King Albert [Import]

1. Love Shock

2. You Upset Me Baby

3. Chump Change

4. Let Me Rock You Easy

5. Boot Lace

6. Love Mechanic

7. Call My Job

8. Good Time Charlie

King Albert,Albert King,Charly UK,Modern Electric Blues,Pop,Rock,Soul,Soul-Blues,Urban Blues

Average customer rating: Best of the best... Unbelievably soulful Rockin From Head to Toe Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughn. Outstanding!!!!

In Session Albert King , and Stevie Ray Vaughn Manufacturer: Stax ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Chicago Blues | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music Contemporary Blues | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music Guitar Gods | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music Rock Guitarists | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: King of the Blues Guitar Blues The Very Best of Albert King The Sky Is Crying In Step ASIN: B00000JTB2 Release Date: 1999-08-24

Tracks:

1. Call It Stormy Monday
2. Old Times
3. Pride And Joy
4. Ask Me No Questions
5. Pep Talk
6. Blues At Sunrise
7. Turn It Over
8. Overall Junction
9. Match Box Blues
10. Who Is Stevie?
11. Don't Lie To Me

Amazon.com

Recorded for a television program of the same name back in 1983, In Session bills itself as the only known recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King, who was Vaughan's idol and mentor, playing together. That leads to some heavy expectations, which fortunately aren't disappointed, at least if you aren't expecting the customary over-the-top performances Vaughan was famous for. His playing here is much more laid-back and controlled, which is actually a recommendation--the stylistic similarities between teacher and student are that much more pronounced. The songs are mostly King concert staples, with the exception of "Pride and Joy"; highlights include the T-Bone Walker classic "Call It Stormy Monday" and one of King's own, "Overall Junction," which features some excellent guitar solo work. The snippets of recorded conversation between songs are interesting curiosities as well. --Genevieve Williams

Album Description

Originally recorded for Canadian television. The two blues g uitar legends jam on 'Stormy Monday', 'Don't lie To Me' and 'Pride and Joy'. 1999 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

Best of the best..........2007-07-23

This CD combines two of my favorite blues artists, and they play well together. I've enjoyed listening to this CD, and would recommed it to anyone who likes blues.

Unbelievably soulful.......2007-04-03

If you like high energy electric blues, buy this CD. If you like Stevie or Albert, buy this CD. If you are alive and breathing and want a better life, buy this CD.

Rockin From Head to Toe.......2007-03-18

If you LOVE Stevie Ray, then you'll love him even more on this CD with Albert King. The two of them together = Electric. A must have for your blues collection.

Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughn........2007-01-24

This Cd was sugested to me when i purchased Jimmy hendricks Blues and I have found it to be better than the original CD I ordered.Thankyou very much Good Job.

Outstanding!!!!.......2007-01-22

To have the opportunty to hear Albert King and Stevie Ray play together was incredible. Just sit back, listen to them play off one another and soak it all in. When you are through do it again.

Average customer rating: Not his best sounding work by far. The REAL trendsetter!. Best Blues Soul Inspired the blues we know so well Not a bad song on here

Born Under a Bad Sign Albert King Manufacturer: Stax ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: West Side Soul Live at the Regal Live Wire/Blues Power Hoodoo Man Blues Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' in the Moonlight ASIN: B00006878K Release Date: 2002-06-18

Tracks:

1. Born Under A Bad Sign
2. Crosscut Saw
3. Kansas City
4. Oh, Pretty Woman
5. Down Don't Bother Me
6. The Hunter
7. I Almost Lost My Mind
8. Personal Manager
9. Laundromat Blues
10. As The Years Go Passing By
11. The Very Thought Of You

Amazon.co.uk

Born Under a Bad Sign dates back to a time when albums were collections of singles, and when singles, designed for radio and jukebox play, seldom ran more than three and a half minutes. That limitation meant that artists had to make an impact quickly and firmly. In blues, the tendency of songs to go on a bit had to be curbed to produce performances with punch and point. There are few better examples of this process in action than Albert King's 1960s tracks like "Crosscut Saw," "Born Under a Bad Sign," and his story of hot whispers during the hot-wash cycle, "Laundromat Blues." With his thick voice and no-nonsense guitar, King brought absolute blues credibility to the well-made commercial single, and even tracks that were recorded purely for the album, like the aching slow blues "As the Years Go Passing By," became classics. Reissued with the original funky cover art, Born Under a Bad Sign is one of the foundation stones of a blues collection. --Tony Russell

Customer Reviews:

Not his best sounding work by far........2007-04-24

This may be the album that made the man but it's not his best work. The clips above are by far the best part of the album. Less than simple blues leads, wrong notes played in several places with attempts to cover it by horns are noticible. The horn section on a couple of the songs is down right disturbing.

