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Page 3
The resulting aggregation, The Electric Flag, was a mighty mini-orchestra that combined down-home soul, Chicago blues and a touch of the esoteric. Former Wilson Pickett drummer Buddy Miles played drums, a horn section consisting of Peter Strazza, Herbie Rich and Marcus Doubleday provided tight, well-harmonized charts, and old Chicago friend Nick Gravenites handled vocals.
Bloomfield made two jam-session albums with Al Kooper that have stood the test of time as towering rock classics: Super Session and The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. He did session work with everyone from Peter, Paul and Mary to Mitch Ryder. In 1969, Bloomfield and Gravenites went to Muscle Shoals, Alabama to produce an Otis Rush album that featured Duane Allman on guitar. Bloomfield recorded sporadically throughout the seventies, for a while on Columbia and then on small independent labels. A 1974 Electric Flag reunion lasted for one Atlantic album. The big news during Bloomfield’s last decade was his demise. His marriage fell apart. Friends and musical associates found him unreliable. He kicked heroin, but turned to liquor. Things appeared to be looking up in 1980, when he toured Europe. Even then, his girlfriend and fellow musicians could see that it was touch and go. And then it was over. So many guitarists have come down the pike since who owe Bloomfield such a debt of gratitude. In a world of any kind of justice, his works would be at least as prominent as those of anyone who has followed in his footsteps.
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