Paul Butterfield, Rick Danko, Carlos Santana and Elvin Bishop - Walkin' Blues - 9/29/1984

Recorded 9/29/1984 - Marin Civic Auditorium (San Rafael, CA)
Visit Wolfgang's www.wolfgangs.... to stream concerts from thousands of legendary artists. Start your free trial today.
Copyright Bill Graham Archives

[@ronaldriis1023]

Paul Butterfield. Arguably the greatest blues harpist ever.

[@alancochrane5859]

Just how cool is this music........from an old 72 yr old rocker from Australia........😅

[@brötzmannsax]

The first two Paul Butterfield Blues Band & East/West LP's are five star classics that should be in everyone's collection.

[@matthatter2849]

They will be....when I can find near mint first pressings. LOL.

[@mardicole2534]

Agree 100%

[@brötzmannsax]

Forgetaboutit audiophile.

[@orlandooftheriver]

Paul and Mike gone way too soon. The Sky is Crying indeed.

[@brötzmannsax]

@@orlandooftheriver Those damn powders will kill you, so unfortunate.

[@robertschueneman6799]

Paul Butterfield, Have known his music for at least 60 years. There is/has never been anyone who could even come close !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ask Elven !!!!

[@stevecaliff6895]

Just saw Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite last night in St Louis what a great night to listen to these guys tell stories and play.

[@tomdale1313]

together in Everett Wa 3 yrs ago

[@aroe3896]

I so wanted to go to that show; I think it was there only show away from the west coast. Instead I stayed in Chicago that weekend visiting my grandchildren from my home in NC.

[@melbournevince]

Definitely agree that Paul is one of the best Harp players! Such flavour and attack! Very unique riffs and style!!

[@Mahukaawenui]

Damn I miss music. Not many today can touch this.

[@zenzen1916]

Still got Bishop and Santana...the others live on in the back ground.....

[@karenscigliano9787]

Whoa.......this happened!?! I see the connection all these legends have to and with each other, but still, so much great natural talent playing off each other is mind blowing🤯I would call this concert a real "moment in time" 🤩❤️‍🔥

[@user-xr4cb3pw8k]

Butterfield blues band with a Santana vibe...awsome.

[@georgetheobold4973]

Classic Blues...Elvin really showed his great playing, an Maturity at this time ..At leads an slides,, Front an center...DO IT ELVIN.😊

[@jimfrancis2624]

Butterfield was the best.I saw him at winter land he made me want to play armanica.I've been playing ever since but I wish I could play like him.

[@pearldiver7]

What an awesome piece of music. Wish there was a full recording of this concert.

[@raystevens8029]

I didnt even know what Carlos looked like at that age but as soon as I heard his distinctive playing style I could pick him out. No matter what kind of guitar hes playing he still has that sound!

[@franrivas3219]

got that right.

[@timothyplonk4266]

Elvin Bishop is in my top favorites. He is excellent. Underrated

[@YoBro-np7xt]

TEARING IT U

[@silk3dblue]

And a heck of a nice guy!

[@howardacquistapace2782]

Fantastic pairing with Bloomfield I like early Fleetwood Mac guitar pairing of Peter Green and Danny What's is name... 1969 era

[@davethebluesdude]

@@howardacquistapace2782 Danny Kirwan

[@larryn2682]

@@howardacquistapace2782 Jeremy Spencer was the second guitarist in Fleetwood Mac before Danny joined as #3.

[@superstimulatedminotaur3681]

Wow Rick Danko and Santana playing together, cool!

[@ramonsanchez2429]

Great show, with Santana, Paul Butterfield, and Elvin Bishop the Best Blues latín 🎸🎹🎸🥁

[@aroe3896]

Looked like Tom Johnson from the Doobie Bros too

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Yeah that's him in the sports Jersey right there​@@aroe3896

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Yeah that's him in the sports Jersey right there​@@aroe3896

[@margaretbeard6564]

Such talent on one stage!!

[@debs4mysweetbaby]

how excellent!! love elvin so much!!

[@gamoonbat]

Elvin was the first guitarist in Butter's band!

[@Vodichka9]

Not true. The late, great Mike Bloomfield was the first. EDIT: You are quite right!

[@andrewgriggs7604]

@@Vodichka9 BIshop was the first. Bloomfield joined later.

[@sbunn7678]

yep that's as good as it gets

[@milmil6594]

To have the honor of playin a tune with Carlos Santana has got to be a moment in your life when you can say your in the big leagues. Hands down the best guitar player in the world...Not showing Carlos up on stage is a big blooper on their part

[@dougj7295]

Not if you have jammed often with Duane Allman, Elvin Bishop might say...

