It’s a bit embarrassing: these days, when blues greats are remembered, the late Mike Bloomfield tends to be overlooked, although forty-five years after his untimely passing, the American master’s legacy continues to amaze. And there’s no better proof that he remained stunning to the end than the recording made at the Catalyst Club in Santa Cruz on January 31st, 1981 – a mere fifteen days prior to Bloomfield’s death. There are no later documents of Mike’s stage performances, although he did play into February, so this soundboard report made for a fascinating bootleg which has circulated for years and is about to turn legit.

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