[Review] The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper (1969)

This live sequel to Super Session is a blues-rock heavyweight.

Kronomyth 2.0: Hats off to Norman Caldwell (Super Spesh).

Following the success of the Super Session album, Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper teamed up again for a series of shows at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco in September 1968. The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper captures those performances, with the caveat that Bloomfield had to be hospitalized during the three-day series and is replaced on the third side of this double-album set by Carlos Santana and, later, Elvin Bishop. I know, not a bad Plan B, although neither fill the void left by Bloomfield, who may have been the best blues-rock guitarist on the planet at this point. If you enjoyed the Bloomfield-Kooper side of Super Session, and a lot of people did, you’ll want to stick around for Live Adventures. Hearing Bloomfield and Kooper trade solos is worth the price of admission alone. Neither is what I would call a true lead singer, although Bloomfield does a decent job on the blues songs and Kooper can carry a tune. Highlights include a neat reworking of The 59^th Street Bridge Song, That’s All Right, Green Onions and I Wonder Who. As for lowlights, well, I expected more from Santana on Sonny Boy Williamson, John Kahn’s bass solo on Her Holy Modal Highness is a snooze, and an instrumental version of The Weight seems like a copout. That said, this was largely an impromptu concert, with the band rehearsing for a few days before going on stage. The real draw here is hearing Kooper and Bloomfield—and, to a lesser extent, Elvin Bishop—generate energy off one another. The two really had a special connection and you can hear that throughout The Live Adventures. Blues-rock aficionados will appreciate this sequel to Super Session and take solace during Kooper’s pop songs in Bloomfield’s solos. Oh, and the best cover on the album? Norman Rockwell, natch.

Original 2LP version

A1. Opening Speech (Mike Bloomfield) (1:30)
A2. The 59^th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) (Paul Simon) (5:38)
A3. I Wonder Who (Ray Charles) (6:04)
A4. Her Holy Modal Highness (Al Kooper/Mike Bloomfield) (9:08)
B1. The Weight (Jaime Royal Robertson) (4:00)
B2. Mary Ann (Ray Charles) (5:19)
B3. Together ‘Til the End of Time (Frank Wilson) (4:15)
B4. That’s All Right (Arthur Crudup) (3:28)
B5. Green Onions (Steve Cropper/Al Jackson, Jr./Lewie Steinberg/Booker T. Jones) (5:26)
C1. Opening Speech (Al Kooper) (1:28)
C2. Sonny Boy Williamson (Jack Bruce/Paul Jones) (6:04)
C3. No More Lonely Nights (Sonny Boy Williamson) (12:27)
D1. Dear Mr. Fantasy (Jim Capaldi/Steve Winwood/Chris Wood) (8:04)
D2. Don’t Throw Your Love on Me So Strong (Albert King) (10:56)
D3. Finale – Refugee (Al Kooper/Mike Bloomfield) (2:04)

The Players

Mike Bloomfield (guitar, vocals), Al Kooper/Roosevelt Gook (organ, piano, vocals), John Kahn (bass), Skip Prokop (drums) with Elvin Bishop (vocal and guitar on C3), Carlos Santana (guitar on C2). Produced by Al Kooper; engineered by Phil Macy, Fred Catero, Don Puluse, Glen Kolotkin.

The Pictures

Front cover painting by Norman Rockwell. Back cover montage and cover design by Virginia Team. Photos by Jim Marshall, Bruce Steinberg.

The Plastic

Released on 2LP in January 1969 in the US (Columbia, KGP 6) and the UK (CBS, S 66216) with gatefold cover.

1. Re-issued on 2LP in Japan (CBS Sony, SOPJ-62) with gatefold cover.
2. Re-issued on 2CD on June 1, 1992 in Japan (Sony, SRCS-6193/4).
3. Re-issued on 2CD in 1997 in the US (Columbia, C2K 64670).
4. Re-issued on 2CD on September 21, 2005 in Japan (Sony, MHCP 843/4).
5. Re-issued on April 12, 2017 on 2CD in Japan (CBS Sony, SICP-5368/9).