[@aroe3896]

@@dougj7295 Hendrix too, not to mention all the blues maestros from Chicago

[@giambattistavico1]

Well, they already had had the honour of playing with Mike Bloomfield.

[@Ogma3bandcamp]

Just how good was Paul Butterfield.

[@jeffholand3126]

Paul was and he will always be the best blues harp player he original went to music shool as a flute player and then he picked up the harp and the rest is history.

[@cappsginny699]

The best harp ever and he sang really good too! I saw him live once in the late 60s and became a forever fan!

[@goldenbutterrevue517]

Incredible.

[@howardacquistapace2782]

Have to say a great hidden harp player was good at bizarre and extremely good with blues rarely played it Captain Beefheart

[@JHelak]

Butter was a descendant of Little Walter's style and if you know blues, Walter was and still is by many considered the best. The only harpist I've ever heard who's better than Butter is Jason Ricci. But Jason plays a technically different harp. Butter also played his harp upside down!

[@Michael-xj6qt]

Paul butterfield, what a legend, he made that harmonica sing, incredible musicians, rip🙏

[@mardicole2534]

Had the privilege of seeing Paul and Elvin play many times in times gone past. Big fan of Charlie Musselwhite as well.

[@norfolknwhey4787]

Love some Butters. You can tell in the video that he was subject to his vices on this evening. He looks a bit strung out and his usual phrasing and power isn’t present. You can even hear it in his voice. Another epic musician lost too early. RIP

[@janechapman6448]

The best

[@Paula-fl1en]

These guys are really good

[@bobmistark3836]

Thst was some mighty fine jamin

[@eilishegan2347]

Beautiful

[@LastTree]

My harp hero. Hard to believe he smoked cigerettes.

[@jeffholand3126]

He was my good friends and believe me when I tell you that cigarettes didn't kill him or effect his voice or music its like i told his family because all of us knew it was his Demons. We got him clean and he didn't just play the blues he lived the blues.R.I.P.

[@lastnamefirst4035]

@@jeffholand3126 he died from hepatitis/liver failure due to iv drug use but from what I read he was clean when he died

[@jeffholand3126]

@@lastnamefirst4035 U read wrong

[@jeffholand3126]

We all smoked everything back those days

[@jeffholand3126]

@@lastnamefirst4035 you know clue but I will tell you this yes he had problems with his liver and he didn't die clean i kept him clean and his disease was always talking to him. He had alot of charisma and alot of bad people around him this was his last run i told him that he barely made it through detox and i was surprised that Dr D. Ask me to take care of him because it took me a few days to recognize that this was the same Butterfield, Paul that was written on his bed that i had run into on Sundays picking up our juice at 50 Copper Square because we both had dirty urines so we were punished to come on weekends and I was living in the Chelsea Hotel on 23rd between 7th and 8th Avenue and my program was on 23 rd and 2nd Avenue his main program was around 15st in the west village not far from Dylan"s old place on Christopher Street and all the fuck ups would have to show up by Cooper Square across the street from St Marks but we both kept to ourselves and that juice made most people very talkative at that time in our lives you could spend 1000's of Dollars and it's just got u straight. I mean to function normally, Hold a job ,etc.We both smoked alot and smoking never affected our harp playing. Paul always smoked even at Juilliard where i think he got he had training in classical Flute then he moved to Chicago where he met Muddy and Elvin Bishop and all the greats i too met John Lee Hooker and was asked to come and play

[@gregdavidson5898]

Opening 6 minutes is a bit like the opening section of "East West".

[@mickchilly1112]

A SHAME MIKE BLOOMFEILD WASN'T STILL AROUND 😔😔

[@michaelpaoli5996]

oh man! This line up with Bloomfield would be legendary stuff. We know how good he and Bishop play together can you imagine Bloomfield, probably high as a kite, trading riffs with Santana?! I could die a happy man.

[@robrandall1540]

Outstanding!!!!!

[@johnward1191]

Elvin Bishop kicks but on Carlos, Paul Butterfield the master on the harp. Butterfield Blues band revisited?

[@williammoore3790]

Finally someone gives Elvin his due!

[@dailydoseofblues7708]

I love carlos But in this case i can fully agree. Elvins solo is untouchable

[@tribefromthenorth]

@@dailydoseofblues7708 It's all about the Red Dog!

