MIKE BLOOMFIELD "Living In The Fast Lane" (1980)

1980
Producer Norman Dayron -

Michael Bloomfield : Vocals 5,6,8, Guitar 1-8, Organ 1, Piano 6,7, Bass 7, Perc. 3, Tamb. 1
Frank Biner : Vocal 1
Mark Naftalin : Piano 1, ARP Synthesizer 6, Electric Piano 5,8
Roger Troy : Bass 1,5,8
George Marsh : Drums 1,5,8
Duke Tito & The Marin County Playboys : Background Vocals 5,8
Sons of Kings : Vocals 2
Clay Cotton : Keyboards 2
Carl Severeid : Bass 2
Dwight Dailey : Drums 2
Toots Suite : Horns 2
Bob Jones : Vocals 4, Bass 4, Drums 4,7
Ann(a) Rizzo : Vocals 4
Mr. Robot : Percussion 4
Mark Adams : Harmonica 5

01. “Maudie” (3.06)
02. “Roots” (3.30)
03. “Watkin’s Rag”(1.43)
04. “Andy’s Bad” (3.50)
05. “Used to It” (2.43)
06. “Big C Blues” (3.31) w/m MB
07. “The Dizz Rag” (3.34)

(01-07)LP “Living In The Fast Lane” (1981-Line)
(01-07)CD "Living In The Fast Lane" (1991-Line)

An album with great tracks from a variety of sessions — from great pop to blues and rag to sublime gospel (the three tracks from 1975 not listed here). “Andy’s Bad” is from the 1977 movie of the same name and is a very catchy tune with the drummer Bob Jones whispering the title (in the movie it’s only instrumental). Tracks (1) is the lesser lights, but still good. Tracks (3,6,and 7) have MB on a lot of instruments and are great showcases for his versatility in the blues genre. Hearing them one thinks he could play that kind of music around the clock. A good album. Might have been released in the US before his death, but it hit Europe immediately after, as the first posthumous release.