Page 62 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2017

Living Legend:

Even into his eighties, John
is still performing — here
he is at the 2016 King
John MayaLL
Biscuit Blues Festival
Photo by Ÿ Marilyn Stringer

The Godfather of British Blues

By Mike Shivvers

John Mayall told the audience at his Blues Hall of Fame piano in his early teens, the mold was cast. As a teen, John
induction ceremony in May 2016 that he would continue to attended junior art school in Manchester, and began to learn
perform and make music as long as he was able to do it with piano. It was a lonely existence for John at first, as there was
full energy and enthusiasm… that it was all he knew how to little interest locally in the type of music he chose to play.
do, then wryly added, “you’ll soon be sick of me, I’m sure.” In the early ‘50s, John worked in display advertising,
As his career continues strong over fifty years since its start, served in the army for two years, and afterwards continued
his fans beg to differ. To really get the true idea of who John his studies at the Regional College of Art – during which he
Mayall is, go no further than his last three studio albums – A became a more proficient musician and taught music to local
Special Life, Find A Way To Care and his most recent 2017 youth. Upon graduating in 1959, John worked in advertising
release, Talk About That – three of his most reflective and until 1963, when he turned to music full time.
personal albums to date. Many of the tracks on all three show John Mayall started his first band in 1962 in Manchester
John’s reflective mood over his career and life, but also look – the Blues Syndicate – which included John on keyboards,
forward with a continued desire to explore the blues and guitar, harmonica and vocals; Hughie Flint on drums; Ray
create new music. Cummings (who had played in John’s art school band, The
John Mayall was born November 29, 1933, near Powerhouse Four) on guitar; Jack Masarak on alto sax; and
Manchester, England. His early introduction and influence in John Rowlands on trumpet. The Blues Syndicate was inspired
music began at home. His father, Murray Mayall, was an by Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, and it was Korner who
accomplished guitarist and had an extensive collection of convinced John he could make a living playing R&B and the
78rpm records of mostly jazz and American blues. Record blues if he went to London.
collections were the primary way fledgling British musicians
of the ‘50s and ‘60s were exposed to American music – and “When John plays the blues, it is an expression of
the blues in particular – as the British airwaves had restrictive everything he has experienced and everyone he has been
mainstream playlists. The first blues record John recalls hearing inspired by, in a quest to put out the most expressive,
was by the Mills Brothers, not generally known for the blues, unique and spontaneous statement possible.”
and that record led John to listen to Lonnie Johnson… and the – Dr. Marie Trout, John’s induction ceremony into the
rest is history. When John was introduced to boogie woogie Blues Hall of Fame

60 Blues Festival Guide 2017