Album Review: John Mayall — Nobody Told Me
In the 1960s when a wider audience of white listeners embarked upon a belated discovery of the blues, it was thanks in no small part to the championing of the blues form by British musicians. The Rolling Stones, the Animals and the Yardbirds all made a point of acknowledging their African-American musical forbears. But the undisputed godfather of that British blues resurgence was John Mayall.
A singer, songwriter, harmonica player, guitarist and keyboardist, Mayall has always been a keen interpreter of the blues, deftly mixing standards and his own original material into a rich musical tapestry. But it’s as a bandleader that he’s most well known; many of those in his employ would go on to acclaim on their own.
Today at age 85, Mayall is himself a grand old man of the blues. Of late Mayall has been touring with longtime associates Jay Davenport (drums) and bassist Greg Rzab. For his latest (and something like his 90th) album, Mayall has augmented that lineup, returning to an approach that has served him well before: working with musical guests.
Nobody Told Me is a solid studio set, and features lead guitarists from inside and outside of the blues idiom. Some guest choices are fairly obvious: Joe Bonamassa takes the lead on a reading of Magic Sam’s “What Have I Done Wrong” and one other; Carolyn Wonderland rips it up on three tunes, including a pair of Mayall originals.
Other guests are somewhat unexpected, even for the genre-spanning Mayall. Todd Rundgren (whose own 2011 blues excursion Todd Rundgren’s Johnson was uncharacteristically unsatisfying) plays stinging and melodic lead on a horn-heavy reading of the Jerry Garcia Band’s “That’s What Love Will Make You Do.” Even more left-field is the appearance of Rush’s Alex Lifeson on Jeff Healey’s “Evil and Here to Stay.” But all of Mayall’s choices work.
On all ten cuts, Mayall sings lead; his distinctive voice is in as fine form as it was a half century ago. And for listeners who wish to join in on guitar, harmonica or other instruments, Mayall’s brief liner notes indicate the key for each song.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.