John Mayall – The Sun Is Shining Down
John Mayall (born 29 November 1933) is an English blues singer, guitarist, organist and songwriter, whose musical career spans over sixty years. In the 1960s, he was the founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, a band which has counted among its members some of the most famous blues and blues rock musicians. John Mayall is the godfather of the British blues. A singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, he has been a bandleader and recording artist since 1965. A generation older than most of his sidemen, Mayall was a mentor; his bands were both a lab and finishing school for iconic musicians, particularly guitarists. Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor served, as did bassists Jack Bruce and John McVie and drummers Mick Fleetwood and Aynsley Dunbar, among dozens of others. Just after his 88th birthday in 2021, John Mayall, the long-reigning king of British blues, announced he was hanging up his road shoes. He also noted that he would continue to record and felt excited by the work he was doing. "The Sun Is Shining Down" (album number 60) was completed just before that announcement. As evidenced here, his ability to write and record vital modern blues with excellent musicians continues unabated. These ten tracks showcase a cast of invited all-star guests; most are guitar slingers -- after all, this is the man who gave us Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, and countless others. His own band comprises guitarist Carolyn Wonderland, bassist Greg Rzab, drummer Jay Davenport, and a horn section for the proceedings. Mayall sings, plays piano, Wurlitzer, Hammond B-3, and harmonica. Opener "Hungry and Ready" is a swinging Chicago blues with Mississippi-born bluesman Melvin Taylor playing lead guitar atop hard-grooving horns. Mayall, in excellent voice, still plays a deft, wailing harmonica. Taylor's solo is mean and winding. South Carolina blues hero Marcus King takes the lead chair for "Can't Take No More," a funky roadhouse blues driven by B-3 and a cracking drum kit. King lays down layer after layer of tasty guitar fills. Former Heartbreaker and current Fleetwood Mac axeman Mike Campbell guests on Bernard Allison's "Chills and Thrills," offering his funky, yet precise economical style as the perfect foil for Mayall's voice and evil B-3. Buddy Miller adds a nasty blues tone and grimy solo to "I'm as Good as Gone." Violinist Scarlet Rivera accompanies the band on "Deep Blue Sea." Her sweeping fills and labyrinthine solo expand the tune's frame to the breaking point, and Mayall's piano work is exemplary, coming right out of the stride and NOLA traditions, adding color and texture with a Wurlitzer. Ukulele innovator Jake Shimabukuro trades tasty, snarling lines with Wonderland on "One Special Lady" (a jump blues) as Mayall's B-3 prods the band to support them. Taylor tears it up again on a cover of Roosevelt Sykes' "Driving Wheel." His stinging fills punctuate each sung line as the horns stroll and roil underneath. Wonderland shines as a soloist on the closing title track. Her sinister, steamy blues, razor-wire fills, and accents bubble and bump atmospherically around and under Mayall's organ and moaning vocal while the band shuffles, swells, and vamps all around them. Wonderland doesn't merely trade lines with Mayall, she offers a tight, soulful solo and plays call-and-response with herself, offering tight lines and smoky phrases. Hopefully, life goes according to plan and Mayall gets to deliver many more recordings before he's done, because "The Sun Is Shining Down" sounds hungry and vital. Mayall delivers these rough-and-ready blues like a champ. Blues legend John Mayall teams up with an all-star cast for his newest album, "The Sun Is Shining Down", out January 28 2022 via Forty Below Records, co-produced by Mayall and Grammy nominated producer, Eric Corne. This soulful, funky release is flush with brass, violins, harmonica, electric ukulele and the inimitable stamp of the Godfather of the British Blues himself. Having chosen stellar guitarists along with his longtime Chicago rhythm section, Mayall might have outdone himself with "The Sun Is Shining Down". Mayall is the purveyor of superb musicians, guitar players in particular. You'll find nothing less on "The Sun Is Shining Down" including guests The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell, roots rock guitarist Marcus King, Americana luminary Buddy Miller, violinist Scarlet Rivera of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review, Chicago blues guitarist Melvin Taylor and Hawaiian electric ukulele star Jake Shimabukuro. Also joining in is Mayall's longtime Chicago rhythm section of Greg Rzab on bass guitar, Jay Davenport on drums and the gifted Carolyn Wonderland on guitar. From beginning to end "The Sun Is Shining Down" is a blast of fresh blues performed by John Mayall and the group he put together. It's a stunning example of exemplary musicianship and obvious chemistry between all involved. Each of the catchy blues tunes have their own singular groove, funky and fun, with ample room for each musician to spread out. As significant as each of these guest musicians are, they don't overshadow Mayall's spirited vocals, iconic harmonica and lyrical keyboard work. "The Sun Is Shining Down" is a group collective but with the celebrated master