The Turning Point

by John Mayall

Overview

Recorded just after Mick Taylor departed for the Rolling Stones, Mayall eliminated drums entirely on this live recording. With mostly acoustic guitars and John Almond on flutes and sax, Mayall and his band, as his typically overblown liner notes state, "explore seldom-used areas within the framework of low-volume music." But it does work. The all-original material is flowing and melodic, with long, jazzy grooves that don't lose sight of their bluesy underpinnings. Lyrically, Mayall stretches out a bit into social comment on "The Laws Must Change" on this fine, meditative mood album. The 2001 CD reissue is a definite upgrade, though perhaps not enough to make you rush out and buy a new copy, in its addition of three previously unreleased bonus tracks from the same performance. Those are all respectable songs that fit in well with the rest of the set, particularly "Sleeping by Her Side" with its catchy and dreamy flute line, and the brisk "Don't Waste My Time," which has a nearly country & western feel. The newly added historical liner notes are another plus. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	11/05/2001
Label:	Polydor / Universal
UPC:	0731454942324
Rank:	132119

Tracks

1. The Laws Must Change
2. Saw Mill Gulch Road
3. I'm Gonna Fight for You J.B.
4. So Hard to Share
5. California
6. Thoughts About Roxanne
7. Room to Move
8. Sleeping by Her Side
9. Don't Waste My Time
10. Can't Sleep This Night

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Mayall   Primary Artist
Johnny Almond   Guest Artist
Steve Thompson   Guest Artist
Jon Mark   Guest Artist

Technical Credits

Steve Thompson   Composer
John Mayall   Composer
Fischer Thompson   Composer