2014 – Forty Below
Records
By Phillip Smith;
July 26, 2014
A mainstay in the blues and rock world for nearly
fifty years, John Mayall is proof; the blues rests for no one. Mayall, when just a few weeks shy of
his eightieth birthday, headed to Entourage Studios in North Hollywood to
record his first album in five years, A
Special Life. Accompanying this
legend in the studio for this timeless eleven track album were guitarist Rocky
Athas, bassist Greg Rzab, and drummer Jay Davenport.
Mayall
summons the spirit of New Orleans, covering the late “King of Zydeco” Clifton
Chenier’s creole-flavored “Why Did You Go Last Night”. Special guest C.J Chenier, Clifton’s
son, jams out on accordion and kicks in on vocals to makes this cut stand out
even more, as Mayall cuts loose on the piano. While still on the subject
of Louisiana Blues, it’d be a huge mistake to not mention “Speak of the Devil”. Rocky Athas on guitar sounds
absolutely amazing on this one originally recorded by Louisiana native Sonny
Landreth. I’ve been an Athas
fan since his stint with Black Oak Arkansas, and think his style blends with
Mayall’s very nicely. Athas
also stands out on Jimmy McCracklin’s “I Just got to Know”, handing out lush
riffs and tasty licks, as Rzab lays down a cool baseline for him to
follow.
Putting the covers aside, Mayall goes deep
with a few originals of his own. Singing
about the current state of the world, in the thought-provoking, “World Gone
Crazy”, Mayall calls out the governments and religions of the world as the
contributing sources of global insanity. Performed in a boogie style on piano with
a side of harmonica, and a cool little drum intro from Davenport, this song
hits the spot. Slow and easy, like life
in the Mississippi Delta, is how title track, “A Special Life” is delivered. Mayall dishes out a sweet harmonica
melody meticulously poured over a retro bluesy rhythm, as in the fashion of Quincy
Jones.
One couldn’t ask for a better bunch of musicians to
back the legendary John Mayall, and this album confirms that. Chock-full of flawlessly performed blues, rock,
and boogie, A Special Life is an
album to treasure.
