When it comes to the British blues, John Mayall is basically regarded as the godfather whose band, the Bluesbreakers, housed eventually elite guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) and Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones), plus numerous others that reads like a who’s who of future superstars.

At 87, the lifer remains steadfast to take the stage, where he poured City Winery a generous helping of singing, piano playing and a few hits of the harmonica, all of which sounded as if he were a much younger man.

As far as his Chicago-born backers were concerned, Melvin Taylor tore through the guitar, while bassist Greg Rzab and drummer Jay Davenport were also top notch players whose names were easy to remember because Mayall repeatedly introduced them.

In fact, the headliner was the first to admit being a bit confused, especially when it came to his place in the set list, but flipped it with a comedic twist that was embraced by an audience who seemed happy enough to just be in the same room with this legend.

Early on, they were treated to a serious dose of “Dancing Shoes” and “Nothing But The Blues” from Mayall himself, plus Taylor ably stepped up to the microphone for B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone.”

Other notables included “Moon Is Full,” J.B. Lenoir’s “Mamma Talk To Your Daughter” and “Do I Please You,” the latter of which allowed everyone to stretch out with meaty solos and kept paving the way towards further spontaneity.

Besides being back to performing in-person after the pandemic derailed so many dates, Mayall also released the single “I’m As Good As Gone” from a forthcoming album, but the end of the road appears to be near with a farewell tour slated for 2022, making time of the essence should he come around these parts again.

In the meantime, there’s a whole calendar of City Winery’s musical cocktails open to ticket buyers who show their COVID-19 vaccine card or proof of a negative test within 72 hours, a check-in process that took a matter of seconds and further ensured concerts can safely continue in this exceptional indoor setting.

For additional information on John Mayall, visit JohnMayall.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at City Winery include Midnight Sun (Aug. 23); Paul Thorn (Aug. 25); Eric Roberson (Aug. 26-28); Shaun Cassidy (Aug. 29-30); Robert Randolph & The Family Band (Aug. 31-Sept. 1); Such (Sept. 2); Anita Wilson (Sept. 4); The Hot Sardines (Sept. 6); Louis Prima Jr. (Sept. 7); The Soul Rebels (Sept. 8); Kevin Ross (Sept. 9); Jim Norton (Sept. 10); Loose Ends (Sept. 12); Justin Hayward (Sept. 13-14); Ghost-Note (Sept. 15) and Griffin House (Sept. 16). For additional details, visit CityWinery.com/Chicago.

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