john mayall, “the Bear”
from: blues from laurel canyon, 1968
It’s 1968 with John Mayall’s band among the guiding lights of the British blues scene. The introductory instrumentation on “The Bear” arrives with enormous sized sound. It towers and chimes. Then a downshift works in a “Canned Heatean” riff that supports the rest of the number. That’s guitarzan young Mick Taylor on lead and well worn Mayall vocals. The bases are covered and yes, you can dance to it. And it has that gift that certain blues songs give us: the groove unashamedly with which to move.
