What is your favorite song Michael played?

If you were to put out a best of album of the whole of Michael's work what would you like to hear? Also which group or band was your favorite?

Sharing Michael's Life

I hope that you all enjoyed the first part, the early years of Michael Bloomfield released on his birthday. David Dann and his able staff have again created an excellent insight of his early years. David Dan wanted to create a biographical portrait of Michael the person who for many is known only through his music. A more extensive documentary will be coming out in a year or so which will explore in depth Michael's life. Interest has been expressed on a feature film depicting Michael's experiences on the road with legendary blues men. This project is just in the talking stage.
I would like your comments on the early years film as well as any ideas what you might want to watch regarding Michael. Also feel free to comment on Bob Jones tribute to Michael CD.

Summer Breeze

This time of year brought this memory to mind. Our family moved from the city Chicago, to the suburb of Glencoe when we were still in the last years of elementary school. Our house was about a half mile from Lake Michigan. We would take a short cut and hike through a ravine that led to beach. There was a sand bar about fifty yards out and Michael wanted to swim to it. I was afraid that I would run out of gas and told him so. "Don't worry Allie, don't worry I will stay right next to you."
Out we went and about half way there I began to panic. My brother true to his word,
went under water and held me up until I caught my breath. Once we got to the sand bar Michael was laughing and excitedly saying, "you did really well." You just got to love him.
AB

Memories Of Spring

When Michael and I lived in Chicago around 1950 we were in walking distance of Belmont Harbor. We would get our bicycles out of storage at the building and ride through a park and then an underpass to the harbor proper. The park was in bloom with hundreds of flowering trees and the petals completely covered the path. The scent of Lake Michigan was sweet and clean at this time of year and the water lapped against the hulls of the boats. The simple connection to the sun, breeze, and water
allowed this recollection to survive and inspire me to find my way back to that absolutely natural state of Grace.

Family Vacations

When Michael and I were in our early teens we went with our parents on car trips to the west. Our father was the Captain and did all the driving. Our mother was the social director and was responsible for keeping us quiet by playing geography, sign reading and feeding us. The morning of the start of the vacation, after loading up, Mom brought out the wicker basket of fried chicken, potato salad and the likes. We left Chicago proper and about a half hour later, Michael and I were hungry again. Our Dad who was capable of moving to the red zone in an instant imparted these loving words, "shut up and sit back." This was a man who respected his Mark lV Lincoln and would not tolerate greasy fingerprints anywhere. He was determined to put at least 500 miles on each day and stopping to use a gas station bath room was met with disdain. Michael and I read all the signs; Wild root Hair Tonic, Red Man Chew, Burma shave and the like. When we learned of a Reptile Zoo 60 miles away we began the chant, " Let's stop there, huh dad, huh?" Tirelessly we asked, pleaded, and begged to stop and see the zoo. We were ignored in the beginning, but when we were with in 5 miles of the Reptile Zoo our Mom would add to our cause and say," come on Harold let the boys see the zoo it's their vacation too."
This was how we rolled, a challenge at every stop. One I cannot forget was in the mountains somewhere and they had the Seven Colored Falls and Indian Relics. The falls were beautiful and when the sun set they were illuminated in different colors and sight seeing boat rides took you into caves and underwater lakes. After you saw what was to be seen as if by magic one ended up in the general store with Indian Relics. If our Father was tough on stopping the car, asking for a souvenir was unthinkable. While I was messing around with the cedar boxes holding sharpened pencils I hear a, "Psst, psst Allie?" I turn around and there is Michael in a full Indian Chieftain's headdress, feathers reaching down to the ground, and Michael's shining face beaming at me. My reaction was taken as encouragement and Michael started to do an Indian dance yips and all. The store manager saw us and snatched the headdress off and returned it to prominent display case. He then took each one of us by the hand and out of the building. In the next inspired moment Michael announces he has to go to the bathroom. The manager releases our arms and begins wiping his face with a hanky. Michael returns to his native dancing to hold back his swollen bladder. The manger wants to know if he can hold it and Michael asks if he would like to hold it? Back we go to the store Michael yipping along the way. Hustling us to the Men's room, the manger starts calling out, " I have 2 boys here that have lost their parents, please take them." "Boys, boys where have you been? Your father is furious." Like we couldn't guess that.
Back in the car empty handed awaiting our next adventure.

Michael Bloomfield"s Birthday Surprise

Make no mistake about it the finest tribute to Michael Bloomfield has been created by David Dann. David's new site and and the link are michaelbloomfieldamericanmusic.com, also the link can be found on the front page of the official Mikebloomfield.com site.
David Dann has created a moving tapestry of Michael's life. Videos, interviews, Michael being Michael. Sort of like high style home movies and a selected short, and so much more. It would be near impossible to find a Bloomfield fan that would be disappointed after seeing this.
David Dann in his quiet way delivers time and again the essence and heart of my brother. On behalf of the family we are deeply grateful for your friendship and talent.
I am always amazed to find new and unexpected material on Michael. Be it a video or his voice time stands still and I reenter a world long gone. David "thanks" hardly seems to express the joy you have given to all of us. With profound appreciation, Allen Bloomfield

What makes a hit movie?

I heard a head of a large movie marketing company speak about how a movie becomes a hit. When the audience is familiar with the actors, or the story line continuing from a past release which was successful, there is a good chance that the audience will want to repeat the experience. In the case of Bruno, they had that link and then had a massive advertising campaign to pump it even more. Critics were reviewing the movie as well. The first night it opened they had healthy ticket sales. Now here is the interesting part, once the initial audience was leaving out came the cell phones, and twitters, and text messaging and they called all their friends and family and reported that the movie was mediocre. The next night sales dropped by 40%. What this clearly shows is the power to influence another that overrides the advertising, critics or any type of hype. The speed that this electronic communication moved was astonishing. This phenomenon is unprecedented. This is truly power to the people.

Allen B.