Crusade [Bonus Tracks]

Personnel: John Mayall (vocals, bottleneck guitar, harmonica, piano, organ); Mick Taylor (guitar); Chris Mercer (tenor saxophone); John McVie (bass guitar); Keef Hartley (drums).
Liner Note Author: John Mayall.
Recording information: Decca West Hampstead Studios (02/16/1967-07/12/1967).
The final album of an (unintentional) trilogy, Crusade is most notable for the appearance of a very young, pre-Rolling Stones Mick Taylor on lead guitar. Taylor's performance is indeed the highlight, just as Eric Clapton and Peter Green's playing was on the previous album. The centerpiece of the album is a beautiful instrumental by Taylor titled "Snowy Wood," which, while wholly original, seems to combine both Green and Clapton's influence with great style and sensibility. The rest of the record, while very enjoyable, is standard blues-rock fare of the day, but somewhat behind the then-progressive flavor of 1967. Mayall, while being one of the great bandleaders of London, simply wasn't really the frontman that the group needed so desperately, especially then. Nevertheless, Crusade is important listening for Mick Taylor aficionados. ~ Matthew Greenwald