Michael
Bloomfield was born into a wealthy Jewish-American family on the north side of
Chicago, but preferred music to the family catering equipment business. He became
a blues devotee as a teenager and spent time at Chicago's South Side blues
clubs, playing guitar with some of the greatest black bluesmen
Al
Kooper, Bloomfield's later collaborator and close friend, wrote the young
guitarist's talent "was instantly obvious to his mentors. They knew this
was not just another white boy; this was someone who truly understood what the
blues were all about." Among Bloomfield’s early supporters were B.B. king,
Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, and Buddy Guy.
During his tenure in the Chicago blues clubs, he met Paul
Butterfield and Elvin Bishop. Bloomfield recorded a few sessions for Columbia
in 1964 (which weren't released until after his death), but ended up joining
the original Paul Butterfield Blues Band, which included Bishop,
Howlin Wolf rhythm section alumni Sam Lay, and Jerome Arnold.
Bloomfield tired of the Butterfield Band's rigorous touring schedule
and, relocated to San Francisco to create his own group, Electric Flag in
1967. The band was intended to feature "American music," a hybrid of
blues, soul, country, rock, and folk, and incorporated an expanded lineup
complete with a horn section. The inclusion of drummer Buddy Miles gave Bloomfield license to explore soul and R&B. Electric Flag debuted at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and issued an album, A Long Time
Comin', in April 1968, one of my favorites.
Later,
Bloomfield joined with al Kooper, with whom he recorded the Super Session album in 1968. It was a jam session that spotlighted
Bloomfield’s guitar skills on side one. It’s still a classic to this day. Bloomfield's
chronic insomnia caused him to repair to his San Francisco home the second day
of recording, prompting Kooper to invite Stephen
Stills to
complete the album. It received excellent reviews and became the best-selling
album of Bloomfield's career
The
exact events and circumstances that led to his death are not clear. What is
known is that Bloomfield was found dead of a drug overdose in his car on
February 15, 1981. The only details (from unnamed sources) relate that
Bloomfield died at a San Francisco party, and was driven to another location in
the city by two men who were present at the party.
Drinking wine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smRXnyUWktg
Long time comin-Full album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfX7vn_c2z4
One way out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw2fqDcLitU
Blues for Roy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXE8u_HRpls
Blues in B flat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qib48Sw6Q94
Blues on the west side: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaKCLve_XDs
Albert’s shuffle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSqlUYkx8d0
Blue trouble: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyf3_k1Cyus
Driftin Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3LEhfbKCSc
Long Distand (with Muddy
Waters): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSVuEjvLjFE
Paul Butterfield Reunion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps3x-_JdIeg
I recommend a 2010 Christian
Moreau Chablis while you listen to Michael. Chablis is arguably the most famous white
burgundy appellation on earth, and rightly so. The wines also see relatively
less oak influence than most regions working with Chardonnay. In the case of Christian Moreau’s basic 2010 Chablis ($25) one sees aromas
and flavors of lemon and honey with a bright hint of minerality. I’m trying to
force spring here by recommending Chablis, a wine I usually drink in warmer
weather. Hopefully it works.
Cheers!
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