Review: Another year, another band, another tour schedule; John Mayall's dedication to the blues truly is heroic. Now, 54 years on from forming the Powerhouse Four, Mayall remains a tireless advocate for the music of which this son of Macclesfield himself has become part of the fabric.

Star rating: ***

Another year, another band, another tour schedule; John Mayall's dedication to the blues truly is heroic. Now, 54 years on from forming the Powerhouse Four, precursors to his star production line, The Bluesbreakers, Mayall remains a tireless advocate for the music of which this son of Macclesfield himself has become part of the fabric.

He may have passed the stage when he could confidently preach the gospel all by himself as a singer and pianist, as he did on The Blues Alone album back in the 1960s. But in a sense Mayall always recognised that his strength lay in his fervour, surrounding himself with younger craftsmen with the tools to add panache to his raw eloquence.

And so it was here as Mayall retraced his own steps, revisiting works including The Beano album with a certain Mr Clapton, Crusade and Turning Point, and celebrated his inspirations. If California, with its jazz leanings emphasised by Mayall's keyboard being set at the vibes option, strayed too far for some from the strict blues path, Mayall was soon back in Chicago with Sonny Boy Williamson and urging guitarist Rocky Athas to create one of a catalogue of finely honed, beautifully toned solos.

Freddie King's smart, snappy Hideaway and Otis Rush's declamatory All Your Love were reinvigorated while honouring the original ethos in a set that varied pace and mood astutely, incorporating New Orleans rhythms and voodoo grooves, and showcased the band's blend of fire and stylishness. The one new song, Number's Down, with Mayall playing 12-string guitar, might not incite wild anticipation for its imminent parent album. But the oldies were, as they used to say, goodies.