BALDRY, JOHN - Good to be Alive (1973 UK blues) CD
PACEMAKERIt is hard to believe that one of Baldry's best albums has remained unreleased this long; but here it is on CD for the first time. Probably one of Long John's least known records, particularly in North America. Arguments can be made that this record was one of LJB's best, and it's a personal favorite of John's.
Quite a career for Baldry: He sang with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated; he joined the Cyril Davies R&B All Stars with Nicky Hopkins playing piano. They eventually became Steampacket with Baldry and Rod Stewart as male vocalists, Julie Driscoll as the female vocalist and Brian Auger on Hammond organ. After Steampacket broke up in 1966, Baldry formed Bluesology featuring Elton John on keyboards and Elton Dean, later of Soft Machine, and Caleb Quaye on guitar. Baldry's late albums, “Everything Stops for Tea” (WB 46 160 Warner Bros, 1972) (also produced by Stewart and John) and “Good to Be Alive” (GML 1005 Casablanca Records, 1973), were considered artistically strong.