Along with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, The Bluesbreakers played a central role in British R&B. Under Mayall's unwavering commitment to the blues, they produced a generation of musicians.
The son of a keen amateur dance band musician, John Mayall put his first group, The Powerhouse Four, together while he was still at art school, studying to become a commercial artist. His next venture was the semi-professional Blues Syndicate who played gigs around the Manchester area. It was at one such gig, at the Twisted Wheel, that Alexis Korner persuaded Mayall to try his luck in London.
Mayall moved south and formed the Bluesbreakers in 1963. The first settled line-up of the band consisted of Bernie Watson (guitar), John McVie (bass) and Martin Hart (drums). This version of the Bluesbreakers lasted from July '63 to April '64 when Watson and Hart were replaced by Roger Dean and Hughie Flint respectively. It was this line-up that recorded the first single and cut an album live at a London club. These first recordings had a distinct R'n'B feel to them, but when Eric Clapton came on board from the Yardbirds early in '65 they switched to a more purist blues sound.
In 1966 they released their "Blues Breakers" album, an unexpected success commercially, the record firmly established Clapton's status as a guitar hero. Although singles would continue to be issued, Mayall became one of the first artists to concentrate on the albums market.
Clapton left in mid-66 for form the "supergroup" Cream and Mayall turned to Peter Green to replace him. Green would only remain with the group for a year before being leaving to form Fleetwood Mac and being succeeded by future Rolling Stone Mick Taylor.
Throughout their career the musicians themselves may have changed frequently but Mayall remained unconcerned about the commercial pressures of the day and stuck to a "back to the roots" policy of playing the blues.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers I (Jan. 1963 - Mar. 1963)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar - b. November 29, 1933, Macclesfield, England. Sammy Prosser - guitar Davy Graham - guitar Ricky Brown - bass Pete Burford - bass John McVie - bass - b. November 26, 1945, London, England. Sam Stone - drums Brian Mayall - drums
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers II (Apr. 1963 - Jul. 1963)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Sammy Prosser - guitar John Gilbey - guitar John McVie - bass Keith Robertson - drums
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers III (Jul. 1963 - Apr. 1964)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Bernie Watson - guitar John McVie - bass Peter Ward - drums Martin Hart - drums
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers IV (Apr. 1964 - Apr. 1965)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Roger Dean - guitar John McVie - bass Hughie Flint - drums
Album: "John Mayall Plays John Mayall" (1965)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers V (Apr. 1965 - Aug. 1965)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Eric Clapton - guitar - b. Eric Clapp on March 30, 1945, Ripley, England - formerly with The Roosters, Casey Jones and the Engineers, and The Yardbirds. John McVie - bass Hughie Flint - drums
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers VI (Aug. 1965 - Nov. 1965)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Jeff Krobbett - guitar Peter Green - guitar John McVie - bass Jack Bruce - bass Hughie Flint - drums
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers VII (Nov. 1965 - Jul. 1966)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Eric Clapton - guitar John McVie - bass Hughie Flint - drums
Album: "Bluesbreakers - John Mayall with Eric Clapton" (1966) (with Eric Clapton) Eric Clapton leaves to form Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers VIII (Jul. 1966 - Sep. 1966)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Peter Green - guitar John McVie - bass Hughie Flint - drums Hughie Flint forms McGuinness Flint (with Tom McGuinness, formerly of Manfred Mann).
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers IX (Sep. 1966 - Apr. 1967)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Peter Green - guitar John McVie - bass Aynsley Dunbar - drums
Album: "A Hard Road" (1967) Aynsley Dunbar later joins The Jeff Beck Group, Bonzo Dog Band, Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Journey, and Jefferson Starship.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers X (Apr. 1967 - May 1967)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Peter Green - guitar John McVie - bass Mickey Waller - drums Mick Fleetwood - drums
Album: "The Blues Alone" (1967) Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood form Shotgun Express (with Rod Stewart), and later form Fleetwood Mac.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XI (Jun. 1967 - Sep. 1967)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Mick Taylor - guitar John McVie - bass Keef Hartley - drums Chris Mercer - sax Rip Kant - sax Terry Edmonds - guitar
Album: "Crusade" (1967) John McVie forms Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood).
