The Butterfield Blues Band Live At Woodstock 2LP

Paul Vaughn Butterfield was an American blues harmonica player, singer and band leader. After an early training in classical flute, he developed an interest in blues harmonica and explored the blues scene in his native Chicago with guitarist Nick Gravenites, who shared an interest in blues. By the late '50s they were visiting blues clubs in Chicago where Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and Otis Rush were encouraging them and occasionally let them sit in on jam sessions. Butterfield met aspiring blues guitarist Elvin Bishop in the early 1960s and with bassist Jerome Arnold and drummer Sam Lay (both from Howlin Wolf's touring band), the new group secured a highly successful club engagement at Big John's Folk Club in Chicago which brought them to the attention of producer Paul A. Rothchild. During their engagement, Butterfield met and occasionally sat in with guitarist Mike Bloomfield. Rothchild was impressed with the chemistry between the two and persuaded Paul to bring Bloomfield into the band and eventually signed them to Elektra Records in 1964.

Two attempts to record a debut album did not meet Rothchild's expectations, but he persuaded Jac Holzman to agree to a third attempt at recording a full length album. Rothchild assumed the role of group manager and used his folk contacts to book them at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.The band was able to attract an unusually large audience that was not accustomed to seeing an electric blues combo, as well as the attention of Bob Dylan, who helped raise the band's exposure. The band added keyboardist Mark Naftalin, and its debut album, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, was finally successfully recorded in mid-1965 and released later that year. The album reached number 123 in the Billboard 200 chart, but its influence was felt way beyond the sales figures. Jazz drummer Billy Davenport was invited to replace Sam Lay, who was ailing. In July 1966, the sextet recorded their second full length album, East-West. The album consisted of more varied material and reached number 65 on the album charts. The 13-minute instrumental track "East-West" incorporates Indian raga influences and some of the earliest jazz-fusion and blues-rock excursions, being described as "the first of its kind...and the root from which the acid rock tradition emerged." Live versions of the song sometimes lasted an hour and performances at the San Francisco Fillmore Auditorium "were a huge influence on the city's jam bands."

In spite of its success, the band soon changed its lineup. Arnold and Davenport left the band and Bloomfield went on to form his own band, Electric Flag. With Bishop and Naftalin remaining, the band added bassist Bugsy Maugh, drummer Phillip Wilson, and saxophonists David Sanborn and Gene Dinwiddie. This lineup recorded the band's third album, The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw in 1967. The album cut back on instrumental jams and focused more on an R&B influenced horn-driven sound. It was Butterfield's highest-charting album, reaching number 52 on the chart. Most of this line up performed at the seminal Monterey Pop Festival in the summer of 1967. On the next album, In My Own Dream, the band continued to move away from its roots in Chicago blues towards a more soul-influenced, horn-based sound. The album reached number 79 on the Billboard chart and by the end of 1968, both Bishop and Naftalin had left the band.

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was invited to perform at the Woodstock Festival on August 18, 1969. They performed seven songs, and although the performance did not appear in the film Woodstock, one song, "Love March", was included on the original album release Woodstock: Music From the Original Soundtrack and More, released in 1970. In 2009, Butterfield was included in the expanded 40th Anniversary edition Woodstock video, and an additional two songs appeared on the box set Woodstock: 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm. Finally in August 2019, Rhino Entertainment released the web-only, 38CD/Blu-Ray, numbered and limited box set: Woodstock - Back to the Garden: The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive which included Butterfield's complete set. And now, Run Out Groove issues this incendiary live set on vinyl for the very first time with new artwork and deluxe packaging!