at the helm. Recorded at Robby Krieger's (The Doors) Horse Latitudes studio and Strawhorse Studio, "The Sun Is Shining Down" is a delight, uplifting with its range of tasty covers and two originals. Mayall approaches each with a lighthearted style, offering fans a dose of carefree entertainment at a time when it's needed. Opening number "Hungry and Ready" is case in point, an upbeat blues shuffle with full horn section featuring Melvin Taylor on guitar that speaks of not caring about a missed party because the next one is around the corner. Mayall's harmonica is as you'd expect from one of the most seasoned harp players around. Taylor's guitar is magnificent, stinging. On each of the ten tracks, Mayall allows for two solos for each guest. And what a treat they are. Album standout is the funky "I'm As Good As Gone" by Bobby Rush and featuring Buddy Miller. If Miller's baritone guitar riffs don't become an earworm, I'd be surprised. Mayall is at his best vocally, strong and soulful, his organ fills elegant. The entire band is tight, in the pocket. You just can't get better than this. Mayall original "Got To Find A Better Way" with a syncopated rhythm reflects our troubled times. "Sad days that we're going through," Mayall sings. Rivera's violin is both striking and mournful, weaving throughout the song amidst a brush of drums, organ and bass. When it comes to her second solo we get a taste of gypsy jazz by a violinist that's one of the most soulful and talented around. The funky Bernard Allison cut "Chills & Thrills" adds a rock and roll vibe, featuring Mike Campbell on guitar. Mayall couldn't have picked a better guitarist for this tune, there's a little Freddie King in Campbell's playing and it compliments this tune perfectly. Title track and Mayall original, "The Sun is Shining Down" is another standout featuring Carolyn Wonderland. A groove based blues number, Wonderland works her magic on guitar. Her playing is stunning and graceful, matching Mayall's elegant touch on keys. She doesn't have to flash and thrash, her six-string brilliance is all about inventive phrasing and picking, completely in tune with Mayall and the band. This closing number seems to be a theme for the album, gratitude and appreciation for the life Mayall has created. Highly recommended. When it comes to the British Blues scene, nobody has even come close to torching it to the magnitude that John Mayall has. In a career now spanning over 60 years, his band have kindled the careers of bountiful fledgling musical talents, Mick Taylor, Peter Green, and a certain Mr. Clapton just to name a few. Even at the ripe age of 88, the "Godfather of the British Blues" shows no signs of reflecting the warm rays that toast his signature jazz-blues fusion sound. You won't find a musician out there in the blues hemisphere that wouldn't triple jump at the prospect of rubbing shoulders alongside a man imbued in blues royalty. "The Sun Is Shining Down" is no exception when it comes to Mayall's strict recruitment policy that prides itself on the cream of the crop. With special guests including The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell, rising guitar virtuoso Marcus King, Chicago Blues icon Melvin Taylor, Scarlet Rivera (famously a member of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue), and Hawaiian ukulele artist Jake Shimabukuro, it's as aloof from the bottom of the well as one has come to expect from a man with an uncanny ear for talent and a deep-rooted obsession for the genre. As an artist who provides the link between Cream, Fleetwood Mac, and the Rolling Stones, it's safe to say his seat in musical history is already reserved. If you had any qualms about Mayall's appetite to keep producing the goods, then the opening track "Hungry And Ready" will soon put any premonitions you had to bed. Mayall sounds energized, his voice still cuts the mustard, and if you needed reminding (like the writer here) he's one hell of a harmonica player. Taylor also illustrates his class with some wonderfully fluid lead playing. "Take No More" brings forth the innocence of youth as King takes center stage. Known for his soaring humbucker tone, he smokes and sizzles throughout this soulful Mayall original, without the slightest glimpse of being overawed. "Chills and Thrills" gives me funky goosebumps as Campbell proves himself a master of understated guitar. Not one to waste a note, his tasty fretwork is so melodic that you would think he's a mainstay in among the star-studded cast. I don't often get to mention the electric ukulele, but the skill of Shimabukuro on "One Special Lady" is nothing short of mesmerizing. It brings a rich and fuller sound, that balances perfectly alongside the backing band par excellence. On the fittingly titled "A Quitter Never Wins", Mayall deservedly hogs the limelight as he goes at it solo without a guest to sprinkle over fairy dust. Wrapping up with the title track "The Sun Is Shining Down", Carolyn Wonderland (approaching her fourth year as the band's lead guitarist) plays beautifully on this mid-tempo number that leaves me feeling all red sky at night, shepherd's delight. I don't think any superlatives exist that can do justice to John Mayall's contribution to blues music. At his stage in life and given all he's achieved, you have to take off your shoes (as well as tip your hat) to the level of work he's still putting