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XII (Sep. 1967 - Apr. 1968)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Mick Taylor - guitar Paul Williams - bass Keith Tillman - bass Andy Fraser - bass Keef Hartley - drums Chris Mercer - sax Henry Lowther - trumpet Dick Heckstall-Smith - sax
Albums: "Diary of a Band, vol. 1" (1968) "Diary of a Band, vol. 2" (1968) Andy Fraser forms Free (with Paul Rodgers, Paul Kossoff, and Simon Kirke).
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XIII (Apr. 1968 - Aug. 1968)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Mick Taylor - guitar Tony Reeves - bass John Hiseman - drums Chris Mercer - sax Henry Lowther - trumpet Dick Heckstall-Smith - sax
Album: "Bare Wires" (1968) Tony Reeves, John Hiseman, and Dick Heckstall-Smith form Colosseum.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XIV (Aug. 1968 - May 1969)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Mick Taylor - guitar Steve Thompson - bass Colin Allen - drums
Album: "Blues From Laurel Canyon" (1968) Mick Taylor joins The Rolling Stones.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XV (Jun. 1969 - Jun. 1970)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Duster Bennett - guitar/vocals Jon Mark - guitar Johnny Almond - sax Steve Thompson - bass Alex Dmochowski - bass Larry Taylor - bass
Albums: "The Turning Point" (1969) "Empty Rooms" (1970) Jon Mark and Johnny Almond form The Mark-Almond Band.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XVI (Jul. 1970 - 1971)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Harvey Mandel - guitar - b. March 11, 1945, Detroit, Michigan - formerly with Canned Heat. Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin - b. June 18, 1938, Pasadena, California; d. November 30, 1999. Larry Taylor - bass - formerly with Canned Heat.
Album: "USA Union" (1970)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XVII (1971)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Eric Clapton - guitar Mick Taylor - guitar Keef Hartley - drums Harvey Mandel - guitar Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin Larry Taylor - bass
Album: "Back to the Roots" (2-CDs) (1971)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XVIII (1971)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Harvey Mandel - guitar Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin Larry Taylor - bass
Album: "Thru the Years" (1971)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XIX (1971)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Jimmy McCulloch - guitar - b. 1953, Glasgow, Scotland; d. September 27, 1979, London, England - formerly with Thunderclap Newman and Stone the Crows. Larry Taylor - bass
Album: "Memories" (1971) Jimmy McCulloch later joins Paul McCartney's Wings and The Small Faces.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XX (1971)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Freddy Robinson - guitar Blue Mitchell - trumpet Ron Selico - bass Clifford Solomon - saxes
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXI (1971 - 1972)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Freddy Robinson - guitar Blue Mitchell - trumpet Clifford Solomon - saxes Keef Hartley - drums
Album: "Jazz-Blues Fusion" (1972)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXII (1972)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Freddy Robinson - guitar Blue Mitchell - trumpet Clifford Solomon - saxes Keef Hartley - drums Victor Gaskin - bass Fred Jackson - saxes Charlie Owens - flutes Ernie Watts - sax
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXIII (1972 - 1973)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Freddy Robinson - guitar Blue Mitchell - trumpet Red Holloway - flute/saxes Keef Hartley - drums Victor Gaskin - bass Fred Jackson - saxes Charlie Owens - flutes Ernie Watts - sax
Album: "Moving On" (1972)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXIV (1973 - 1975)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Freddy Robinson - guitar Blue Mitchell - trumpet Red Holloway - flute/saxes Keef Hartley - drums Victor Gaskin - bass Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin
Album: "Ten Years Are Gone" (1973)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXV (1975)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Hightide Harris - bass/guitar Red Holloway - flute/saxes Randy Resnick - guitar Soko Richardson - drums
Album: "The Latest Edition" (1975)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXVI (1975 - 1977)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin Larry Taylor - bass Dee McKinnie - vocals - b. 1950 Rick Vito - guitar - b. October 13, 1949, Darby, Pennsylvania. Jay Spell - keyboards Soko Richardson - drums