[@aroe3896]

Paul and Elvin more than 20 years after they started playing together in Chicago, and 19 years after the release of the first PBBB album. Check out the Butterfield documentary, Horn From the Heart! kzbin.info/www/bejne/poCYo4OFj8d6gbc

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

​​@@williammoore3790Pig Boy Crabshaw in the house

[@jollybobo6379]

2 great Butterfield songs, Drunk Again, and Drown in My Own Tears

[@franzwaltenspuhl8892]

Excellent! Thanks

[@andyokus5735]

The guy playing rhythm was kickin' ass! Holding it all together nice and tight!

[@robynconway1286]

Elvin

[@Vodichka9]

Never knew about this! Thanks for posting. Butter was near the end, and he sounds fantastic.

[@sidgriffin813]

They are doing East-West. Not a bad version! But the live versions their keyboardist released on his label are THE BEST LIVE MUSIC OF THE 1960s. 👍🏻

[@bondjane007]

I grew up in Chicago and I was friends with Paul Butterfield and his brother Pete who is a painting artist. We used to hang out all the time and he was an incredibly cool guy. His brother was sweet too. He is gone far too soon. There’s never been anybody quite like Paul Butterfield ever. I remember when I moved to Nashville Tennessee and the East West album had come out. And I didn’t know and I heard it And I knew it was Paul Butterfield. I was blown away!

[@andyokus5735]

@@bondjane007 Jane you were one lucky gal! I've played with been friends with and known many famous great players. They are special special people! They are a gift from God. It's just a damn shame they have to live and fight like dogs just to give and bless humanity with all the powerful love they have in their hearts. I even wrote a cool poem about them all: " They Died like Dogs ".

[@richardmathew9465]

If only they could have had Greg Rollie and his Hammond to chime in.😮🎹

[@philcig]

Walkin Blues starts about 6 minutes in

[@nickwebb8197]

Yup. Starts with "East-West",@@philcig. Butterfield's harp solo is the giveaway.

[@richardliersch2429]

Great song for the ages

[@larrygag88]

Cameraman missed Carlos! But he sure sounds good! Sounds like East West vs Walkin Blues

[@philcig]

Walkin Blues starts about 6 minutes in

[@billylynes8187]

beautiful

[@jimmygarlon750]

1984 What a great year.

[@krashdaniel3252]

Unreal good.

[@georgetoth6768]

Smashing ❤

[@rzxkp7none275]

Thank you

[@f2mel2]

Fusion blues. Never heard this. It's got Santana's signiture all over it.

[@dailydoseofblues7708]

Tbh it's the other way around. Butterfield blues band did this kind of stuff when Santana was still in diapers

[@FordGreeneLawyer]

No man. You got that wrong. The Butterfield Blues Band and the then Santana Blues Band were part of the San Francisco psychedelic scene starting in the mid-60s

[@jimiworkhorse2212]

AND WKRP RADIO WAS THERE TOO

[@mikemoore3841]

We used to watch Butterfield at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach Ca. He died way too young.

[@gerryrobertson973]

Wow x a Zillion !

[@alcornwest]

Superior...in so many ways.

[@zionisimkills1098]

missing Bloomfield , passed in 81 , only way it could have been any better.

[@andyokus5735]

What a great thing to wake up to at 4 pm in the afternoon. To hell with my shoes. Ha! Ha!

[@chrishedge887]

That second half kicked my ass

[@johncopeland3826]

Did you know that Butter was studying breathing techniques and that he could hold a single note for over 6 minutes without pausing on his harp ? Pretty tidy if you ask me ?

[@matthewquetti1514]

This is one of the greatest songs of all time. Before my time unfortunately. Can anyone recommend any similar tunes?

[@joeldcanfield_spinhead]

My blues go-tos: my favorite version of this song Walking Blues, from Butterfield's Better Days album; Allman Brothers first album, Clapton's From the Cradle, Stevie Ray Vaughan's Couldn't Stand the Weather, Mike Bloomfield, Janis Joplin's live album (Big Brother and the Holding Company, 'Cheap Thrills'), and anytime Jorma Kaukonen gets together with Papa John Creach (Hot Tuna's 'First Pull Up, Then Pull Down')

[@aroe3896]

@@joeldcanfield_spinhead nice call on Papa John and Jorma (see Burgers also)

[@joannehack7588]

Cool

[@lastnamefirst4035]

Elvin and Rick

[@blusmahn]

Tom Johnson from Doobie Bros. in the Jersey !

