Paul Butterfield Blues Band Reunion 1978

This video shows a portion of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band reunion performance that took place at the Tribal Stomp, Greek Theater, Berkeley, on Oct. 1, 1978. In the band, along with Butterfield, are Michael Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop, Mark Naftalin and Sam Lay. Sitting in for Jerome Arnold is Bloomfield's bassist, Roger "Jellyroll" Troy. Introducing the band is producer Chet Helms.Tunes performed are:
1.Born in Chicago
2. Our Love Is Driftin’
3. Everything’s Gonna Be All Right
4. Shake Your Money Maker

[@theloniouscoltrane3778]

Mike Bloomfield left us too soon. 1981 at the age of 37. Heard the news after a local gig with my HS band. Sad news. Mike Bloomfield belongs to the top 5 blues-rock guitarists of all time. MB is an American guitar hero.

[@sasodcfred]

Wooww.. rare opportunity to see Mike Bloomfield "at work"... amazing footage, what a modest talent, he should still be alive today...

[@joseangelhernaiz-cotrina3461]

Awesome footage. Thanks for sharing this historical performance.

[@warrendemartini6533]

RIP PAUL GOD SPEED BROTHER

[@ireneruthfox]

Butterfield & Bloomfield are in a class by themselves. This is great.

[@paulharrell7964]

wish the original bass and drums were driving, i saw butterfield so so many times, and always remaining a legend, shit white dudes were never original with the blues until butterfield

[@G8GT364CI]

@@paulharrell7964 Sam Lay is the original drummer. He got sick and had to leave after the first album.

[@davisworth5114]

Butterfield can't sing and Mike is playing so many notes but he can't get in tune, Elvin sounds best on the big 345.....

[@williamjc7195]

don't forget Elvin.

[@deborah6918]

Lil Elvin is a Wang Dang Dooooo of a guitarist, too.

[@laurencerezendes9009]

my first 8 track in car 1969 Paul the best and Bloomfield & bishop best ever listen to got a mind to give up living wow!!!!!

[@SoulDaddy33]

I remember buying the newly released East-West in the record store when I was in 7th grade - and I still have it - but let's be honest. All the praise for this concert seems like Dead Heads rejoicing over a bad night for Jerry and the boys. Yes, you still love them, but hey. Come on, it ain't one of their finer moments. And, yeah, the camera operators had been drinking heavily, too.

[@Wardell43]

Good to see old boy Elvin Bishop. One of the most underrated guitarist of the era, even though his solo work produced "Fooled Around and Fell in Love broke into the top 10 and Sure feels good. But my favorite Bishop tune is on the Paul Butterfield Blues Band album, "In My Own Dream" where Bishop sings and scorches the lead in "Drunk Again".

[@Wardell43]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5bXZ6ummdmKbpY

[@davidranger13]

Wasn't Elvin In the Band Before Bloomfield? Jus' Wondering?

[@TheJojosefo]

Thank you for post, awesome man...i'm happy to see this

[@iandrake7097]

I was there. To this day it's the best show I ever saw. Also performing were Canned Heat with the Chambers Brothers. Country Joe and the Fish. Big Brother and the Holding Company with Kathy MacDonald, Lee Michaels, and It's a Beautiful Day. But seeing Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield was the show for me. Thank you for posting this. It's the first video of this concert I have ever seen. Is there more?

[@jamesemerymusic8016]

Yes, Ian, there is more video, though I believe not the complete set. This clip comes from a local SF TV broadcast , aired some time after the concert, and unfortunately this is all I have of it. You can find the rest of the set here on YT, but in audio only.

[@bloomsdisco]

Yes, Ian, there is more video, though I believe not the complete set. This clip comes from a local SF TV broadcast , aired some time after the concert, and unfortunately this is all I have of it. You can find the rest of the set here on YT, but in audio only.

[@lastnamefirst4035]

Couldnt ask for more

[@kenmckaba]

I was there too! I remember seeing the poster and thinking it must be 10 years old from the glory days and wishing I had seen it, but realized it was in a few days! Here's the poster: www.posterscene.com/images/items/full/2845.jpg

[@danielwilliams2735]

Chet Helms probably took the videos to the grave with him.

[@steveharris6417]

Elvin on his Red guitar. Great slide.

[@josealberto146]

Grandes dinossauros do Blues rock. Obrigado.

[@ramonsanchez7961]

Great dúo Mr Mike Bloomfield 🎸 and Paul Butterfield harmonic 🎹 pure Blues 🎸

[@paulblanchet542]

Paul B. sounds great!

[@superpoof]

5764 views? 2 thumbs down? Where are the real music lovers out there?

