Elvin Bishop Albums (21)
'The Blues Rolls On'
Release Date 9/23/2008
Tracks 12
Label Delta Groove
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What The Critics Say
Bishop hops labels once again, this time to the relatively young and scrappy Delta Groove imprint, while calling up some names in his obviously well-stocked Rolodex to assist on his first predominately studio album in three years. Like most guest studded affairs, this is an inconsistent but enjoyable romp. It also works as a career recap of sorts with Bishop revisiting "Yonder's Wall," a tune from his Butterfield Blues Band days (with Ronnie Baker Brooks and Tommy Castro), along with the Southern styled party sound that proved so commercially viable during his '70s Capricorn affiliation, in addition to other covers. He strips things down for a solo musical life history in "Oklahoma," an electric, educational traipse through his back pages from his early years in the titular state, set against stark, distorted boogie guitar. He taps the youngsters in the Homemade Jamz Blues Band, another Delta Groove signing, for a cool grooving version of Junior Wells' "Come On in This House," and features John Nemeth on vocals for three tracks and harp on the closing midtempo Jimmy Reed instrumental "Honest I Do," apparently the first blues song a young Bishop heard on his transistor radio as a child in Oklahoma. Fellow boogie man George Thorogood squares off with Bishop and takes lead vocals for a frolic through Hound Dog Taylor's "Send You Back to Georgia," and Bishop references his Capricorn days with current Allman Brothers Band guitarists Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes on a reworked "Struttin' My Stuff." B.B. King stops by for a short interview that leads into a jazzy, swinging cover of Roy Milton's "Keep a Dollar in Your Pocket," a song King was familiar with from his old Memphis DJ days. R.C. Carrier and Andre Thierry shift the proceedings to a bluesy, zippy zydeco on "Black Gal." As you can see, the album is pieced together from a variety of sessions in different locations, resulting in a patchwork set that, despite many excellent and above all enthusiastic performances, never quite gels. Like the collage of pictures on the back cover, this is more a scrapbook of Bishop playing with his pals and acquaintances than a focused project, but there is enough quality music here to attract established fans, even if this isn't the place to generate new ones. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
'Booty Bumpin': Recorded Live'
Release Date 6/26/2007
Tracks 12
Label Blind Pig
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What The Critics Say
Booty Bumpin' is a joyous, down home set from blues guitarist Elvin Bishop and his six-piece band, recorded live on December 3, 2006 at Constable Jack's in California. Bishop is probably best known for the 1976 hit "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," and has maintained a loyal blues following since his early days as a member of the Butterfield Blues Band. On Bishop's second release for Blind Pig, he and his co-horts apply a good-natured heat to 12 tracks that stylistically shift between Chicago blues, Cajun, New Orleans R&B, and a hint of Southern rock, driven by the leader's raw slide guitar and keen sense of humor. Along with several Bishop originals are a few choice cover versions including Roy Milton's "Keep a Dollar in Your Pocket," Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's "I Feel Alright Again" and the Allen Toussaint composition "I'm Gone." Booty Bumpin' is definitely a timeless, no-nonsense party album. ~ Al Campbell, All Music Guide
'Gettin' My Groove Back'
Release Date 8/16/2005
Tracks 9
Label Blind Pig
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What The Critics Say
Gettin' My Groove Back, the first new studio album from Elvin Bishop in five years, and the first since his daughter Selina was murdered in 2000, is an understandingly split affair, part catharsis as he deals with his tragic loss, and part the kind of rocking party record that has been Bishop's trademark in the past. Needless to say, the two parts don't necessarily fit together that well, and while Bishop's stinging guitar playing bridges the gap somewhat, it is the ragged, angry lead track, "What the Hell Is Going On," and the harrowing "Come on Blues," which features Bishop solo with just an electric guitar, that linger in the mind when this set concludes, making tracks like "Party Til the Cows Come Home" seem criminally frivolous. That said, the goofy, washboard-driven "He's a Dog" is a hillbilly delight, while an instrumental version of Don Gibson's "Sweet Dreams" features some absolutely wonderful and emotionally powerful slide guitar work from Bishop, who obviously understands that the blues is, among other things, a kind of therapy. There was probably no way for Bishop to avoid the kind of emotional split apparent in this set, and while party songs about when the cows come home have their place, particularly as part of a live show, a track like "What the Hell Is Going On" asks the exact right question and ought to be all over the radio. That it isn't -- and won't be --is an indictment of the times. It's a great song, and since it leads off this album, it casts a giant shadow over everything that follows it. Everyone -- not just Bishop -- desperately needs the answer to the question it asks. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
