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Michael Bloomfield

Biography
Discography
Michael Bloomfield Biography
by Jan Mark Wolkin
Michael Bernard Bloomfield was born July 28, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois. An indifferent
student and self-described social outcast, Bloomfield immersed himself in the multi-
cultural music world that existed in Chicago in the 1950s.
He got his first guitar at age 13. Initially attracted to the roots-rock sound of
Elvis Presley and Scotty Moore, Bloomfield soon discovered the electrified big-city blues
music indigenous to Chicago. At the age of 14 the exuberant guitar wunderkind began to
visit the blues clubs on Chicago’s South Side with friend Roy Ruby in search of his new
heroes: players such as Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, Howling Wolf, and Magic Sam. Not
content with viewing the scene from the audience, Bloomfield was known to leap onto the
stage, asking if he could sit in as he simultaneously plugged in his guitar and began playing
riffs.
Bloomfield was quickly accepted on the South Side, as much for his ability as
for the audiences' appreciation of the novelty of seeing a young white player in a part of
town where few whites were seen. Bloomfield soon discovered a group of like-minded
outcasts. Young white players such as Paul Butterfield, Nick Gravenites, Charlie
Musselwhite, and Elvin Bishop were also establishing themselves as fans who could hold
their own with established bluesmen, many of whom were old enough to be their fathers.
In addition to playing with the established stars of the day, Bloomfield began to
search out older, forgotten bluesmen, playing and recording with Sleepy John Estes, Yank
Rachell, Little Brother Montgomery and Big Joe Williams, among others. By this time he
was managing a Chicago folk music club, the Fickle Pickle, and often hired older acoustic
blues players for the Tuesday night blues sessions. Big Joe Williams memorialized those
times in the song "Pick A Pickle" with the line "You know Mike Bloomfield...will always
treat you right...come to the Pickle, every Tuesday night." Bloomfield’s relationship with
Big Joe Williams is documented in "Me And Big Joe," a moving short story detailing
Bloomfield’s adventures on the road with Williams.
Bloomfield's guitar work as a session player caught the ear of legendary CBS
producer and talent scout John Hammond, Sr., who flew to Chicago and immediately
signed him to a recording contract. However CBS was unsure of exactly how to promote
their new artist, declining to release any of the tracks recorded by Bloomfield's band,
which included harp player Charlie Musselwhite.
With a contract but not much else, Bloomfield returned to playing clubs around
Chicago until he was approached by Paul Rothchild, the producer of the Paul Butterfield
Blues Band albums. Bloomfield was recruited to play slide guitar and piano on early
recordings (later released as The Lost Elektra Sessions) which were rejected for not fully
capturing the sound of the band. Although more competitors than friends ("I knew Paul [and I]
was scared of him" remembered Mike), the addition of Bloomfield to the Butterfield Band
provided Paul Butterfield with a musician of equal caliber -- Paul and Michael inspired and
challenged each other as they traded riffs and musical ideas, one establishing a pattern and
the other following it, extending it, and handing it back.
In between recording sessions with the Butterfield Band, Bloomfield backed up
Bob Dylan on the classic Highway 61 Revisited album, and appeared with him at the
Newport Folk Music Festival in 1965 when Dylan stunned the purist folk music crowd by playing
electric rock-and-roll. Declining an offer from Dylan to join his touring band, Bloomfield
and the Butter Band returned to the studio; with the addition of pianist Mark Naftalin they
finally captured their live sound on vinyl.
The first two Butterfield Blues Band albums, the Dylan sessions, and the live
appearances by the Butterfield Band firmly established Bloomfield as one of the most talented
and influential guitar players in America. The second album featured the Bloomfield
composition "East-West" which ushered in an era of long instrumental psychedelic
improvisations.
Bloomfield left the Butterfield Blues Band in early 1967 ostensibly to give
original guitarist Elvin Bishop, in Mike's words, "a little space." Undoubtedly he had also
become uncomfortable with Paul Butterfield's position as bandleader and was anxious to
lead his own band.
That band, The Electric Flag, included Bloomfield's old friends from Chicago,
organist Barry Goldberg and singer/songwriter Nick Gravenites, as well as bass player
Harvey Brooks and drummer Buddy Miles. The band was well received at its official
debut at the Monterey Pop Festival but quickly fell apart due to drugs, egos, and poor
management.
