John Mayall
Newport Jazz Festival
Newport, RI
July 5, 1969 afternoon set
Mono Cassette Master/Source Tape Transfer via JEMS

Recording Gear: Unknown mic > Unknown but very likely Norelco portable cassette recorder

JEMS 2021 Transfer: Mercury Records 120 min cassette > Nakamichi RX-505 azimuth adjustment) > Sound Devices USBPre 2 > Audacity 2.0 capture 2496 > iZotope RX8 > iZotope Ozone 8 > MBIT+ resample to 1644 > Audacity > TLH > FLAC

01 The Laws Must Change
02 Don't Waste My Time
03 California
04 So Hard To Share
05 Room to Move

Known Faults:
-None

John Mayall - vocals, harmonica, slide guitar, telecaster six-string, hand & mouth percussion
Johnny Almond - tenor & alto saxophones, flute, mouth percussion
Jon Mark - fingerstyle acoustic guitar
Steve Thompson - acoustic bass

JEMS is pleased to present another fresh master transfer of some of the earliest rock concert audience tapes recorded on cassette. This historic John Mayall performance at the Newport Jazz Festival was taped by the same person who did the outstanding Boston area Cream shows from 1968 we posted earlier this year.

Like those Cream gigs, the Mayall @ Newport recording has circulated previously in an "unknown transfer" that was praised as "great sounding for the time." This new transfer from the original source cassette should be an upgrade as the Cream recordings were, offering fuller fidelity, sharper sound and little tape hiss.

You'll hear some audience chitter chatter as one might expect from a festival audience unfamiliar with Mayall, but otherwise the recording is remarkably good for setting and early cassette technology. Samples provided.

Mayall is playing with his Turning Point band, a smaller combo, but they pack a punch in this short but appealing set that ends with his harmonica-led classic, "Room To Move."

JEMS is grateful to our anonymous collector friend for sending us the Mayall master tape and placing his trust in us to make final and hopefully definitive transfers of these precious early audies. Thanks as well to Professor Goody, who made sure of our pitch adjustment and to mjk5510 for holding down the fort and keeping the factory humming each and every week.

BK for JEMS