In the beginning, the Stones wanted nothing more than to be a blues band. And for a long time, they were — albeit one that realized it could never, ever be as good as the musicians who schooled them from overseas. Dixon once told the Tribune that he remembered playing Piccadilly Square in London during the early ’60s. The callow Jagger, Richards and Jones were in the audience. “(These kids would) tell us, ‘Look, man, we got a little group and we want to do some of your songs,'” Dixon said. “We put a lot of songs on tape for them … and then some years later, somebody played me a record of (Dixon’s classic) ‘Little Red Rooster’ and told me some fellows called the Rolling Stones had done that song out of England. … (But) back then they were just little kids, no hair on their faces or anything, so how would I remember them?”
The Stones early albums were stuffed with cover versions of American blues and soul music, and as soon as the quintet became popular enough to tour America in the late spring of 1964, they beelined to Chess studios in Chicago for a two-day recording session. There they were greeted by the mighty Waters himself, who, according to the oft-repeated story, was slapping a coat of paint on the studio walls. Waters had no idea who these long-haired kids were, but helped them unload their gear anyway. While there, the Stones recorded the master’s “I Can’t Be Satisfied,” which appeared on their second album, “Rolling Stones No. 2,” while Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster” wound up on its U.K. companion, “Rolling Stones Now!”
The Stones early recordings — newly reissued on the boxed set “The Rolling Stones in Mono” (ABKCO) — affirm how much the Stones borrowed from the Chicago blues: the songs, the mix of jazzy swing and backstreet menace, even the recording engineer, Ron Malo. All told the Stones recorded more than two dozen songs in three visits to Chess studios in 1964-65, which they sprinkled across several albums. (chicagotribune.com)
And here´s very fine bootleg from this period … excellent soundoard recording … the early days of the British Blues … what a great period, what an unforgetable period !
Listen and enjoy !
Personnel:
Mick Jagger (vocals, harmonica)
Brian Jones (guitar)
Keith Richards (guitar)
Charlie Watts (drums)
Bill Wyman (bass)
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Ian Stewart (piano)
Tracklist:
01. 2120 South Michigan Avenue (long version) (Nanker/Phelge) 3.57
02. Confessin’ The Blues (stereo version) (McShann/Brown) 3.16
03. High Heel Sneakers (Higginbotham ) 3.16
04. Reelin’ And Rockin’ (Berry) 3.57
05. It’s All Over Now (B.Womack/S.Womack) 3.49
06. If You Need Me (Domino/Bartholomew) 2.30
07. Empty Heart (Nanker/Phelge) 2.59
08. Around And Around (Berry) 3.24
09. Good Times, Bad Times (Jagger/Richards) 2.59
10. Down The Road Apiece (stereo version) (Raye) 3.20
11. I Can’t Be Satisfied (stereo version) (Morganfield) 3.57
12. Look What You’ve Done (stereo version) (Morganfield) 2.51
13. Stewed And Keefed (Brian´s Blues) (Nanker/Phelge) 4.34
14. Tell Me Baby (How Many Times) (Broonzy) 2.18
15. Down In The Bottom (Dixon) 3.07
16. Confessin’ The Blues (McShann/Brown) 3.07
17. I Can’t Be Satisfied (Morganfield) 3.49
18. Look What You’ve Done (Morganfield) 2.51
19. 2120 South Michigan Avenue (stereo version) (Nanker/Phelge) 2.30
20. It’s All Over Now (stereo version) (B.Womack/S.Womack) 3.53
Unfortunatly I can´t speak or read the Italian language, and because I found only information about in Italian Website … I can´t give you many informations about Guido Toffoletti.
England’s the Blues Band is led by ex-Manfred Mann vocalist Paul Jones and guitarist/vocalist Dave Kelly, who, before forming the group in 1979, had been a member of the John Dummer Blues Band and issued several solo recordings on his own (Kelly had also received praise for his playing by such blues legends as Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker). After hooking up with friend/bassist Gary Fletcher, the seeds for the Blues Band were sown, resulting in countless albums (by Greg Prato)
The individual members of The Blues Band were already held in admiration by generations of rhythm & blues fans when they formed back in 1979. Almost two and a half decades and over 16 albums later they continue to add to their growing army of followers, and it’s not unheard of to find three generations from the same family at a gig.
Imagination Lady is the fifth studio album by the blues band Chicken Shack, released in 1972 on the Deram record Label.
Dick Heckstall-Smith was much more than “only” the Saxophone Player for one of the best Jazz-Rock bands, we ever had … Colosseum !
After distinguishing himself and achieving a level of recognition in Europe, like Eric Clapton before him, Peter Green departed John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, freeing himself of employment and artistic restrictions. However, unlike most of the British guitar greats, Green was never concerned with flash or becoming a guitar superstar – an attitude that made him one of the most compelling of all the British guitar players from the 1960s. Green could play incisively and cleanly, but was equally adept at ripping with tremendous power. This made listening to any of Green’s material a rewarding experience; many of his originals have a timeless quality that still sounds fresh and intriguing today.