Bloomfield, weary of the road, suffering from insomnia, and uncomfortable in
the role of guitar superstar, returned to San Francisco to score movies, produce other
artists, and play studio sessions. One of those sessions was a day of jamming in the studio
with keyboardist Al Kooper, who had previously worked with Bloomfield on the 1965
Dylan sessions.
Super Session, the resultant release, with Bloomfield on side one and guitarist
Stephen Stills on side two, once again thrust Bloomfield into the spotlight. Kooper's
production and the improvisational nature of the recording session captured the
quintessential Bloomfield sound: the fast flurries of notes, the incredible string bending,
the precise attack, and his masterful use of tension and release.
Although Super Session was the most successful recording of his career,
Bloomfield considered it to be a scam, more of an excuse to sell records than a pursuit of
musical goals. After a follow-up live album, he "retired" to San Francisco and lowered his
visibility.
In the seventies Bloomfield played gigs in the San Francisco area and
infrequently toured as Bloomfield And Friends, a group which usually included Mark
Naftalin and Nick Gravenites. Bloomfield also occasionally helped out friends by lending
his name to recording projects and business propositions, such as the ill-fated Electric Flag
reunion in 1974 and the KGB album in 1976. In the mid-seventies Bloomfield recorded a
number of albums with a more traditional blues focus for smaller record labels. He also
recorded an instructional album of various blues styles for Guitar Player magazine.
By the late seventies Bloomfield's continuing drug and health problems caused
erratic behavior and missed gigs, alienating a number of his old associates. Bloomfield
continued playing with other musicians, including Dave Shorey and Jonathan Cramer. In
the summer of 1980 he toured Italy with classical guitarist Woody Harris and cellist
Maggie Edmondson. On November 15, 1980, Bloomfield joined Bob Dylan on stage at
the Warfield Theater in San Francisco and jammed on "Like A Rolling Stone," the song
they had recorded together 15 years earlier.
Michael Bloomfield was found dead in his car of a drug overdose in San
Francisco, California on February 15, 1981.
* * * * *
© 1996 Jan Mark Wolkin
Michael Bloomfield Discography
compiled by Jan Mark Wolkin
7" Single
- MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD
- "Analine"/"Peepin' An' A Moanin' Blues" (Takoma B-5059), 1977
Promo Single
- BLOOMFIELD, HAMMOND & DR. JOHN
- "The Trip" (non LP), (Playback CBS Custom label / AS51 ZSM
158374)
- THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND
- "Come On In" (non LP)/"I Got A Mind To Give Up Living"
(Elektra 45609)
- THE CHICAGO LOOP
- "(When She Needs Good Lovin') She Comes To Me"/"This Must Be
The Place"
(dyno-Voice 226), 1966
- "Richard Corey"/"Cloudy" (dyno-Voice 230), 1967
12" LP
- CHUCK BERRY
- Fresh Berries (Chess 4506), Bloomfield guitar
un-credited
- BEAVER AND KRAUSE
- Gandharva ( Warner Bros. WS-1909), 1971, 1 song
- MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD
- American Hero (Thunderbolt THBL-100), 1984, bootleg
- Analine (Takoma B-1059), 1977
- Between The Hard Place And The Ground (Takoma 7070),
1979
- Bloomfield-A Retrospective (Columbia C2-37578), 1983,
Two Record Set
- Count Talent And the Originals (Clouds 8005), 1978
- Cruisin' For A Bruisin' (Takoma 7091), 1981
- If You Love These Blues, Play 'Em As You Please(Guitar Player 3002), 1976
- I'm With You Always (Demon Fiend-92), 1987, Recorded
live 1977 McCabes, LA
- Initial Shock (Cobra 010), 1989, Italian bootleg,
Reissue of Red, Hot & Blue bootleg
- It's Not Killing Me (Columbia KH-30395), 1970
- Live Adventures (Masters 20784), bootleg, Dutch
release of American Hero
- Live In Italy (Mama Barley 001), 1980, Italian bootleg
- Living In The Fast Lane (Waterhouse 11), 1980
- Michael Bloomfield (Takoma 7063), 1978
- Red, Hot & Blue (United Distributors Lyrics, Ltd. UDL
2328 UDL 2322), 1981, bootleg
- MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD, NICK GRAVENITES, MARK NAFTALIN ET AL.
