What's Shakin' by Various Artists (CD, Jan-2005, Collectors' Choice Music)

This album was released when it seemed every band thought they had to be a "blues band". Although all the artists on this compilation album are fine artists, only one is real blues band. Guess which? If you guessed Butterfield, you guessed right! Curiously Eric Clapton didn't seem to me to have much of a band, dispite the big names like Stevie Winwood, on the tracks he cut for this one.

When the original 33& 1/3 rpm album "What's Shakin'" came out in 1966, I already had played the 1965 Paul Butterfield 1st album over,and over countless times. I loved the five Butterfield songs on "What's Shakin'" almost as much as the 1st Butterfield official release. I destroyed my copy of the "What's Shakin'" album in a wild frenzied mid 60's party, and never managed to find another copy. I was real glad to find this rather rare gem in original album form, re-released on CD after all these years.

The songs on this album seemed to be almost throw aways by some of the artists Electra had rights to when they released this compilation. Not so with the Butterfield material! It was a bit more raw than their official 1st album, yet some how seemed even more authenticly blues. More basic, without the organ of Mark Naftalin in the background. Naftalin joined the band I believe in early '66, so I have to assume the songs on this album were recorded before the offical 1st Butterfield albums release.

"One More Mile" is a show case of Mike Bloomfield's great blues playing. Just two great guitars Bishop, and Bloomfield, and of course that fantastic tried, and true Chicago blues rhythm section of Sam Lay on drums, and Jerome Arnold on bass. I couldn't understand at the time why the songs on this Electra compilation had not been released as part of a seperate Butterfield Blues Band album. I still don't!

Technically the transfer to CD seemes a little heavy on the drums on the Butterfiend cuts compared to what I remember of the 33 RPM album from '66, but all I can say is better late than never to release these Butterfield tunes from the Electra vault. If you liked the 1st Butterfield album ,and never got to hear this one? I certainly recommend it! As for the tunes by most of the other artists ,not so much, with a couple exceptions. The Lovin' Spoonful stuff sounds stiff, and more like a bar band version of the Spoonful band we all remember. Almost as though they were saying "we can be a blues band", everybody seemed to be putting "blues band" in thier band's title then. Well...BS. The Spoonful were a good pop band, blues band no.

When this ablum came out I had already seen Al Cooper live several times with "The Blues Project", and thought the version of "I Can't Keep From Cryin' Sometimes" included on this album was very weak by comparison to his live version.This dispite the backing of Butterfield's band.

Eric Clapton fans will want to check his version of "Steppin' Out" included on this album. It's very different from his take on it with John Mayall. Clapton also does some really tasty soloing on "I want to Know", although the band sounds a bit off, and the harp in the background I could do without. The version of "Crossroads" is to me a throw away, with no real Clapton soloing for some unknown reason.

Tom Rush has one tune,a very good take of Fat's Domino's "I'm In Love Again". Not his usual folky feel.

Butterfild fans will want the great versions of "Spoonful","Off The Wall","Lovin Cup",& "Good Morning Little School Girl"!!!

I TELL EVERYBODY THAT IF ITS AN OLD ITEM AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IT, "GO TO E-BAY". THIS WAS A 20 YEAR OLD TAPE THAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND AND PURCHASE ON E-BAY. YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYWHERE ELSE.