Paul Butterfield

The Butterfield Blues Band's East-West might not be revered like Revolver, Blonde on Blonde and Pet Sounds. But make no mistake -- it's one of the landmark albums on 1966 (arguably the greatest year in pop music history). Fusing blues, jazz, soul and funk, the group defined the extended jam that would become the foundation of the San Francisco sound. Crank the title track, featuring a mind blowing exploration into Indian raga, and you'll swear it's the Dead or Quicksilver Messenger Service.

Rock & roll prophets without honor, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band -- in its original
incarnation with ace guitarist Mike Bloomfield -- made its greatest musical strides from 1965
to 1967, caught in the matrix of the Top 40 pop revolution and the quantum leap of
psychedelia. But in that time, the mighty Butterfield lineup with Bloomfield and second
guitarist Elvin Bishop laid the cornerstone for blues rock and then upped the ant... More >