The REAL trendsetter!........2007-02-12

It would appear that "King Of The Blues Guitar " contains the same tracks with additional songs thrown in. However this album was groundbreaking/trendsetting when it first was released.*I'm not seeking to use these terms flippantly as is the case with many reviewers.By the term "trendsetting" i mean to say it actually influenced thousands of guitarists including Eric Clapton who stole the lick from the intro of the title song as well as the melody for "Years Go Passing By" and used it for his intro to "Layla". The cover was striking and it's still rated as Albert's best ever release. "Personal Manager" for me is the standout track because Albert pulls out all the stops and ends up way past the 17 fret.

Best Blues Soul.......2007-01-09

This album is not only the best of Albert King's it is also one of the best blues albums of all time. If you are into blues then there's no need for introduction, cause you already know it by now. If you are beginning to blues or just love good music you can't find a better place to start. Albert King is one the major influences in blues and guitar music. And this is his best.

Inspired the blues we know so well .......2006-11-06

Albert King is a blues master and "Born Under a Bad Sign" is one of his most prominent achievements.On this album the band consisted of all top-notch musicians a few of which would rise to stardom. There was Steve Cropper on guitar[Blues Bros.],Booker T and Isacc Hayes(Shaft)-keyboards, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, Al Jackson Jr on drums , and those Memphis Horns rounding it out. Booker T. and Donald" Duck" Dunn recently did work with Neil Young and toured with CSNY on their 2000 reunion tour.

When you listen to this collection of songs you get an uncanny sense of deja vu. Like you've heard a snippet of a song somewhere before.For instance, "The Hunter" when King is singing " I've got you in the site of my love gun", immediately I recognized that line; However ,I remember it as Robert Plant bellowing it from "How Many More Times" off Led Zepplin's 1969 debut release. Or the style that Albert King had of talking in the songs. For instance "Crosscut Saw" he says "Now watch this" before breaking into a hot lead like he was going to do a trick and trying to get your attention. It made me think of Jimi when he would say "Move over rover, and let Jimi take over". And his guitar playing is profound,laying down a foundation for guitar greats like Jimi Hendrix to build their stellar style upon. It was with great insight that Bill Graham, the founder of the FILLMORE EAST and FILLMORE WEST had Albert King billed with the psychedelic San Francisco bands and white blues bands rising out of England in the late 1960's. Groups like the Yardbirds ,Cream [Eric Clapton] ,Led Zepplin [Jimmy Page], The Jeff Beck group, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Albert King is quilted throughout the blues we know today making his contribution legendary. If you love the blues I strongly recommend "Born Under a Bad Sign" as a worthy addition to your collection.

Not a bad song on here.......2006-10-18

A lot of Albert King's stuff has been turned into dull blues-rock cliches, but you can't blame him for that. This album is an incredibly satisfying experience. The songs are all well-written and arranged perfectly. Albert King may not have been the most versatile guitarist, but his playing always sounds good and he knew what to play and when to play it. Crosscut Saw and Personal Manager have two of the greatest guitar solos I've ever heard (I also like Albert's habit of saying things like "Watch this", "heads up", and "Woo!" during his solos). The Hunter is catchy like the flu. I Almost Lost My Mind is one of the prettiest blues songs you'll ever hear. If you like blues you will love this album.

Average customer rating: A must!! can't get enough of it BEST BLUES I've heard in MONTHS ! Awesome, but Wed & Thurs in SF even better!!!! king of the flying v's and more....

Live Wire/Blues Power Albert King Manufacturer: Stax ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Chicago Blues | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Rock Guitarists | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Born Under a Bad Sign Thursday Night in San Francisco: Recorded Live at the Fillmore Auditorium King of the Blues Guitar Wednesday Night in San Francisco: Recorded Live at the Fillmore Auditorium In Session ASIN: B000000ZHB Release Date: 1991-11-06

Tracks:

1. Watermelon Man
2. Blues Power
3. Night Stomp
4. Blues At Sunrise
5. Please Love Me
6. Look Out

Customer Reviews:

A must!!.......2006-03-03

I'll keep this review brief. This CD is nothing less than a Blues guitar statement. One like few others! An absolute must for Blues fans, period! Five stars are not enough for this CD!

can't get enough of it.......2005-02-12

Wow. I just came across this CD for real cheap, and boy was I glad I got it. I have listened to lots of blues players of different types, and the guitar of Albert King is amazing, especially on this disc. I have his In Session CD live with SRV, which was a really strong CD, but this particular CD presents a better sound of his guitar, in my opinion. It sounds sweeter, more well-rounded, powerful, diverse, and dead-on. I really love Albert King's work, and I always wish songs like "Blues Power" and "Blues at Sunrise" were much much longer because this type of slower blues has the sweetest licks. Get this CD. It radiates such warm, positive energy.

