Blues Incorporated was formed in 1962 by Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner with the amazing line-up of Charlie Watts on drums, Jack Bruce on bass, Keith Scott on piano and Dick Heckstall-Smith on saxophone, with vocals by Long John Baldry and Ronnie Jones.
They secured a residency at the Marquee Club which brought them to the attention of record producer and promoter Jack Good who arranged a recording contract with Decca Records resulting in the LP R&B from the Marquee, released in late 1962.
The album was actually recorded in the Decca studio and featured Baldry as lead singer with songs by Muddy Waters, Jimmy Witherspoon and Leroy Carr.
Alexis Korner is often called the daddy of them all in Britain – and with good reason. Among the artists who have worked in Korner’s bands since he formed the first version of Blues Incorporated are; Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Ginger Baker, Brian Jones, Graham Bond, Keith Richard, Jack Bruce, Eric Burdon, Long John Baldry, Cyril Davis and Zoot Money.
In 1968 Robert Plant worked as half of a duo with Korner before joining Led Zeppelin, and from the late sixties, Korner worked solo bringing along many famous friends to help him.
Alexis was playing a blues spot in the Chris Barber Band as early as 1948 and was part of The Ken Colyer Skiffle Group of the early 50s. He was largely responsible for wooing American bluesmen to Britain in the late 50s and developing the whole blues scene there.
Ironically his greatest commercial success was not with the blues but with the rock-big band sound of CCS which had a big hit in 1971 with their version of Led Zeppelin‘s Whole Lotta Love – which was subsequently used as the theme tune to television’s Top Of The Pops.
Long John Baldry
Vocals
Ronnie Jones
Vocals
Alexis Korner
Guitar
Cyril Davis
Harmonica
Keith Scott
Piano
Dick Heckstall-Smith
Saxophone
Jack Bruce
Bass
Charlie Watts
Drums
Ginger Baker
Drums
Graham Bond
Keyboards, saxophone
Herbie Goins
Vocals
Danny Thompson
Bass
Duffy Power
Vocals
Art Theman
Tenor saxophone