- Live At Bill Graham's Fillmore West (Columbia
CS-9893), 1969, more on My Labors
- MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD, NICK GRAVENITES, PAUL BUTTERFIELD, MARIA
MULDAUR
- Steelyard Blues (Warner Bros. BS-2662), 1972, movie
soundtrack
- MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD/JOHN PAUL HAMMOND/DR. JOHN
- Triumverate (Columbia RC-32172), 1973
- MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD/WOODY HARRIS
- Bloomfield/Harris (Kicking Mule 164), 1979
- MIKE BLOOMFIELD/AL KOOPER
- The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper (Columbia KGB-6), 1969
- Super Session (Columbia CS-9701), 1968
- Super Session (MFSL 1-178), half-speed master
- More Live Adventures (Better Days 002), 1974, bootleg, Bottom Line, NYC
- BREWER AND SHIPLEY
- Weeds (Kama Sutra 2016), 1969
- THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND
- East-West (Elektra EKS-7315), 1967
- The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (Elektra K-294), 1965
- Golden Butter (Elektra 2005)
- DICK CAMPBELL
- Sings Where It's At (Mecury SR61060), 1965
- JAMES COTTON
- Cotton In Your Ears (Verve FTS-3060)
- James Cotton (Verve FTS-3023), 1967, Bloomfield co-produced
- Taking Care of Business (Capital SM814), 3 songs
- MICHAEL D'ABO
- Broken Rainbows (A&M 3634), 1974 1 song
- TIM DAVIS
- Take Me As I Am ( Metromedia BML1-175), 1972, 2 songs
- BOB DYLAN
- Highway 61 Revisited (Columbia CS-9189), 1965
- Highway 61 Revisited (Columbia CS-9189), 1965 w/ alternate "From A Buick 6"
- Stealin' (Berkeley 2010), bootleg, Highway 61 Revisited outtakes
- ELECTRIC FLAG
- A Long Time Comin' (Columbia CS-9597), 1967
- The Band Played On (Atlantic SD-18112), 1974
- The Trip (Sidewalk/Tower ST 5908), 1967, Reissue Edsel ED211
- SLEEPY JOHN ESTES
- Broke and Hungry (Delmark DS-608), 1964
- MILLIE FOSTER
- Feels The Spirit (MGM SE4897), 1972
- BARRY GOLDBERG
- Barry Goldberg and Friends (Record Man CR-5105), 1969
- Barry Goldberg And Friends Live (Buddah BDS-5684), 1976
- Blasts From My Past (Buddah BDS-5081), 1971
- Two Jews Blues (Buddah BDS-5029), 1969 Listed as "the Great"
- NICK GRAVENITES
- My Labors (Columbia CS-9899), 1969
- JOHN HAMMOND
- Mirrors (Vanguard VSD-7924), 1968, 2 songs
- So Many Roads (Vanguard VSD-7917), 1965
- WOODY HERMAN
- Brand New (Fantasy 8414), 1971, 4 songs
- JANIS JOPLIN
- I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! (Columbia KCS-9913), 1969
- KGB
- KINGFISH
- Kingfish (Relix RRLP2005), 1973, 1 song w/ John Lee Hooker
- SAM LAY
- Sam Lay In Bluesland (Blue Thumb BTS-14), 1970
- MELTON, LEVY AND THE DEY BROS.