[@lastnamefirst4035]

Assisted living care

[@Flash023]

Paul Butterfield looks a bit like Clapton. I saw an interview with Eric and he commented that when Cream did their first US tour, he wasn't impressed with most of the scene in America then, other than the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

[@daveoswaldyourthebest4533]

I remember finally meeting butter at off Broadway in Chicago shook his hand very humble Guy that nite his band wasn't like the old one but really they knew who they were playing with one of the greats. Dope took him shortly after that I was sorry to see him go daveo

[@valeriethompson1166]

The three B's reunited. Thanks.

[@alangolias8628]

God Bless Them!!!!!!!

[@recordguy4321]

Roger Jelly roll Troy on bass. Use to see him back in cincinnati in 68 with soul bands The Dapps and Beau Dollar and the Coins

[@GilSalazar-j6d]

Wow!! Qué banda, blues clásico!!

[@eternalme6077]

WTF!!! I got scared for a moment, what's up mr. Camera man and yes the director who edited and put this together..... for the first 5 min. or so I'm like, is that Mike in the dark, almost religated to play most of the Rhythm while Elvin played most of the lead riffs ( don't get me wrong, I LOVE ELVIN )? Is Mike playing a black Strat, I mean C'mon camera man, let me see more Mike, it's like you fell asleep in front of Paul and Elvin. Anyways I digress......Thank God someone had the good sense to record this at All, also Thank you for Posting this Beauty........Priceless. 🎸💚

[@jimlabos]

And here it is ladies and gentlemen, the thing that separates the men from the boys "the slow Blues" at 7:00. When Bloomfield was "on" on a slow Blues I never needed any weed! Stone Blues! Of course Harvey Brooks can play that Bass on slow Blues like no one could. Harvey has so much feel. He played what was needed and gives Bloomfield what he needed to soar. Bloomfield never played so well as when Harvey was playing. Kudos also to Elvin Bishop who is still playing and a great player to. Butterfield died too young and before the Blues renaissance started by SRV. I am so grateful to have seen most of these guys. Thanks to Bloomdisco for putting out these great historical gems. Your love of Bloomfield and the Blues shines through.

[@TR-yi8up]

Harvey Brooks, as far as I know, doesn’t play on this

[@jimlabos]

T R that sure looks like Harvey at 5:00

[@TR-yi8up]

Jim Labos you’re right, it does look like him. Weird, I’m reading the Guitar King book and it only mentions Terry playing bass

[@stackolee4480]

Who the hell "thumbs downed" this!?!?!?! Probly pisses sitting down/in the shower

[@irvinhansen7173]

What a band!

[@thomasdowns9953]

Gold!!!!!!!

[@jensandersen7011]

Let's not forget Chet Helms for putting this show on.

[@andrewz4537]

I've never seen Mike playing a Strat (I think that's what it is). I always saw him playing that gold Les Paul. He still makes it sing. I had the good fortune to see him in the early Butterfield Band days and a few Flag gigs. Where's Shake Your Money Maker (one of my favs)?

[@janemyers4052]

Wish it was back then.

[@paulbb1984]

Was there...Beautiful October day, blue sky, white clouds and crystal sun shining down. A true Family reunion...Dan Hicks was in good form, It (was) A Beautiful Day, performed minus one of their original members, who reportedly was in the the audience. The band tried to coax her up on stage. Didn’t happen, but it didn’t matter. It truly was a beautiful day.

[@danielwilliams2735]

I worked for Chet, picked Sam Lay up @ SFO.and drove him to SIR for rehearsal. He hated flying and hadn't slept after playing in Indianapolis on Saturday night. He loved guns, we looked in a gun shop window and he talked about them. I was back stage shooting a video for Sammy. I hope it turned out good. Mark asked me to give a msg to the Bear. Told him I did but he wasn't friendly. I was too intimidated to talk to the others but Roger Jelly Roll Troy was very nice. Drove Sammy back to SFO to get home to Chicago. What a day!!!

[@oldgrannywheels]

Incredible footage of Michael from 13:38 to 14:22

[@jimwhite9401]

Sorry, but Bloomie's a shell of himself here. He could hardly play.

[@oldgrannywheels]

@@jimwhite9401 Nothing to be sorry about, but the footage is incredible, considering who he was and how few videos there are of him.

[@electricchurchmusic4298]

Outstanding !!!

[@anthonycongiunti4421]

RIP Paul and Mike

[@superduper3728]

It was nice seeing & hearing then lead guitarist Michael Bloomfield. But he was nothing compared to his glory years 1963-69. It sounds as though he was reduced to playing rhythm sounding a bit rusty while Bishop controlled most of the lead parts. Bloomfield's problem was most likely brought by his heavy use of heroin.

[@RobHollanderMusic]

Bloomfield was playing at times when the clueless cameraman was filming Elvin's rhythm guitar or Butterfield singing.

