The Spin Doctors are perhaps best known for the pair of hits, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes” from their 1991 debut album Pocket Full of Kryptonite. But in fact, the New York quartet had been playing since the late 1980’s, first as The Trucking Company, and featuring Blues Traveler harmonica wizard John Popper (who left the project to focus fully on Blues Traveler in 1987.)

Given their intertwined past, it’s not a huge leap to imagine that the two bands would co-mingle. And co-mingle they did, descending on The Wetlands in May of 1990 for a raucous night of  funky blues, with the night’s MC unsure whether to introduce the conglomeration as the Spin Travelers or The Blues Doctors. Whatever you call them, the stage full of early 90’s all-stars hit the ground running; catching a funky wave on the Blues Traveler’s “Mother Funker,” before riding it into a slow, bluesy and harmonica soaked rendition of The Beatles’ “Come Together,” before launching into a rousing 19-minute jam on Van Morrison’s classic “Gloria.”

The fun was far from over, as the Wetlands crowd was treated to an extended jam with then Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes (who would later appear on Blues Traveler’s Four album). His presence in the house acknowledged earlier in the night, Haynes joins the ensemble for a quartet of songs the close the night, including the slow blues, “Baby, What You Want Me To Do?”, fronted by Popper and featuring searing guitar work from Haynes and The Mind’s Eye’s Phil Kramer.

Setlist
1.In B
2.Rock Me Baby
3.Mother Funker >
4.Drums >
5.Must Be A Reason >
6.Come Together >
7.Mother Funker
8.HBD to Mercedes
9.Off My Line

1.Brother John >
2.Gloria
3.tuning
4.Baby What You Want Me To Do $ ^
5.Dirge in G > $ ** ^
6.Jam w/ Warren > $ ^ **
7.intros > ^
8.Louie Louie > Random Jam…x % ^ **
9. E: Johnny B.Goode

Guests:
$ Phil Kramer from Mind’s Eye on guitar
^ Warren Haynes
** Roger Fox on flute
^ Chris Leiber on percussion
% w/ Walter from Wetlands on vocals

Check out the whole set on Live Music Archive, courtesy of an unknown (and incredibly lucky) taper.

The Jam Buzz guest author for this week is Ross Mickel. Ross, aka ‘The Bootlegger’ is the producer and host of Bootleggers Beware, a weekly live music radio show airing from 10AM-1PM EST on The Radiator, 105.9FM in Burlington, VT, and a live music enthusiast, curating a collection of over 2500 recordings. Check out his website and on Facebook.