Michael Bloomfield The Best Of Michael Bloomfield

A young genius Abel Zarate. In the age of 15 he formed Naked Lunch, and in the age of 17 he became the 2nd lead guitarist of latin rock band Malo, forming the guitar duo with Jorge Santana…

Four decades after Woodstock, these fabulous recording sessions see the light of day for the first time. This album contains 5 studio tracks from 1969, recorded at the popular 'Mu House' by the panhandle in San Francisco's Haight & Ashbury where the likes of Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead, Paul Butterfield Blues Band with Michael Bloomfield frequently played music. Plus, 2 live tracks from 1970 during their 'Hight Time' best! An added bonus of 4 songs from Banda de Jesus, (a band which included 3 original Naked Lunch members), recorded by David Rubinson & Fred Catero at Pacific Recording in San Mateo, CA circa 1972. To put it in a genre … it blends the best of Latin rock, with 'rare grooves, and tricky jazz/funk elements'…

These 24-carat gold CD, characterized by exceptionally clear record. This is the result of the use and NoNOISE "SASS" (Sound Analysis and Synthesis System).

After Tinsley Ellis released the fine Ice Cream in Hell in 2020, he hit the road for a 60-date tour. Six weeks in, the global COVID-19 pandemic made him cancel. He drove the 2,400 miles from Reno, Nevada to Atlanta, Georgia. At home he entered his basement studio and pulled out loads of gear – including every guitar he owned. He also set up a turntable and began dragging vinyl off the shelves. He explored studio and obscure live recordings from some of his musical heroes, including the Allman Brothers, Freddie and B.B. King, Michael Bloomfield, and many more. He was captivated and began writing with a white-hot intensity, determined to grow as a songwriter. By April he was posting tracks to his website. In 18 months he composed 200 new songs. He contacted longtime friend, keyboardist and producer Kevin McKendree and booked time at his Franklin, Tennessee studio, then culled his massive song list down to ten tunes. On Devil May Care, Ellis is joined by McKendree on piano and organ, bassist Steve Mackey, and drummer Lynn Williams.

Although Hammond had already recorded electric material, he went back to a solo acoustic format for his fourth album, accompanying himself on guitar and harmonica on faithful interpretations of standards by Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, John Lee Hooker, Sleepy John Estes, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, and Bo Diddley. If it sounds a bit unimaginative and routine today, one has to remember that the general listening audience was much less aware of these artists and songs in the mid-'60s. Hammond did a commendable job of rendering them here, with fine guitar work and vocals that were a considerable improvement over his earliest efforts.–by Richie Unterberger

There's something affecting about Lightnin' Hopkins' off-the-cuff approach. Whether he's in the studio or before an audience, he gives the impression of a guitar player and singer who's just doing his own thing. When he breaks out a signature piece like "Mojo Hand," he isn't really trying to impress the listener as much as do what he does best: just play a little blues. Recorded in 1965, Live at Newport captures Hopkins in a loose mood communing with an appreciative audience. The mostly solo electric set apparently didn't cause any controversy (as Dylan's electric set with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band would in 1965). The nice thing about the album is that all the material seems to have come from the same set, giving the listener a taste of what seeing Hopkins at Newport might have been like…