John Mayall - Road Show Blues (1981)

Road Show Blues was John Mayall's third album for the U.K.'s DJM Records, following Bottom Line and No More Interviews. At this time, his backup band included guitarist/singer James Quill Smith, bassist Kevin McCormick, drummer Soko Richardson, and singer Maggie Parker. Two cuts, Jimmy Reed's "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" and Mayall's "Mexico City," were recorded live. The band is a tight unit in support of the leader, who sings and plays fiercely. By the time that this album, the last in Mayall's DJM contract, was recorded, his career was in decline, and the disc was not released in the U.S. at the time. It would be another five years before he made another. Through some corporate legerdemain, the record has bounced around from one company to another and been reissued several times under different titles. These reissues include The Adventures of John Mayall, Road Show, and Lost and Gone. Of course, the Mayall fan needs only one, but it does make a worthy addition to the catalog. ~William Ruhlmann