- Melton, Levy And The Dey Bros. (Columbia KC31279), 1972
- MILL VALLEY BUNCH
- Casting Pearls (Verve V68825), 1973 a.k.a. Mill Valley Session on Polydor
- MOBY GRAPE
- Grape Jam (Columbia MGS-1), 1969, w/ Wow, 1 song
- MOTHER EARTH
- Living With The Animals (Mercury SR-61194), 1969, as Makel Blumfeld, 1 song
- CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE
- Leave The Blues To Us (Capital 11450), 1975
- PETER, PAUL AND MARY
- Album (Warner Bros. WS-16481965), 1 song
- YANK RACHELL
- Mandolin Blues (Delmark DL-606), l963
- OTIS RUSH
- Mourning In The Morning (Cotillion SD-9006), 1969, Bloomfield co-produced
- MITCH RYDER
- What Now My Love (Dyno-voice DY-31901), 1967
- SOUTHERN COMFORT
- Southern Comfort (Columbia 1011), 1971
- THE USUAL SUSPECTS
- The Usual Suspects (Tomistoma), 1981, 1 song
- VARIOUS ARTISTS
- Chicago Breakdown (Takoma 7071), 1980, 1 song, w/ Little Brother Montgomery
- Fathers and Sons (Chess LPS-127), 1969
- Folk Song '65 (Electra S-78), 1965, Butterfield Blues Band, alternate "Born In Chicago"
- Newport Folk Festival 1965 (Vanguard VRS-9225), 1965, Butterfield Blues Band, live "Mellow Down Easy"
- Rare Blues (Takoma 7081),1980, 1 song, w/ Little Brother Montgomery
- San Francisco Blues Festival, (Jefferson BL 602), 1 song live, 1976
- What's Shakin' (Electra KL-4002), 1966, reissue Edsel ED249, Butterfield Blues Band, 5 songs
- You Are What You Eat (Columbia OS-3240), 1969 1 song
- EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON
- Cherry Red (Bluesway/ABC BL-6007), 1967
- THE ZEET BAND
- Moogie Woogie (Chess 1545), 1969
CD
- BEAVER AND KRAUSE
- In A Wild Sanctuary/Gandharva (Warner Brothers Archives 9362-45663-2)
- MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD
- A True Soul Brother (Skyranch SRM 652328), French
- American Hero (Thunderbolt CDTB-1009), British bootleg
- Best Of Mike Bloomfield (Takoma 7115), out of print
- Between A Hard Place And The Ground (Thunderbolt CDTB-076), British bootleg, partial reissue
of Red, Hot And Blue LP
- Blues, Gospel And Ragtime Guitar Instrumentals (Shanachie 99007)
- Cruisin' For A Bruisin' (Takoma 7091), mastered at the wrong speed, sounds awful, out of print
- Don't Say That I Ain't Your Man! Essential Blues 1964-1969 (Columbia/Legacy CK57631)
- I'm With You Always (Demon-Fiend CD92), British, Recorded Live at McCabes
- Initial Shock (Cobra 001), Italian bootleg (not the U.S. Cobra label), partial reissue of Red, Hot And Blue LP
- Living In The Fast Lane (ERA 5006-2), substitutes "Sammy Knows How To Party" for "Maudie"
- Living In The Fast Lane (Line LICD9.00395), German, includes "Maudie," doesn't have "Sammy Knows How To Party"
- RX For The Blues (Eclipse 64736-2), bootleg, same as American Hero
- RX For The Blues (Success 22540cd), EEC import, bootleg, partial reissue of American Hero
and Electric Flag Live
- The Gospel Of Blues (Laserlight 12 356)
- The Root Of Blues (Laserlight 12 357)
- Try It Before You Buy It (CBS Special Products A21265), Licensed and distributed by One Way Records, out of print
- Uncle Bob's Barrelhouse Blues (Pulsar PULS 013), EEC import, bootleg, partial reissue of Red, Hot And Blue LP
- MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD/JOHN PAUL HAMMOND/DR. JOHN
- Triumvirate (Columbia RC-32172)
- MIKE BLOOMFIELD/AL KOOPER
- More Live Adventures Of Al Kooper And Mike Bloomfield (Four Aces Records FAR 009), Italian bootleg,
The Bottom Line, New York City, March 31, 1974
- Super Session (Columbia CS-9701)
- Super Session (Columbia CK-64611 0), Gold, "MasterSound" disc, includes 1 bonus track
- The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper (Columbia KGB-6), Japan, 2 CDs
- The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper (Edsel CD261), British, 1 CD, minus
Elvin Bishop-"No More Lonely Nights"
- THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND
- East-West (Elektra 7315-2)
- Strawberry Jam (Winner 446), live
- The Original Lost Elektra Sessions (Elektra/Rhino R2 73505)
- The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (Elektra 7294-2)
- JAMES COTTON
- Best Of The Verve Years (Verve 314 527 371-2)
- BOB DYLAN
- Bob Dylan Live W/ The Band, Al Kooper And Mike Bloomfield (Document DR 015 CD), bootleg
- The Bootleg Series (Columbia C3K 47382)
- Farewell Bloomfield (Cuttlefish records CR004/CR005), live 11/15/80 Warfield San Francisco, Mike on 2 songs, bootleg
- Highway 61 Revisited (Columbia CK9189)
- Highway 61 Revisited (DCC GZS-1021), gold CD
- Highway 61 Revisited Again (92-BD-09-04), bootleg
- Live In Newport 1965 (Document DR 004 CD), Mike on 3 songs, bootleg
- Thin Wild Mercury Music (Spank Records SP 105), bootleg
- ELECTRIC FLAG
- A Long Time Comin' (Columbia CK9597), w/ unreleased tracks
- Old Glory: The Best Of The Electric Flag (Columbia/Legacy CK57629), w/ unreleased tracks
- The Electric Flag - Live (Thunderbolt CDTB 1006), British bootleg
- The Trip (Curb Records D2-77863), only 12 of the original 18 songs
- SLEEPY JOHN ESTES
- Broke and Hungry (Delmark DD-608)
- BARRY GOLDBERG
- Barry Goldberg and Friends (Sequel nex cd 160)
- Barry Goldberg & Friends Live (Unidisc BDK 5684)
- Nothin' But The Best Of The Blues (Laserlight 17 058)
- Nothin' But The Blues (Laserlight 17 057), reissue Barry Goldberg And Friends Live
- Two Jews Blues (One Way Records OW 27672)
- JOHN HAMMOND
- Best Of John Hammond (Vanguard VCD 11/12)
- JANIS JOPLIN
- I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! (Columbia CK9913)
- MATT KELLY
- A Wing And A Prayer (Relix RRCD2010), 1 song
- KINGFISH
- Double Dose (Relix RRCD2035), from LP Kingfish, 1 song w/ John Lee Hooker
- PERCY MAYFIELD
- Blues Summit (Pilz 449300-2), 2 songs by Joe Turner w/ Mike Bloomfield and Mark Naftalin, bootleg
- TRACY NELSON
- The Best Of Tracy Nelson/Mother Earth featuring "Down So Low" (Reprise Archives 9 46232-2)
- JOE TURNER
- Shake, Rattle And Roll (Pilz 449319-2), live w/ Mike Bloomfield and Mark Naftalin, bootleg
- Joe Turner/Live (P-Vine PCD-908), live w/ Mike Bloomfield and Mark Naftalin, bootleg
- VARIOUS ARTISTS
- Blues With A Feeling (Vanguard VCD2-77005), 3 songs live Newport 65
- Fathers And Sons (MCA CHD 92522)
- Love Power-Hard To Find Hits Of The 60's sic / (Sequel Records NEM CD 669), w/ "(When She Needs Good Lovin')
She Comes To Me" by The Chicago Loop
- Monterey International Pop Festival (Rhino R270596), Electric Flag, 2 songs
- Takoma Blues (Takoma CDP 72822), 2 songs w/ Little Brother Montgomery
- What's Shakin' (Elektra 9 61343-2), 5 songs by The Butterfield Blues Band
- You Are What You Eat (Columbia CK3240), 1 song by The Electric Flag
- EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON
- Cherry Red (One Way Records MCAD 22169)
- MUDDY WATERS
- Muddy Waters - The Chess Box (MCA CHD 3-80002)
Samples
- BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
- If 60's Were 90's (Castle ESS CD 200), includes sample of Mike's address to the crowd at the Monterey Pop Festival
- DIAMOND AND THE PSYCHOTIC NEUROTICS
- Stunts, Blunts, & Hip Hop (Mercury 314-513934-2), "Check One, Two" contains sample of "Stop," from Super
Session
Movie Soundtracks And Songs
- Medium Cool
- Sneakers, features songs from Super Session
- Steelyard Blues
- The Trip
- You Are What You Eat
- Background music for various Mitchell Brothers films
Documentary And TV Appearances
- Bongo Wolf's Revenge
- Blues Summit In Chicago with Muddy Waters, Nick Gravenites, et al.
- Festival
- Ready, Steady, Go, BBC, 1966, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
- Speakeasy, hosted by Chip Monk, Mike appeared with Al Kooper
- Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Bloomfield/Hammond/Dr. John
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