[@revkelly58]

Ok, I thought it was just me thinking that. The hair and the way he stands. Watch his hands too!

[@tele68]

Looks like Carlos wanted to be close to the stage door in case he couldn't keep up.

[@peterferrydriver]

Elvin & Paul talk to each other.

[@marlenec4536]

Paul Butterfield and Elvin Bishop met in front yard of Paul's house...Butter was playing guitar then...Took awhile for Chicago to adjust to these green guys. Every night, they would go to the blues clubs and watch some legends play...I think it was BB King that said...Let's see what the white boy can do...They were the only white musicians in the club...Butter got his start and never stopped until he died😢🎤🎧🎷🎹🎸

[@richardkluender844]

Tom Johnston from the Doobie Bros is also up there.

[@angeloiodice9304]

You want better than that, you’re not gonna find it.

[@palacerevolution2000]

Tell me the core of that groove doesn't sound like that Gotye song. Right around 3:08, you can hear where Gotye got that from. btw is that the Doobie Bros guy on the Firebird?

[@susanhays5994]

Tom Johnston was there too.

[@zenzen1916]

Love and miss you Paul, you left your three sons way too soon ..not by choice💞🎶

[@bengtberg8941]

Great version of East-West

[@baliscotsurf]

Playin in a band w Butter and Bloomfield would have been like having a famous father. It's hard to fit in sometimes. Hard to find your own identity. Always second fiddle. I wonder if Elvin felt that way.

[@larrybuxton4614]

Elvin’s playing is so much stronger here than in his PBBB days. Good to hear him take the leads so powerfully.

[@karenscigliano9787]

Interesting analysis....and prob so true

[@davidranger13]

Elvin Baby ❤☕👍😎

[@johnhsing5828]

[@mikekaatman3194]

Oooohhhh...yeahhhhhh!!!!!!

[@whiskeymonk4085]

Takes a few minutes to get in a groove. Even with some of the best.

[@frogeregis]

♥♥♥

[@terrapintravels3829]

Saw Elvin Bishop at the cabaret bar at Harrahs in Reno NV, in the 80s and he came down the aisle and sat on my girlfriend's lap, she about peed her pants lol.

[@garyschneider8829]

Wouldn't it have been something if Michael Bloomfield had been there

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Yeah three years prior though we lost Mike unfortunately at this time

[@tommurphree5630]

They should have turned up the volume on the harp . Sounds like a background instrument .

[@nickwebb8197]

Howard Hesseman, one of the original Diggers. Odd seeing him in a tux.

[@389383]

Was this for BAM awards?

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Yeah this is one of the BAM shows their Bill Graham captured everything thank God so awesome

[@leovermeiren]

👍💚🎸😎

[@AaronDurr]

Mescal😊

[@cromm2279]

Where’s Bloomfield when you need him…. :(

[@teresapuppo1388]

Si vede che è sempre nervoso

[@389383]

Sure miss Bloomfield.

[@abelotus3089]

1st Position = G

[@bobhoyer775]

What was the location of this concert?

[@mbogucci1]

Well...based on the posted information above: "Recorded 9/29/1984 - Marin Civic Auditorium (San Rafael, CA)"

[@keylearning5746]

And you’re not going to mention Tommy Johnston on the far right???

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Lot of people don't mention a whole lot of stuff I'm afraid they also don't mention the Tower of Power horns either

[@dannyherron9455]

Who is on piano?

[@sharkair2839]

rough start... lol.

[@Whiskey10209]

Whaaaaaat???

[@jameskennedy721]

Carlos is a little muted .

[@gregoryzappolo]

Can anyone identify the other players on stage?

[@davethebluesdude]

Tom Johnston from the Dobbie Bros in the Football Jersey

[@davethebluesdude]

Tower of Power Horns !

[@larrypedersen9768]

Is that Tom Johnson(Doobie Brothers) Firebird Guitar, red 33 Jersey?

[@frankrichards4611]

Rick Danko on bass

[@JoeTillGuitars]

I believe that's the late Keith Knudson on drums. Also from the Doobie Bros.

[@jamesanthony5374]

Tower of Power Horns

[@Luigimenta]

Non si capisce che genere sia... c'è jazz, blues, rock, acid rock, hard rock...

[@peterstone9]

Too slow. Therefore easy to play.

[@johnwescott9008]

The difference between Paul's harp and any other harp player is Paul makes his harp talk and sing like no other. Great Band only missing the ledgendary Michael Bloomfield.

[@aroe3896]

Elvin shined on slide on Walkin' Blues