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Recorded live at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on June 18-19, 1976.
David Bromberg has been such an effective sideman for so long, it could be possible to not notice what a wonderful entertainer the man is when he is at center stage. How Late’ll Ya Play ‘Til?, Vol. 1 catches Bromberg and a crack band having a fine time on mostly humorous tunes. Of course, Bromberg does play guitar throughout the album, but the real attraction here is his bluesy vocal turns and his razor-sharp comedic timing. Though “Will Not Be Your Fool” is his signature piece and is very well performed here, the highlight is the incredible “Bullfrog Blues.”
The exact nature of this hilariously rambling talking blues couldn’t be conveyed in anything less than the 16 minutes that Bromberg takes to perform it, and if it could be communicated it shouldn’t, because there are delightful surprises here. Like all great live albums, How Late’ll Ya Play ‘Til? will make you extremely sad that you weren’t in the audience the night it was recorded, and determined not to repeat the error should the chance present itself. ~ Richard Foss
