Blood, Sweat & Tears ( B5 )

 For the first time since the first album, Blood, Sweat & Tears presented a repertoire of songs composed almost entirely from within the group. Also included on the album is a cover of former member Al Kooper's "Holy John (John the Baptist)". Loaded with hooks and a wide variety of moods (featuring such songs as "Go Down Gamblin'", "Lisa, Listen to Me", "High on a Mountain", "Redemption"), BS&T 4 broke into the album charts, resulting in a gold record for the group. However, none of the singles from the album managed to land in the Top 30 on any of the singles charts, and the period after the release of the fourth album began the group's commercial decline.

Jerry Fisher era

After playing a final show at Anaheim Convention Center on December 31, 1971, Clayton-Thomas left in early January 1972 to pursue a solo career. He was briefly replaced by Bobby Doyle and then Jerry Fisher, who went on to front the next incarnation of Blood, Sweat & Tears. Fred Lipsius left as well and was briefly replaced by Joe Henderson, before Lou Marini settled into the new lineup. Another founding member, Dick Halligan, also departed, replaced by jazz pianist Larry Willis (from the Cannonball Adderley Quintet), and Swedish guitarist Georg Wadenius, from the popular Swedish outfit Made in Sweden, joined as lead guitarist around the same time.

The new edition of Blood, Sweat & Tears released New Blood in September 1972, which found the group moving into a more overtly jazz-fusion repertoire. The album broke through the Top 40 chart (the last BS&T LP to do so) and spawned a hit single ("So Long Dixie", chart peak: 44) that received some airplay. Also included on the record was a cover version of Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage", featuring the voice/guitar soloing of Georg Wadenius.

In January 1973, Katz left to pursue a career as a producer (for Lou Reed and others). Winfield departed as well, in March, and was replaced by Tom Malone.

Blood, Sweat & Tears' next album, No Sweat (June 1973), continued in a jazz-fusion vein and featured intricate horn work. Tom Malone's stay in the band was brief and he left to make way for jazz trumpeter John Madrid. 

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