The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation:

Not exactly unoriginal, but true: drum meister Aynsley Dunbar came from John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and started his own blues band after a short stint with the Jeff Beck Group (Windsor Blues Festival in '67 and singles sessions).

Lineup: John Moorshead (guitar, vocals), Victor Brox (horns, keyboards, guitar, vocals), Alex Dmochowski (bass - replaced Keith Tillman before first album) and Aynsley Dunbar (drums). The "To Mum..." album saw the addition of Tommy Eyre on organ + piano.

"Blue Whale" was a completely new ambitious project. Only Tommy Eyre followed Aynsley there.

Aynsley then left for the U.S. and joined Mothers Of Invention. Then Journey and Jefferson Starship...
When visiting U.K. in the summer of '98 I heard rumours of an Aynsley Dunbar Trio, sometimes featuring John Moorshead. So Aynsley's back, eh?

Victor Brox Blues Train worked in Manchester in '88 to good response. Still does?

So what's the story on Alex? He toured with John Mayall in the early 70's, recorded with Peter Green on the "End Of The Game". And then? Well, at least he is a mainstay at the Earl Green's All Star Blues Jam at 'World's End', Finsbury Park!


"Watch'n Chain" (Dmochowski/Dunbar/Brox/Moorshead)/"Roamin' And Ramblin'"(Brox) LIBERTY LBF 15132 (1968)
A-Side: A work song, based on vocals, percussion and whistling. Lyrics offer great material for a General Motors video: "I'll buy you a Chevrolet if you just make love to me". No, this is no ordinary blues, but I admit that I respect that these guys ignored the blueprint!

B-Side: Dominated by driving acoustic piano. Drowns out the vocals a bit. Good Chicago style blues guitar solo, but the recording levels are unbalanced.


A very professional outfit. The "Doctor Dunbar..." album (cover pictured above) is personal favourite. Changes between a B.B. King atmosphere with stinging guitar and burbling organ - and a lowdown & lowkey traditional style with haunting vocals. Great! And no plodding... I'm really gonna' blow the dust off of these albums.

Albums:
"Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation" LIBERTY LBL 83154 (1968)
"Doctor Dunbar's Prescription" LIBERTY LBS 83223 (1969)
"To Mum From Aynsley And The Boys"LIBERTY ?? (1969)
"Remains To Be Heard" LIBERTY LBS 83316 (1970)
"Blue Whale" WARNER BROS K46062 (1970)

Links:
The Musicians' Olympus: excellent page on the career of Aynsley Dunbar!