BEST BLUES I've heard in MONTHS !.......2004-10-17

I just unwrapped this CD this afternoon, popped into the player and ... it's EXCELLENT! What an inspiration Mr. King must have been to Clapton et al. Each track on this one SMOKES BIG TIME ! The guitar is perfect, raw, loud and captivating. This is what I've been looking for since I expired all of Michael Bloomfield's stuff. If you love Bloomfield, you'll love this and vice versa.

Awesome, but Wed & Thurs in SF even better!!!!.......2004-03-24

Albert is THE master!! This CD is truly powerful guitar playing and great vocals! A must for ALL Blues and rock fans.
As great as Live Wire / Blues Power is, it is very misleading to say that these were the best songs of the live SF shows. ALL songs were great, and the "leftovers" that were placed on the Wednesday night in San Francisco and Thursday night in San Francisco were just as good. All three CD's form the greatest collection of the sweetest guitar playing ever!!!! He was the TRUE master. It's amazing how few paople know about this secret pearl of music.

king of the flying v's and more...........2003-12-09

This is a seminal album....one of the finest live concert recordings ever, irrespective of genre. I saw King Albert twice at the Fillmore East in the old days [this one was recorded at Fillmore West], and this CD [or my old vinyl LP for that matter] captures him in all his live glory. Albert was a consummate professional who hadn't played large venues for the most part in his career when Bill Graham tapped him for the Fillmores, and he succeeded in pleasing [no, knocking out!!] audiences and turning them on to the blues....if you're counting your coins and wondering which next blues CD purchase will best serve your budget [or even if you're made of money and don't care either way but love the blues] - BUY THIS ONE!!!

Average customer rating: He's the king baby!!! Some of the best Albert King stuff King of the Blues Guitar King of the Blues Guitar, Albert King Great guitarist and as good sa a singer

King of the Blues Guitar Albert King Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Blues General | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Blues General | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Chicago Blues | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Chicago Blues | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 R&B | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: In Session The Very Best of Albert King Hoodoo Man Blues Blues The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James ASIN: B000002I7H Release Date: 1989-08-18

Tracks:

1. Laundromat Blues
2. Overall Junction
3. Oh, Pretty Woman
4. Funk-Shun
5. Crosscut Saw
6. Down Don't Bother Me
7. Born Under A Bad Sign
8. Personal Manager
9. Kansas City
10. The Very Thought Of You
11. The Hunter
12. I Almost Lost My Mind
13. As The Years Go Passing By
14. Cold Feet
15. You Sure Druve A Hard Bargain
16. I Love Lucy
17. You're Gonna Need Me

Amazon.com

These 17 tunes come from King's most fertile period, his 1966-68 tenure at Memphis's Stax Records. Stax chief Jim Stewart had been reluctant to sign blues artists because he felt straight blues wouldn't mesh with Stax's patented Memphis soul. Ironically, the fusion of King's sharp guitar wails with the dynamic rhythms of Booker T. & the MGs--the Stax house band--was what set King apart from other bluesmen. The unique blend produced classic after classic: Booker T. Jones' rolling piano propels "Laundromat Blues." Al Jackson's drum shuffle supports "Crosscut Saw." The driving horns of Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson, and Joe Arnold accent "Born Under a Bad Sign." King's ripe and mellow vocals are a perfect match for the soul-drenched music while his dramatic string bends leap out. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

He's the king baby!!!.......2007-05-25

Listen to this and you can hear a lot of where SRV got his style. It's no secret and he's the one who directed me to listen to Albert in an interview I saw with him. Albert wears it out, flying V upside, bendin' the crap out of those strings. He's got chops, feel and soul, not a bad singer either. I wish this CD had his version of "Stormy Monday," but it's a great CD anyway. Enjoy!

