east west



golden butter



Sneak in a bit of Traffic



The One and Only



Dragged East West out of the pile yesterday. Every time I go away from it and come back I am overhwelmed with the power of Paul Butterfields harp and vocals and the marvellous guitar playing of Mike Bloomfield. this album is one of the great Masterpieces of the 1960's. Mike was essentially a gunslinger roped in by John Hammond Snr to put some juice inot a band that could knowck it out but lacked a virtuoso. Mike was Hammonds golden boy and if you ever get the chance to read his bio you will be impressed by the discography. It is no coincidence tha Mike played on Bob Dylans magnum opus Highway 61 Revisited. His guitar is all over that with subtle featherlight fills and the full roar when he pulls out all the stops. There was no one better then and there aint now.

He could play the blues and anything else and the 13 minutes of the title track East West is a sheer joy as Mike writes sublime lines and paints soundscaqpes that have no equal.