‘Godfather of the Blues’ John Mayall, 83, announces new London shows
Name an artist who has done more to shape the direction of modern music and you’ll be hard-pressed to pick out anyone with such a significant contribution under his belt as John Mayall.
He is one of the most prolific British musicians of all time in any genre, let alone that which has given him the prestigious title, ‘Godfather of the Blues’.
Having amassed more than 60 albums over a career spanning six decades, the legendary Mayall is now set to embark on a massive UK tour – featuring an eye-catching double header at the Cadogan Hall in Chelsea.
The shows follow on from the release of his latest record, Talk About That – remarkably, his 65th album of original material.
At the ripe age of 83, Mayall is one of music’s longest-serving veterans. But if there is one style that grants the player the opportunity to age gracefully, it is certainly the blues.
“A certain maturity sets in after you’ve been playing for so long,” Mayall said in a 2011 interview with No Depression magazine, when asked how his approach had changed over the decades.
“You know yourself better and what works, and I think the experience you have with your tools of the trade – which in my case are keyboards, harmonica and sometimes the guitar, shows over time as you become more assured.
“You express yourself through the music and the longer you play, the more assured you get and the more refined your expression is.”
There have been fewer greater champions of the blues during the 20th – and 21st – centuries.
But Mayall has never quite received the kind of popular acclaim that his incredible body of work deserves.
In fact, in the minds of part-time fans, his fame has come more from the musicians he has mentored than his own work.
The likes of Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green all featured in various line-ups of his legendary 60s supergroup John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, and the icons of the era casually drop his name as a key influence on the scene.
Alongside his work with some of rock’s future greats, Mayall found fame across the pond.
He was heralded for his innovations in jazz and rock as well as his beloved blues, and scooped a Grammy for his 1993 album Wake Up Call, which featured guest appearances from Taylor, Mavis Staples and Buddy Guy.
Lauded with critical acclaim throughout his career, Mayall was awarded an OBE for services to British music in 2005 and was inducted – albeit long overdue – into the Blues Hall of Fame last year.
This crowning moment came eight years after Mayall officially retired the Bluesbreakers name. But he is now touring again as a trio with bass player George Rzab and drummer Jay Davenport. And his songs remain as dynamic and bold as ever.
Despite being an ever-present at each turning point in the genre’s illustrious history, Mayall has resisted the lures of technology.
His current shows are stripped-back blues affairs, often with very little equipment on stage.
“We sometimes play on the same bill with other acts that have mountains of equipment – two giant keyboards, speakers all over the place, you know, banks of monitors all over the stage – and we have virtually nothing,” he says. “We’re pretty minimalistic.”
Even without the fully-charged stage setup behind him, Mayall remains one of the most powerful players in the game.
John Mayall and his band will perform along with special guests the Buddy Whittington Band at the Cadogan Hall on November 2 and 3.
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