Alexis Korner has been called the Father of British Blues. Born in France his family moved to London in 1940. He started playing in Jazz combos and Skiffle groups in the early 50’s. In 1961 he formed Blues Incorporated a band with an ever changing line-up that included Charlie Watts,Jack Bruce,Ginger Baker,John Mayall,and others. They had many followers who would occasionally play with the band like Mick Jagger,Keith Richards,Rod Stewart,Robert Plant,and Jimmy Page. By 1966 the group broke up,most of the members forming their own bands. This is a compilation album featuring vintage live recordings and non album cuts from 1961-to 1972 when the album was released. Some of the highlights are “I’m a Hoochie Coochie Man” with Charlie Watts and Jack Bruce from 1961, and”I Wonder Who” a Blues/Jazz number with Jazz musicians John Surman and Dave Holland. “Operator” from 1968 features Robert Plant on vocals and harmonica and Steve Miller(not American Steve Miller) on piano.Jimmy page discovered Plant when he was working with Korner and asked him to join his new group The New Yardbirds, soon changing their name to Led Zeppelin.There is also a cover of “Jesus Is Just Allright” from 1970. This is a good album of Jazz/Blues .This double gatefold album has the Roger Dean cover which is why I initially bought the record. Inside the cover are extensive liner notes and a list of every musician who has played with him and the bands they have been in after leaving.There are also testimonials from the likes of Ian Anderson,Pete Townshend,Cat Stevens,and Eric Burden telling how he influenced their music. There is also a four page booklet of photos, including one from 1961 of him playing with Charlie Watts,Jack Bruce,and Mick Jagger,and some history of Alexis Korner. Korner died on New Years Day 1984 of lung cancer at the age of 55. I paid $8 for this in the early 90’s. The cover is fair the records sound good.
