and is sometimes credited as a solo album and other times credited to the group called "The Mick Abrahams Band". This Remastered CD version uses the former names in both cases on both the packaging and the CD itself. The second title comes from the poster next to Mick on the cover of the album, and so it is easy to see why it has taken on that name. Adding somewhat to the confusion is that the next album which Mick recorded, "At Last", was as part of a group called The Mick Abrahams Band which included almost the exact same group of musicians as appear on this one.



While the two album names and the two artist names may make it difficult to find the CD, or create confusion when talking about it, they really amount to nothing when one hears the album and quickly finds that it is up there with the quality of Mick's Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig work. There are just seven tracks on this album, and they are all worth a listen. My personal favorites are "Greyhound Bus", "Awake", "Winds of Change", and "Seasons".



The musical credits for the album are: Mick Abrahams (guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, pedal steel guitar, and vocals), Ritchie Dharma (drums, congas, percussion), Bob Sargeant (organ, piano, guitar, vocals), and Walt Monaghan (bass guitar, vocals).



There is no doubt that Mick is a great blues guitarist, and it is a shame that his personal differences with the people he played with back then have probably kept a lot of people from hearing his work. Mick returned in the early 90s with the excellent "All Said and Done" and he has gone on to release a lot of new material since. He has also patched things up with his former band mates and is playing better than ever.

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