[@markcooper9063]

Read guitar king,super doper

[@TR-yi8up]

Not to be picky, but was Elvin Bishops' mom working the cameras on this? It's like they purposely didn't want to show Bloomfield early on...I can hear stains of how Michael played Sweet Black Angel/Jelly Jelly in Our Love is Drifitin'...be great to SEE it too!

[@barneycpb]

87of and all other

[@danielwilliams2735]

As the reunion concert was being assembled, Elvin and Ctabshaw Management wanted Bishop to have top billing above Butterfield. Bishop had the most commercial success so he wanted to be top 🐕 dog.

[@danielwilliams2735]

FYI I have posters from the 1978 concert and others from the SF Scene. Please contact me@ [e-mail].

[@TR-yi8up]

@@danielwilliams2735 anything cool of Bloomfield’s?

[@natep8401]

My thoughts exactly! Who the hell wants to look at Elvin Bishop when you have Bloomfield on stage?

[@jackbecker8355]

In a way it's nice not hearing Bloomfield overplay..But he is definitely at the end of his career...Bad drugs..I saw him at a strip club on Broadway in 1977... sad to see the greatness blurred over..

[@Doug5524]

Thay is so cool

[@andyokus5735]

Does anyone have recordings of David Sanborn soloing in the Butterfield band?

[@richardhill6640]

That may be the first video I’ve seen of Bloomfield playing that Strat

[@astragreen]

Yes I think before you go on don’t take any, or at least only a little, it shows

[@jkajje2945]

Butterfield was always amazing but this cameraman was not As always

[@gilobregon]

Good a place as any to let more people know of the best studio recording of a Mike Bloomfield solo (my opinion). Not to be found on any of his solo or group releases. But, as the uncredited guitarist on one, only track, "Crankiola Narcissis Buds" on the album, Wayne Talbert -- Lord Have Mercy on My Funky Soul. Did I hear someone say, "Just pass me the money under the table, Wayne"? Banish the thought!!

[@koalabearsongs3797]

they sound great obviously, but...WTF?? Did the cameraman get paid extra to keep Elvin in frame and not Michael Bloomfield???

[@danielwilliams2735]

Well... who else but Chet would control the release of the video? I hope I'm wrong. Some pink rockers wanted to use his Family Dog logo in 78. If something isn't used for 7 years someone else can use it. He told them NO and used it again for the 78 show@ the Greek. He also had a disagreement with the poster artists that designed the posters for the Avalon They wanted to reproduce them but Chet said NO. He didn't want to pay me for my work on the 1979 show in Monterey when I contacted him in 1994. We only got paid $100/ week. Hey I'm poor okay? He staid in my home 🏡 in San Jose but acted like he never met me. He & his brother had a art gallery so he could afford it. RIP

[@ronnyrono782]

This is the band that scared all the other musicans

[@DieGwinners]

unique ...

[@electricchurchmusic4298]

Why the cut at 14:21 ?

[@enose31]

I have the Full Video

[@licensesolution]

Cool. Thanks for the treat!! Do you have all of the performer's sets?

[@recordguy4321]

please post if possible

[@79rapture]

You should post it!

[@williamjc7195]

there really isn't much blues today :( And certainly nothing like this:(( or the Electric Flag,big brother, pete green's fleetwood mac, animals, and, of course, all those late great black bluse men who started it all!!!!:)

[@danielwilliams2735]

Nothing good to say about bloomfield. He was quite nervous and hard for him to finalize songs where he would be satisfied with them. (The Electric Flag). Couldn't sleep and missed the Sat. Show @ Fillmore West 1968 with Super Session. He was a hard drug user and died from heroin in 1981. He got a bad batch. RIP he'll never be replaced. So sad.

[@astragreen]

Did anyone notice he had the harp upside down at the very start of this tune, he took a draw note it was way off , shows you what I’ve said before most of harping is draw notes, O an by the way don’t you think over harping really kills the tune

[@petejewett2564]

astraboys100 PB played it mostly upside down. Wasn’t accidental.

[@tedpowers2045]

Yes harmonica played loud and constantly drowns everything out and becomes annoying

[@paulgartner4619]

no bloomfield to speak of, just a little bit

[@arthurindenbaum4329]

Some great playing, not so great video...so just close your eyes....!

[@Johngonefishin]

Paul is a dead ringer for Eric Clapton.

[@derkommissar785]

parts of this are painful to watch.

[@BUFONADA666]

ACH.

[@douglaswakeman1275]

Stopped after the first song. There is no need to give Bloomfield such short shrift. Elvin was good but Mike is the best ever.

[@sonnyboybluesharpfargo8705]

I can hear the COKE....better without it...

[@gustavorodriguez6365]

El pobre Michael Boomfield es tan "despreciable" que ni siquiera se ve???