Some of the best Albert King stuff.......2006-05-01

Agreed - this is some of the best songs I heard Albert play on record. Truly an excellent collection. You'll hear not only Albert's awesome soulful singing but also a LOT of intense blues guitar, which is truly "King". The sound quality leaves more to be desired, but it is acceptable. Material more than makes up for it. I played this record to someone who's never heard Albert King's material before and they were shocked. I'm a fan of Albert King, and this is a valuable disc in my collection.

King of the Blues Guitar.......2006-02-26

This is my absolute favorite recording by Albert King. I had the album for years and literally wore it out playing it. I finally got the CD to replace my album and was pleasantly surprised to find it included some additional material not on the LP. Any collection of blues material is not complete without this.

Albert King's "Personal Manager" is one of the best examples of why he was such a genious. The soft, syncopated piano, the delayed introduction of horns, the gradual build of energy in his voice and the blazing guitar lead send chills up my spine. I love this CD.

King of the Blues Guitar, Albert King.......2005-08-04

CD arrived in sealed jewel case, new, and was without flaws. The music was great, as expected, and the artist lived up to his reputation as one of the truly fine blues pickers.

Great guitarist and as good sa a singer.......2005-05-09

This is the best Albert King one disc compilation. The reason I give it only four stars is that it isn't an career overreview. It only contains his mid sixties songs - the entire 1967 Born Under A Bad Sign album and a couple of singles from the same time. However I have heard that Born under a bad sign album itself is just a collection of singles. The 2CD Ultimate collection is by far better, including all on this one and even more - afew live tracks and spanning his whole career, but it's too expensive. And anyway, this was Albert's strongest period. The songs are similar to B. B. King's in the style of Albert's singing and use of orchestra, but the orchestra is even more of a background here for Albert than it is for B. B. Also, Albert is getting funkier on a few tracks, although he would become even more later, for better or for worse. (You Choose). His guitar playing is sharp , beeing gritty and a bit slick at the same time to create just the right combination. His playing belongs to the best blues ever witnessed.
If you don't have enough money to buy the Ultimate collection, get this. It's worth every penny.

Average customer rating: The cover says it all. REAL blues and REAL good I'LL PLAY THE BLUES FOR YOU ! Highly Recommend!!!! best single disc career overview

The Very Best of Albert King Albert King Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Blues General | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Blues General | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Chicago Blues | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Chicago Blues | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: In Session Ultimate Collection King of the Blues Guitar Blues Blues Masters: The Very Best of T-Bone Walker ASIN: B00000IMS7 Release Date: 1999-04-20

Tracks:

1. Let's Have A Natural Ball
2. Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong
3. C.O.D.
4. Laundromat Blues
5. Overall Junction
6. Oh, Pretty Woman (Can't Make You Love Me)
7. Crosscut Saw
8. Born Under A Bad Sign
9. Personal Manager
10. Cold Feet
11. Blues Power (Live)
12. I'll Play The Blues For You (Parts 1 & 2)
13. Breaking Up Somebody's Home
14. Answer To The Laundromat Blues
15. That's What The Blues Is All About
16. Cadillac Assembly Line

Album Description

The ultimate single-disc tribute to the king of the Gibson Flying V. Blues Masters: The Very Best of Albert King collects 16 of the most influential electric blues tracks ever laid to wax, spanning 1960-1975.

Customer Reviews:

The cover says it all........2007-02-05

Whilst trying to locate some info on the unique Gibson Flying "V" i was stunned (but not entirely surprised)to learn that the "King" of the "Flying V" is reputed to be Michael Schenker!!
Who the hell is Michael Schenker in comparison to this most influential 6 ' 4" giant of guitar? Has Schenker influenced more people than Albert King?
Nobody looks as good with a Flying V as Albert nor is noted worldwide for the distinctive tone connected to the guitar.
On this compilation we have possibly some of the finest tracks culled over Alberts career.(the best parts of his career).
"Personal Manager" contains one of the wildest solos ever done on a slow blues. It creeps up you and towards the end Albert runs out of frets and yells in excitement. He must've been in a good mood when he cut this song.
If any are looking for a song that sums up Albert then it's this one although every track on this CD is perfect.
Albert King's talent will live on as the years go by and in theface of every other genre of music.
Needless to say, if you purchase this CD you will have it ALL... i.e Great music & a dynamic cover photo.

REAL blues and REAL good.......2006-10-18

I just listened to some audio clips of an inept but very popular young guitarist (if we can call him that)who was trying (poorly) to play the blues. Then I pulled out this excellent CD, stuck it in my computer and cleansed my ears of noise pollution.