out there. Whether Mayall holds promise for a few more sunrises remains to be seen, but mercifully there's no glimmer of him swanning off into the sunset anytime soon. Keep on shining John. On his latest album, "The Sun is Shining Down", out January 28th via Forty Below Records, Blues legend John Mayall teams up with a stellar cast to deliver a funky soulful affair punctuated by brass, violins, harmonica and electric ukulele. Special guests include, The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell, fast rising roots rocker Marcus King, Americana icon Buddy Miller, Scarlet Rivera of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review, Chicago blues guitar mainstay Melvin Taylor and Hawaiian ukulele star Jake Shimabukuro. Also on hand are Mayall's longtime dynamic Chicago rhythm section of Greg Rzab on bass guitar and Jay Davenport on drums with Austin's multi-talented and charismatic Carolyn Wonderland on guitar. Recorded at Robby Krieger's (The Doors) Horse Latitudes studio with Grammy nominated Producer Eric Corne, The Sun is Shining Down is Mayall's 5th studio album for Forty Below Records, a fruitful partnership that began with 2014's A Special Life. "I couldn't be happier with the new record," exclaims Mayall. "I can't wait to share it with my fans. Each one of these special guests brings something unique to the album and our team works so well together. I think you can hear that chemistry in the music," raves Mayall. The album explores a range of styles and eclectic instruments. Scarlet Rivera's violin beautifully compliments two Mayall originals, the timely "Got to Find a Better Way" and a spirited reboot of the Mayall classic "Deep Blue Sea". Mike Campbell sounds like a natural born Bluesbreaker on the funky Bernard Allison cut "Chills and Thrills" and Marcus King sizzles throughout the soulful "Can't Take No More," another Mayall original. Buddy Miller's baritone tremolo guitar adds a unique and memorable flair to the Bobby Rush composition "I'm as Good as Gone", while Jake Shimabukuro's electric ukulele is nothing short of astonishing on "One Special Lady". Melvin Taylor proves why he's been wowing Chicago blues audiences for decades on "Hungry and Ready" and "Driving Wheel" and Carolyn Wonderland brilliantly concludes the record with a sensitive moving performance on the title track. As significant as each of these guest turns is, however, they can't overshadow Mayall's own spirited vocals, iconic harmonica and lyrical keyboard work on "The Sun is Shining Down". "John shines throughout this album, exuding a joy and gratitude that are infectious. We all want to give that back to him," adds Producer Eric Corne.
1. Hungry And Ready (Feat. Melvin Taylor) 5:01
(Composer - John Mayall)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Carolyn Wonderland
Guitar - Melvin Taylor
Harmonica - John Mayall
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
Piano - John Mayall
Saxophone - Ron Dziubla
Trombone - Richard Rosenberg
Trumpet - Mark Pender
2. Can't Take No More (Feat. Marcus King) 3:46
(Composer - John Mayall)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Billy Watts
Guitar - Marcus King
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
Saxophone - Ron Dziubla
Trombone - Richard Rosenberg
Trumpet - Mark Pender
3. I'm As Good As Gone (Feat. Buddy Miller) 4:24
(Composer - Bobby Rush)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Carolyn Wonderland
Guitar - Buddy Miller
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
4. Got To Find A Better Way (Feat. Scarlet Rivera) 5:01
(Composer - John Mayall)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Carolyn Wonderland
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
Violin - Scarlet Rivera
Wurlitzer - John Mayall
5. One Special Lady (Feat. Jake Shimabukuro) 5:20
(Composer - Bernard Allison)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Billy Watts
Guitar - Mike Campbell
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
6. Chills And Thrills (Feat. Mike Campbell) 4:17
(Composer - John Mayall)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Carolyn Wonderland
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
Ukulele - Jake Shimabukuro
7. A Quitter Never Wins 4:34
(Composer - Tinsley Ellis, Margaret Sampson)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Carolyn Wonderland
Harmonica - John Mayall
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
8. Deep Blue Sea (Feat. Scarlet Rivera) 4:26
(Composer - John Mayall)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Carolyn Wonderland
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
Piano - John Mayall
Violin - Scarlet Rivera
9. Driving Wheel (Feat. Melvin Taylor) 3:42
(Composer - Roosevelt Sykes)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Melvin Taylor
Guitar - Eric Corne
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
Saxophone - Ron Dziubla
Trombone - Richard Rosenberg
Trumpet - Mark Pender
10. The Sun Is Shining Down (Feat. Carolyn Wonderland) 5:20
(Composer - John Mayall)
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Carolyn Wonderland
Lead Vocals - John Mayall
Organ - John Mayall
Bass Guitar - Greg Rzab
Drums - Jay Davenport
Guitar - Carolyn Wonderland
Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica - John Mayall
Recorded at Robby Krieger's (The Doors) Horse Latitudes studio and Strawhorse Studio.
