John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton - Blues Breakers (1968)

John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are a pioneering English blues band, led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall, OBE. Mayall used the band name between 1963 and 1967, but then dropped it for some fifteen years.

“Blues Breakers” is a blues LP recorded in 1966, the first studio album and the second overall credited to John Mayall, who teamed up for the first time in a studio release with ex-Yardbird Eric Clapton

Originally, John Mayall intended for his second album to be also a live one in order to capture the guitar solos performed by Eric Clapton. A set was recorded at the Flamingo Club, with Jack Bruce (with whom Clapton would subsequently work in Cream) on bass. The recordings of the concert, however, were of bad quality and were scrapped.

With the original plan of a live album now discarded, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers recorded "Blues Breakers" at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London in March 1966.

The guitar that Eric Clapton used during these sessions was a sunburst 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard with two PAF humbucking pickups. This guitar (whose current whereabouts remains unknown since being stolen in 1966) is also called the "Blues Breaker" or "Beano"

The band on this album includes Mayall on piano, Hammond organ, harmonica and most vocals; bassist John McVie; drummer Hughie Flint; and Clapton. Augmenting the band on this album was a horn section added during post-production, with Alan Skidmore, Johnny Almond, and Derek Healey (misrepresented on the sleeve as 'Dennis Healey').

The album consists of blues standards by long-established artists such as Otis Rush, Freddie King and Robert Johnson, as well as a few originals penned by Mayall and Clapton. Most tracks serve as a showcase for the young Clapton's playing. Although he sang on several Yardbirds' recordings, "Ramblin' on My Mind" was Clapton's first recorded solo lead vocal performance, which Eric had been reluctant to record.

Side A
A1. All Your Love"  (Otis Rush)  - 3:38
A2. Hideaway"  (Freddie King/Sonny Thompson; interpolating "The Walk" by Jimmy McCracklin)  - 3:17
A3. Little Girl"  (Mayall)  - 2:36
A4. Another Man"  (Mayall)  - 1:47
A5. Double Crossing Time"  (Clapton/Mayall)  - 3:04
A6. What'd I Say"  (Ray Charles; interpolating "Day Tripper" by John Lennon/Paul McCartney)  - 4:28

Side B
B1. Key to Love"  (Mayall)  - 2:08
B2. Parchman Farm"  (Mose Allison)  - 2:22
B3. Have You Heard"  (Mayall)  - 5:56
B4. Ramblin' on My Mind"  (Robert Johnson/Traditional)  - 3:08
B5. Steppin' Out"  (L. C. Frazier)  - 2:30
B6. It Ain't Right"  (Little Walter)  - 2:45

Artist:  John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton
Title:  Blues Breakers
Release: 1968
Format:  LP
Label:  Decca Records
Catalog#  9286911