'Party Till the Cows Come Home'
Release Date 12/7/2004
Tracks 30
Label Acadia
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What The Critics Say
This double CD combines Elvin Bishop's first three albums (variously credited to the Elvin Bishop Group and the Elvin Bishop Band) on to two discs. Containing 1969's Elvin Bishop Group, 1970s Feel It!, and 1972's Rock My Soul, it has virtually everything he recorded for Fillmore and Epic in the late 1960s and early 1970s, serving as an overview of his entire early career as a bandleader. Also included are three bonus tracks: one, "Stealin' Watermelons," from a non-LP single, and two other live performances from the various-artists compilation album Last Days of the Fillmore. Although they have their merits, these are erratic albums in which Bishop didn't stick solely to the electric blues-rock he'd made his name with in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Instead, these also dig into soul and R&B, as well as what can only be called (on some of his vocal numbers) comedy. He relinquished most of the lead vocal duties to Jo Baker starting with the second album, and this saw an improvement in the sound and material, though even at its best, it's just okay, early-'70s-period soul{-{\rock. As this includes everything from his first three albums plus bonus material in one neat, two-CD package, one might think that it's a preferable alternative to the Sundazed reissues of the same records, which puts them on three separate CDs, the first two of which offer the same three bonus tracks as this Acadia compilation does. It's not quite so, however, as the Sundazed version of Rock My Soul has a bonus track, the outtake "Sit and Wonder," that isn't on Party Till the Cows Come Home. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
'From the Front Row: Live'
Release Date 3/25/2003
Tracks 11
Label Silverline
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'King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents in Concert'
Release Date 1/23/2001
Tracks 11
Label King Biscuit
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'That's My Partner!'
Release Date 7/25/2000
Tracks 12
Label Alligator
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What The Critics Say
Every now and again you get one of those discs that picks up a few threads that have long lain dormant for various reasons, and you are more than overjoyed that someone took the time to help make the reconnections that seem to make life richer. Little Smokey took the young -- and new to Chicago -- Elvin Bishop under his wing in the early '60s and taught the kid everything, from playing blues guitar to how to walk the walk. It is well-documented how Bishop's career took off when he hooked up with Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield in the Butterfield Blues Band (setting the stage for all the other twin lead guitar bands such as the Allman Brothers Band that followed). Smokey remained in Chicago and virtually gave up trying to make a living playing music in favor of a job to support the family. With the kids grown, by the '80s he started playing again. In January 2000, the two hooked up again for three nights that would be recorded by Alligator. Maybe this was to say thank you for the early help; more likely -- judging by the playing -- it was a return of the early love between the two. It was more than worth the wait to hear the interplay of Elvin and Smokey, backed by a more-than-capable band (a nod to S.E. Willis on keyboards) that provides strong, solid support while letting the two stand to the forefront and play off each other. Bishop has always been known as a fun-loving musician; however, he takes his chops seriously, his playing is crisp, and -- as he shows here -- he is at his best when playing off an equal (listen to his signature "Travelin' Shoes"!). The joy of playing that deep-felt Chicago blues with an old friend and colleague and the chance for teacher and pupil to stand up and show off their licks and progress shine through here. The banter between the two helps to push the music along to greater heights. Just listen to this gutter-crawling version of Little Red Rooster. You know the Wolf would be proud. ~ Bob Gottlieb, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Elvin keeps the cornpone good-ole-boy schtick down to an acceptable level on this, perhaps his most serious solo album to date. Although Bishop's good-time approach is still evident on tunes like "I'm Gone," "Right Now Is the Hour," the acoustic "Radio Boogie" (with a guest shot from Charlie Musselwhite) and "Country Blues," the playing and lyrics get much deeper and more serious with "Shady Lane," "The Skin They're In," "Middle Aged Man" and "Long Shadows." Perhaps the most cohesive album he's made to date, revealing an artist coming to grips with his muse, his age and his art, all at once. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
'Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down!'
Release Date 7/1/1991
Tracks 12
Label Alligator
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What The Critics Say
On Don't Let the Bossman Get You Down, Bishop projects a good-natured, humorous persona in the extended spoken-word sections of his songs, but still finds time to play a lot of tasty blues guitar. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
