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Rating: "...The three great Bs of classical music were Beethoven, Brahms, and Bach; today the three great Bs of blues are Bloomfield, Bishop, and Butterfield...".
Thus Paul Nelson reviews the legendary "East-West" on the back-cover of the record.
It was 1966. From the very first concerts, the group formed by Butterfield (vocals and harmonica), Mark Naftalin (piano), Jerome Arnold (bass), Billy Davenport (drums), Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield (guitars), gains some notoriety throughout San Francisco, enough to soon become the focus of interest for the renowned Elektra record label.
"East-West" (released in 1967, following their debut album "Paul Butterfield Blues Band") is not only the masterpiece of the Frisco band, but of an entire musical genre. Few other albums like "Supersession", "Wheels Of Fire" or "Cheap Trills" have managed to expand the meaning of the word BLUES in such a way as to give it a personal and original interpretation. The east to west journey begins with the intense rhythm of "Walkin' Blues" (the entrance of Butterfield's voice and harmonica is colossal). Notable are also "Get Out Of My Life, Woman", "Work Song", where Bloomfield manages to reproduce exactly Nat Adderley's original jazz phrasing, and "Mary Mary", the Monkees' hit reinterpreted with a psychedelic twist. Unforgettable is the long suite of "East-West", where harmonica and guitars alternate in an endless trip.
Butterfield, Bloomfield, and company have entered history for mixing blues, Indian music, jazz, and psychedelia in a single album, which more than an album, is a true work of art.
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By psychrockblues
"East-West extended the meaning of the word BLUES, departing from the usual three-chord compositions and moving towards music never heard before."
"Butterfield and companions have left their mark on the history of modern music."