Albums: "New Year, New Band, New Company" (1975) "Notice to Appear" (1975) "A Banquet in Blues" (1976) Rick Vito later joins Fleetwood Mac.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXVII (1977)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Larry Taylor - bass Jay Spell - keyboards Red Holloway - flute/saxes Gary Rowles - guitar Frank Wilson - drums Warren Bryant - percussion Pepper Watkins - vocals Patty Smith - vocals
Album: "Lots of People" (1977)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXVIII (1977 - 1978)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar James Quill Smith - guitar Steve Thompson - bass Soko Richardson - drums
Albums: "A Hard Core Package" (1977) "The Last of the British Blues" (1978)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXIX (1979)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
Album: "Bottom Line" (1979) (with various studio musicians)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXX (1979 - 1980)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar James Quill Smith - guitar Rick Vito - guitar Chris Cameron - piano/clavinet Christian Mostert - saxes/flutes Angus Thomas - bass Ruben Alvarez - drums Maggie Parker - vocals
Album: "No More Interviews" (1979)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXI (1980 - 1981)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar James Quill Smith - guitar Maggie Parker - vocals Kevin McCormick - bass Soko Richardson - drums
Album: "Road Show Blues" (1980)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXII (1981 - 1982)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Don McMinn - guitar Bobby Manuel - guitar Jeff Davis - bass Mike Gardner - drums
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXIII (1982) (Reunion)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar John McVie - bass Mick Taylor - guitar Colin Allen - drums
Album: "The 1982 Reunion Concert" (1994) Group disbands.
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXIV (1984 - 1985) (reformed)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Coco Montoya - guitar Kal David - guitar - formerly with Illinois Speed Press. Willie McNeil - drums Walter Trout - guitar Bobby Haynes - bass
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXV (1985 - 1990)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Joe Yuele - drums Coco Montoya - guitar Walter Trout - guitar Bobby Haynes - bass
Albums: "Behind the Iron Curtain" (1986) "The Power of the Blues" (1987) "Chicago Line" (1988)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXVI (1990 - 1991)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Joe Yuele - drums Coco Montoya - guitar Freebo - bass
Album: "A Sense of Place" (1990)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXVII (1991 - 1994)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Joe Yuele - drums Coco Montoya - guitar Rick Cortes - bass
Album: "Wake Up Call" (1993)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXVIII (1994 - 1995)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Joe Yuele - drums Buddy Whittington - guitar Rick Cortes - bass
Albums: "Spinning Coin" (1995) "Blues for the Lost Days" (1997)
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXIX ( ? - Present)
John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar Joe Yuele - drums Buddy Whittington - guitar Greg Rzab - bass Tom Canning - keyboards
Album: "Padlock On The Blues" (1999) "Along For The Ride" (2001) - John Mayall & Friends
Compilations:
"The Best of John Mayall" (1973) "Archives to Eighties: Featuring Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor" (1988) (with Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor) "Looking Back" (1990) "John Mayall: London Blues, 1964-1969" (2-CDs) (1992) "John Mayall: Room to Move, 1969-1974" (2-CDs) (1992) "Cross Country Blues" (1994) "As It All Began: The Best...1964-69" (1998) "Drivin' On: The ABC Years (1975-1982)" (2-CD box set) (1998) "Silver Tones: The Best of John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers" (1998)
Discography
Singles
May '64 Crawling Up A Hill/Mr. James Decca F 11900
Oct '64 Crocodile Walk/Blues City Shakedown Decca F 12120
Oct '65 I'm Your Witchdoctor/Telephone Blues Immediate IM 012
Nov '65 Lonely Years/Bernard Jenkins Purdah 45-3502
Sep '66 Parchman Farm/Key To Love Decca F 12490
Oct '66 Looking Back/So Many Roads Decca F 12506
L.P.s
Mar '65 John Mayall Plays John Mayall - Crawling Up A Hill/I Wanna Teach You Everything/When I'm Gone/I Need Your Love/The Hoot Owl/R&B Time/Night Train/Crocodile Walk/What's The Matter With You?/Doreen/Runaway/Heartache/Chicago Like
Decca LK 4680
Jul '66 Blues Breakers - All Your Love/Hideaway/Little Girl/Another Man/Double Crossin' Time/What'd I Say?/Key To Love/Another Kinda Love/Hit The Highway/Leaping Christine/Dust My Blues/There's Always Work/Same Way/Supernatural/Top Of The Hill/Someday After A While/Living Alone