What made Long John Baldry stand out from the British R&B singers in the mid-sixties was the width and depth of his knowledge of the blues. He’d been knocking around the Soho folk, jazz and skiffle scene since 1955, when as a fourteen-year-old, he first taught himself to play Leadbelly numbers on the guitar. He worked with all the greats of early British R&B: Alexis Korner, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, Davey Graham, Cyril Davies, before becoming a frontman himself. Over 46 fine sounding tracks – mostly recorded for BBC radio – we explore the broadcast material of the first groups led by Baldry; the R&B / Soul review that was Steampacket, where he shared vocal duties with Rod Stewart and Julie Driscoll and the Jazz ‘n‘ Blues of the Hoochie Coochie Men and Bluesology (featuring Elton John on piano). John loved to perform and this album captures him live in what was the most significant part of his career. And he doesn’t disappoint.
