"John Mayall's inestimable influence on the evolution of British blues stems more from his talents as a bandleader than from his own talents as a musician. While he's a very gifted instrumentalist, particularly on blues harp, it's his unerring ear for recognizing raw talent that's made John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, in all its incarnations, the legend that it is today...John Mayall evolves by not evolving. At 73, he maintains a vibrancy in his music that never sounds dated. Part of that is his unabashed love for what he's doing. More importantly for us, what he loves happens to be the blues. He's gone through a lot of changes through the years, as we all have, refining his sound, flirting with jazz and boogie, but he always returns to his first love. And despite the multitude of personnel changes, his version of the blues is, and will always be, essentially John Mayall." –- The New York Times (January 28, 2007)

"The elements that have made John Mayall a legend in the business of blues were quickly brought to the fore in the opening show of a nine-date New Zealand stop on his latest world tour. Mayall is a leader of men. That was clear as he directed the show on Thursday night, leading from the front with some dizzying keyboard efforts and defying his age with some exhausting work on the harmonica. But he was also constantly promoting and encouraging his band members. Mayall's greatest musical contribution may simply be his eye for talent." -- Stuff (New Zealand, October 2011)

"John Mayall, “The Godfather of the Blues,” continues to draw audiences to his live shows...When you consider that Mayall will soon turn 78, it’s all the more amazing what he accomplishes here." -- Live In London (October 24, 2011)