Left My Blues in San Francisco
Left My Blues in San Francisco is the debut studio album by American blues artist Buddy Guy, released in 1967.[4][5] Future Rotary Connection producer and keyboardist Charles Stepney provided orchestration and drums on some tracks. The album is a mix of older blues tunes and four Buddy Guy originals.
| Left My Blues in San Francisco | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1967 | |||
| Recorded | 1962, 1965 - 1967, Chicago, IL | |||
| Studio | Ter-Mar Studios, Chicago | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Length | 32:03 | |||
| Label | Chess (#LP 1527/LPS 1527) | |||
| Producer | Gene Barge | |||
| Buddy Guy chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [2] |
| The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
Critical reception
Reviewing a reissue, The Advocate wrote that "the album’s hodgepodge of styles—soul, rhythm and blues, pop and blues—forms a fascinating time capsule from which Guy’s irrepressible personality and fiery guitar do emerge."[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Keep It to Myself" | Sonny Boy Williamson | 2:30 |
| 2. | "Crazy Love" | Willie Dixon | 2:20 |
| 3. | "I Suffer With the Blues" | Guy | 2:44 |
| 4. | "When My Left Eye Jumps" | Willie Dixon, Al Perkins | 3:53 |
| 5. | "Buddy's Groove" | Gene Barge | 3:42 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Goin' Home" | Willie Dixon | 2:39 |
| 7. | "She Suits Me to a Tee" | Guy | 2:14 |
| 8. | "Leave My Girl Alone" | Guy | 3:25 |
| 9. | "Too Many Ways" | Willie Dixon | 2:14 |
| 10. | "Mother-in-Law Blues" | Gene Barge | 2:41 |
| 11. | "Every Girl I See" | Willie Dixon, Michael M.P. Murphy | 3:41 |
Personnel
- Buddy Guy - lead guitar, lead vocals
- Gene Barge - tenor saxophone on tracks 1, 2, 7, 9, 10 and 11, production & orchestration
- Lefty Bates - rhythm guitar on track 4
- Milton Bland - tenor saxophone on track 8
- Reggie Boyd - bass guitar on tracks 2, 9, and 11
- Jarrett Gibson - tenor saxophone on track 4
- Lafayette Leake - Hammond organ on track 4
- Abe Locke - tenor saxophone on track 4
- Jack Meyers - bass on track 4
- Matt "Guitar" Murphy - guitar on tracks 2, 8, 9 and 11
- A.C. Reed - tenor saxophone on track 8
- Leroy Stewart - bass guitar on track 8
- Charles Stepney - orchestration, drums on tracks 1, 7, and 10
- Phil Thomas - drums on tracks 2, 4, 9, and 11
- Sonny Turner - trumpet on track 4
- Phil Upchurch - bass guitar on tracks 1, 7, and 10
- Murray Watson - trumpet on track 4
A number of the names of the musicians who contributed to these sessions have been lost to posterity. These are the baritone saxophonist on tracks 1, 7 and 10; bassist on tracks 3, 5 and 6; drummer on tracks 3, 5, 6 and 8; rhythm guitarist on tracks 1, 5, 7 and 10; organist on tracks 3 and 8; pianist on tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11; and tenor saxophonist on tracks 1, 5, 6, 7 and 10
- Technical
- Ron Malo - recording supervisor, engineer
- Max Cooperstein - supervision
- Jerry Griffith - album design, cover photography
- Bill Utterback - illustration
References
- Koda, Cub. "Buddy Guy: I Left My Blues in San Francisco > Review". AllMusic.
- Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 49.
- The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. pp. 352–353.
- "Buddy Guy | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- Harmon, Rod. "Buddy Guy to headline Sarasota Blues Festival". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
- WIRT, JOHN. "Album review: Buddy Guy's debut, 'Left My Blues in San Francisco,' gets quality, Vinyl Me, Please reissue". The Advocate.