JOHN MAYALL
NOBODY TOLD ME
FORTY BELOW RECORDS
WHAT HAVE I DONE WRONG–THE MOON IS FULL–EVIL AND HERE TO STAY–THAT’S WHAT LOVE WILL MAKE YOU DO–DISTANT LONESOME TRAIN–DELTA HURRICANE–THE HURT INSIDE–IT’S SO TOUGH–LIKE IT LIKE YOU DO–NOBODY TOLD ME
Over the course of a career that has spanned some seven decades, legendary British bluesman and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall has always surrounded himself with outstanding guitarists. For his latest set for Forty Below Records, “Nobody Told Me,” produced by Eric Corne, features guest appearances from Steve Van Zandt, Joe Bonamassa, Larry McCray, Alex Lifeson, Todd Rundgren, and Carolyn Wonderland, who will be touring with the band later this year. Also on board is Billy Watts on rhythm guitar, and the faithful rhythm section of Greg Rzab on bass, and Jay Davenport on drums, with John’s horn section, on break from Conan O’Brien’s latenight talk fest, rounding things out.
Reigning Blues Award winner for Guitarist of the Year, Joe Bonamassa, helps lead off the show with an uptown, horn-fed rendition of “What Have I Done Wrong,” giving way to Larry McCray on guitar for a minor-key KO of “The Moon Is Full.” Carolyn Wonderland adds that wonderfully-woeful, wailin’ slide to augment John’s vocal where that “spirit calls me from the barren ground on that Distant Lonesome Train.”
We had two favorites, too. Joe B returns for a jaunt “down to Memphis, where the blues first came down,” ridin’ that “Delta Hurricane,” with a cool B-3 break from John at the bridge. Alex Lifeson, of Rush fame, joins in on our other favorite, a blistering fun-filled romp thru Albert King’s iconic “That’s What Love Will Make You Do.”
At eighty-five, there is absolutely no slowing down John Mayall. He’s just gettin’ better, and, with a little help from his friends, he makes “Nobody Told Me” a winner all-round! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues And Roots Alliance.
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