Album: North South

Introduction
"North South" is the seventh studio album by popular blues harmonica player, Paul Butterfield. Released in 1980 under the Bearsville label, the album is a highly-regarded collection of tracks that showcase Butterfield's ingenious and emotional harmonica playing. The album was produced by the legendary music manufacturer, Todd Rundgren, and includes a gifted band of artists that includes the famous bassist, Tony Levin, and pianist/organist, Paul Shaffer. The record strikingly combines different musical categories like blues, R&B, and funk with Butterfield's distinct harmonica strategy, making sure that it stands apart from the works of a lot of his contemporaries.

Background and Recording
Following his success in the 1960s and 1970s with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Butterfield's career dealt with a recession later in the mid to late 70s. In an effort to rebuild his career and restore his footing in the industry, he assembled a brand-new band and started deal with "North South". The lineup included musicians like David "DJ" Johnson and Bob Mann on guitars, Tony Levin on bass, Jimmy Bralower on drums, and Paul Shaffer on keyboards. The recording sessions occurred at the well-known and-then state of the art studio, Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, where all the tracks were set out, and Todd Rundgren signed up with as the album's manufacturer.

Style and Influences
"North South" features differing musical designs, developing on traditional blues and expanding into funk and R&B. The album's name itself represents the mix of musical aspects from northern metropolitan blues with southern rural noises. The distorted guitar riffs and groovy bass lines combined with Butterfield's electrifying harmonica playing produce a distinct and effective sound that is both contemporary and sentimental.

Butterfield's influences come from the similarity Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, and other terrific harmonica gamers from the past. These motivations can be heard throughout the tracks, with Butterfield's harmonica working effortlessly beside other instruments to produce an abundant sonic landscape.

Notable Tracks and Reception
"North South" includes nine tracks, each showing Butterfield's expertise as an artist and an innovative composer. The album's opening track, "Bread and Butterfield", is a homonymic pun on the phrase "support", displaying his signature humor. This up-tempo tune sets the tone for the rest of the album with its memorable rhythm and Butterfield's lively harmonica solo.

Other standout tracks include "Too Many Drivers", a soulful blues number including a remarkable harmonica intro, and "Living in Memphis", a cool tribute to the city where Butterfield drew much of his musical inspiration. The closing track, "Dixie", is a haunting important piece consisting solely of Butterfield on the harmonica, exemplifying his capability to evoke emotion without using words.

The album received usually positive reviews from critics and listeners, applauding Butterfield's musicianship and his ability to blend various musical categories. Nevertheless, it stopped working to reproduce the business success of his earlier works.

Legacy of "North South" and Paul Butterfield
Though "North South" didn't propel Butterfield's career like his earlier works, it remains a necessary record in his discography. The album showcases his ingenious approach to standard blues while including more modern sounds, which strengthens his status as a musician who constantly pressed the boundaries of the category.

Paul Butterfield died in 1987, leaving a musical legacy that continues to affect and influence musicians today. In 2015, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, sealing his place in the annals of music history.