Some albums are important in content, some in context. The album Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton by John Mayall's Blues Breakers is, I think, in the later category. Although it is a good listen, composed of half original compositions (by Mayall with one song shared credit to Clapton) and half blues covers, it is probably more notable for being Clapton's transition album/group between The Yardbirds and Cream.
Album highlights include an interesting cover of What I'd Say - the Ray Charles standard. Also notable is Ramblin' on My Mind, which is Clapton's first recorded vocal performance. Mentioning Ramblin' also allows me to mention Me and Mr. Johnson which is an excellent 2004 Eric Clapton album consisting of Robert Johnson covers (though not Ramblin' nor Crossroads). And so I'm not accused of filtering black music through white artists, I do think Robert Johnson's The Complete Recordings is an essential album though not represented on this list. Probably because they don't do compilations.
And speaking of Clapton: Someone remind me for the next 1001 days list that I should learn how to play guitar. Guitar God seems like nice work if you can get it.
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