Dr. Johnn, John Hammond, Mike Bloomfield
In 1973, a rare and relatively unknown recording was made by three of that blues-rock era’s most important figures: Dr. John, Mike Bloomfield and John Hammond Jr.. Luckily, this forgotten snapshot in time was re-released in 2006 by Germany’s Repertoire label. It was simply given the title: Triumvirate.
The recording is a synthesis of New Orleans boogie woogie, Chicago blues, and the down home delta blues rock of the 60’s and 70’s. Bloomfield and Hammond, Jr. were acquainted through John Hammond, Sr. who had originally signed Bloomfield and hooked him up with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Dr. John was not as familiar with the other two, but completed the trinity of the blues variants of that time.
Sometimes these contrived “super groups,” with a bunch of well-known musicians who don’t know each other well, are a bit like the NBA All-Star game – a lot of singularity, a lot of offense, but no real teamwork. This music is not like that at all. There is a real sense of all of them not trying to outdo each other but really listening to one another.
The lead vocals come from John Hammond who, for those of you who know his voice, know it is the real thing, nothing showy – just simple soulfulness. Bloomfield’s guitar work is not his flashiest you’ve ever heard, but comes out quite nicely on “Rock Me Baby,” the straightest Chicago rhythm on the record.
Dr. John (Mac Rebenack) who, according to the liner notes, left before the session was over is by far the strongest presence. His New Orleans influence is the heaviest on the recording, especially on his own tune “Sho Bout to Drive me Wild,” which Rebenak wrote, but Hammond, Jr. sings.
Recorded in Los Angeles and San Fransisco, the backing band is complete with horns and an array of soulful background voices. I am assuming that the Jerome Jumonville on tenor and alto saxophones is the very same finger-in-the-air-waving Jerry Jumonville you can find playing be-bop around town. If anyone has any corrections on that, I’d love to know.
Triumvirate is one of those records you can just wring the soul out of like a wet soggy towel that just wiped the face of a sweaty blues man underneath the stage lights before the dawn of air conditioning.
You can purchase this CD online at Louisiana Music Factory.
