John Mayall OBE: 29/11/1933- 22/7/2024

Jon Newey honors the greatly significant and impactful British blues and jazz musician who passed away at the age of 90.

One of the biggest names in modern music in the United Kingdom, especially in the genres of blues and jazz, since World War II, singer, guitarist, and keyboard player John Mayall passed away at his residence in California at the age of 90 on 22 July. If it weren't for Mayall's influence and support, the nickname 'The Godfather Of British Blues' would not have become so popular, and several highly influential bands that played blues and jazz-rock, like Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Colosseum, Keef Hartley Band, and Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, which were all created from his Bluesbreakers, may not have come into existence. And when the Rolling Stones recruited his third guitar prodigy, Mick Taylor, in 1969, it marked the beginning of a very successful period in their career.

Mayall played a key role in bringing more attention to several UK jazz musicians in the 1960s, such as Alan Skidmore, Johnny Almond, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Chris Mercer, Henry Lowther, Tony Reeves, and Jon Hiseman. He shifted towards a blend of jazz and blues in late 1968 before moving to California. There, he collaborated with artists like Blue Mitchell, Victor Gaskin, Don 'Sugarcane' Harris, and Red Holloway in his bands.

Born in Macclesfield in 1933, he first experienced music through his father, who was a guitarist and had a collection of jazz 78s. Some of his early influences were Louis Armstrong, Charlie Christian, and Django Reinhardt. He later discovered Big Bill Broonzy and Leadbelly, which inspired him to start learning guitar. As a teenager, he became interested in boogie-woogie pianists like Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis, which led him to also learn piano. He developed a passion for late 1940s revivalist jazz before joining a trad-jazz band while attending Manchester Art College. In 1955, he founded his first blues band called John Mayall's Powerhouse Four, which was a pioneering venture ahead of similar projects by Alexis Korner and the Rolling Stones. In 1962, he formed The Blues Syndicate, which even included the late writer from Jazzwise, Jack Massarik.

Moving to London in 1963, he joined forces with Korner just as rhythm & blues was becoming popular in the London jazz scene. He put together the first Bluesbreakers line-up, booking many gigs and releasing their debut album for Decca, John Mayall Plays John Mayall. The album was recorded live at Klooks Kleek, with him playing guitar, organ, piano, and harmonica and writing most of the songs. They supported T-Bone Walker on his UK tour and soon after recruited Eric Clapton, a former member of the Yardbirds. The album John Mayall Eric Clapton Blues Breakers became a huge success, inspiring many blues bands in the UK and sparking a growing interest in blues music in the USA. This catapulted Mayall and Clapton to international fame. Michael Brecker mentioned that he was greatly influenced by Alan Skidmore's powerful tenor solo on the album's standout track, 'Have You Heard', when he first started playing the alto saxophone.

In quick succession, A Hard Road followed with new guitar legend Peter Green and future Zappa drummer Anysley Dunbar; Crusade featured Mick Taylor and a jazz horn section; and in 1968, Bare Wires, Mayall's first jazz/blues-rock album with Lowther, Heckstall-Smith, Hiseman and Reeves, established them as a major touring group in America. They caught the attention of Miles Davis and performed at numerous jazz, rock, and blues festivals. Since permanently relocating to California in 1970, Mayall has continued to tour and record with various Bluesbreakers line-ups. He has also reunited with Clapton, Green, and Taylor. I last saw him at Ronnie Scott's in April 2014, where he still exuded the same passion and energy for music that he had 60 years ago. Mayall has released over 75 albums, several compilations, and a massive 35 CD and book archival box set. He was awarded an OBE in 2005 and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. He has finally been selected for a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, set to take place this October. It's about time!