The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw

Performer: Paul Butterfield/The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Producer: John Court
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Paul Butterfield Blues Band: Paul Butterfield (vocals, harmonica); Elvin Bishop (guitar); Dave Sanborn (alto saxophone); Gene Dinwiddie (tenor saxophone); Keith Johnson (trumpet); Mark Naftalin (keyboards); Bugsy Maugh (bass, background vocals); Phil Wilson (drums). Personnel: Paul Butterfield (vocals, harmonica); Elvin Bishop (vocals, guitar); Bugsy Maugh (vocals); David Sanborn (saxophone, alto saxophone); Brother Gene Dinwiddie (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Keith Johnson (trumpet); Mark Naftalin (keyboards); Phillip Wilson (drums). This imported double CD from WEA's international division is a real conundrum for blues fans in general and fans of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in particular. On the one hand, the first of its two discs is The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw, the last of what are usually regarded as the classic albums by the band, and a glorious moment in the career of guitarist Elvin Bishop (aka "Pigboy Crabshaw"), and it's remastered in far better, closer, crisper sound than the extant domestic Elektra Records CD of the same album, which was transferred digitally more than a decade ago; and it's also got their next album, In My Own Dream, which generally doesn't appeal to the same listenership, with its more horn-oriented and jazz-influenced sound; and that album is otherwise available domestically through Wounded Bird Records (who do such a good job with it that it would be a shame to take any business away from them). Also working against this double-CD is its price -- it's more than twice as expensive at retail as the domestic "Pigboy Crabshaw" album. On the other hand, the sound is really good -- but that's also true of the Wounded Bird release of In My Own Dream. So the fans should sort it out for themselves, but suffice to say that the sound on this double-disc set won't disappoint, and the annotation by Peter Doggett (with help from Elvin Bishop) is very thorough and enlightening about this tumultuous period in the group's history. ~ Bruce Eder The 1968 edition of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band featured a larger ensemble with a horn section, allowing for a jazzier feeling while retaining its Chicago blues core. They also adopted the psychedelic flower power stance of the era, as evidenced by a few selections, the rather oblique title, and the stunning pastiche art work on the cover. Butterfield himself was really coming into his own playing harmonica and singing, while his band of keyboardist Mark Naftalin, guitarist Elvin Bishop, drummer Phil Wilson, electric bassist Bugsy Maugh, and the horns featuring young alto saxophonist David Sanborn was as cohesive a unit as you'd find in this time period. Butterfield's most well known song "One More Heartache" kicks off the album, a definitive blues-rock radio favorite with great harmonica and an infectious beat urged on by the top-notch horns. The band covers "Born Under a Bad Sign" at a time when Cream also did it -- which one was better? "Driftin' & Driftin'" is another well known tune, and over nine minutes is stretched out with the horns cryin' and sighin', including a definitive solo from Sanborn over the choruses. There's the Otis Rush tune "Double Trouble," and "Drivin' Wheel" penned by Roosevelt Sykes; Butterfield wrote two tunes, including "Run Out of Time" and the somewhat psychedelic "Tollin' Bells" where Bishop's guitar and Naftalin's slow ringing, resonant keyboard evokes a haunting sound. Likely this is the single best Butterfield album of this time period, and though compilations or "best-of" discs are available (Golden Butter being the best), you'd be well served to pick this one first and go from there. ~ Michael G. Nastos The band's third album finds guitar hero Mike Bloomfield MIA and replaced by a horn section including the very young David Sanborn. (Ironically, Bloomfield departed to start his own horn band, the ill-fated Electric Flag). Stylistically, the band was inching away from blues purism, and moving toward jazz and r&b, particularly of the Stax-Volt variety, as witness the idiomatic cover of Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign." (The band must have been listening to Motown as well, hence the thoroughly rocked-out re-arrangement of Marvin Gaye's "One More Heartache,") The album title, incidentally, refers to an alias of remaining guitarist Elvin Bishop, who gets plenty of room to work out here, particularly on "Driftin and Driftin'".

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