Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated

Blues Incorporated

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1961 in London, England
Founder	Alexis Korner, Cyril Davies
Defunct	1966
Headquarters	London , England
Area served	United Kingdom
Key people	Alexis Korner, Cyril Davies, Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, Ginger Baker, Long John Baldry, Danny Thompson, Graham Bond
Products	Music albums and singles

Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, commonly known as Blues Incorporated, was a pioneering English blues ensemble established in London in 1961 under the leadership of Alexis Korner. The band included prominent artists such as Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, Ginger Baker, Long John Baldry, Danny Thompson, and Graham Bond.

History

Korner (1928–1984), who had previously played with Chris Barber's Jazz Band, joined forces with Cyril Davies (1932–1964) in 1954 to champion American blues music within London jazz venues and via their own London Blues and Barrelhouse Club. Early participants in their projects featured future key figures like Charlie Watts, Long John Baldry, and Jack Bruce.

In 1961, Korner and Davies created Blues Incorporated, recognized as the first British amplified R&B group. Its lineup was flexible, often including Baldry or occasionally Art Wood as vocalist, Watts on drums, Bruce handling bass duties, and saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith.

On 17 March 1962, they inaugurated a regular "Rhythm and Blues Night" at the Ealing Jazz Club, drawing aspiring musicians such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, and Eric Clapton, some of whom performed alongside the band. When Watts departed to join the Rolling Stones, he recommended Ginger Baker as his successor.

Beginning 3 May 1962, Blues Incorporated secured a weekly Thursday residency at the Marquee Club, which caught the interest of producer Jack Good. This connection led to a recording contract with Decca Records and the release of the LP R&B from the Marquee late that year, featuring Baldry on lead vocals with renditions of tracks originally by artists like Muddy Waters.

Later in 1962, Davies left due to artistic disagreements when Korner sought to integrate brass and jazz influences. His replacement was Graham Bond. The band relocated their residency to the Flamingo club before Bond, Bruce, and Baker exited to establish the Graham Bond Organisation.

Primarily concentrating on live shows, Blues Incorporated issued only two singles through Parlophone Records—"I Need Your Loving" / "Please Please Please Please" (1964) and "Little Baby" / "Roberta" (1965). Their 1964 albums At The Cavern and Red Hot From Alex featured American singer Herbie Goins alongside bassist Danny Thompson, later renowned for his work with Pentangle. By their final release, Sky High (1965), credited to Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, vocalist Duffy Power had joined the lineup. Korner dissolved the group in 1966.

Discography

• R&B from the Marquee (1962)
• Red Hot From Alex (1964)
• At The Cavern (1964)
• Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated (1965)
• Sky High (1965)

Bibliography

• Bob Brunning (1986) Blues: The British Connection, London: Helter Skelter, 2002,
• Bob Brunning, The Fleetwood Mac Story: Rumours and Lies (Omnibus Press, 2004, foreword by B. B. King)
• Dick Heckstall-Smith (2004) The safest place in the world: A personal history of British Rhythm and blues, Clear Books – originally published as Blowing The Blues – Fifty Years Playing The British Blues
• Christopher Hjort Strange brew: Eric Clapton and the British blues boom, 1965-1970, foreword by John Mayall, Jawbone (2007)
• Harry Shapiro Alexis Korner: The Biography, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London 1997, Discography by Mark Troster

External links

• Blues Incorporated on the Cyril Davies tribute website