I'm so grateful for Rhino making compilations such as this so those of us who are too young to have been contemporaries of this wonderful music can still have access to it. I also enjoyed the liner notes and biography of Mr. King.

I'LL PLAY THE BLUES FOR YOU !.......2006-06-29

This is the best compilation to pay tribute to the late, great blues legend Albert King ! There should also be tributes to : Charles Brown, Freddie King, Amos Milburn, Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Little Milton, Little Willie John, Little Johnny Taylor, Z.Z.Hill, Johnny "Guitar" Watson. Rest In Blues Heaven !!

Highly Recommend!!!!.......2005-10-10

Over the years their have been countless compilations of albert king's Stax recordings. But this Rhino's very best of Albert King serves justice to the legendary guitarist most greatest hits including Born Under A Bad Sign, Crosscut Saw, Let's Have A Natural Ball, Blues Power, and many more. Albert King was Stevie Ray Vaughan's biggest influence and he has soon became mine after listening to this incrediable album. You will learn to appreciate a long but forgotten guitar hero Albert King. Enjoy~

best single disc career overview.......2005-05-10

Albert King was a great urban blues singera and one of the best guitarists that played the blues. This CD has 16 of his best tunes. It doesn't cover his entire work, but it is better than "King of the blues guitar" in this aspect, as that one featured just 1966 - 1968 material and this one spans nearly 20 years , from about the late fifties to mid seventies.
However, the track list isn't stellar: I have nothing against the three pre 1966 selections, but the some of the seven tracks from his most famous period between 1966 - 1968 are odd. Why there is Cold feet, which is pretty good, but no As the years go Passing by which is more of a classic and one of his trademark tunes. It is inexcxusable to have a Best of without it. That's why I put 1 star off. The latter tracks are well chosen, so I hink you should pick this one up if you want to have just one Albert King CD. Just add As the years go passing by and you'll have ***** stars as far a single disc collection can go

Average customer rating: Wonderful album; any blues lover will love it Now I Get it Blues at Sunset fantastic and amazing albert! Albert King's Only Stadium Rock Concert

Blues at Sunset Albert King Manufacturer: Stax ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Chicago Blues | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Soul | Live Albums | R&B | Styles | Music Rock Guitarists | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Blues at Sunrise: Live at Montreux Years Gone By Live Wire/Blues Power Thursday Night in San Francisco: Recorded Live at the Fillmore Auditorium Wednesday Night in San Francisco: Recorded Live at the Fillmore Auditorium ASIN: B000000ZLW Release Date: 1993-08-31

Tracks:

1. Match Box Blues
2. Got To Be Some Changes Made
3. I'll Play The Blues For You
4. Killing Floor
5. Angel Of Mercy
6. Match Box Blues
7. Watermelon Man
8. Breaking Up Somebody's Home
9. Call It Stormy Monday

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful album; any blues lover will love it.......2007-07-16

I got into Albert King, by listening to an album he did with Stevie Ray Vaughan. They got me interested in hearing his own music. I downloaded this album, and it is really, really good. Albert King should be better known; he is one of the absolute best.

Now I Get it.......2006-04-25

A long time ago a friend whose music taste I trust told me he had just seen an incredible performance at the Fillmore in NY by " a blues guy named Albert King." I bought all the available albums and didn't get it. This live recording captures what I have been hoping for. There is no more powerful performance than Albert's " I'LL Play the Blues For You". "Killing FLoor" does it too.
I would give it five stars but it is too short.

Blues at Sunset.......2006-02-26

One of the best live recordings of Albert King. Even without the usual horn section on the Wattatax set, it lacks nothing. The rest of the Montreaux set not included on the "Blues At Sunrise" CD are found here and are, again, some of Albert Kings best.

fantastic and amazing albert! .......2005-11-13

This cd is one of the best works of the great bluesman albert king. All the tracks are master pieces........!!!!!!!!!!buy it................and........right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Albert King's Only Stadium Rock Concert.......2004-07-12

Well Albert Nelson King stands as one of the most innovative Blues players ever. He was great at Talking Blues (hear him at the beginning of this CD!) and took the Blues Bend to new levels. This set recorded at the famous Wattstax Concert features extended sets from two of his previously released concerts: Wattstax (a 2-CD set only sporadically available) and at Montreaux, at which "Stormy Monday" had been previously released on a now out of print Stax LP with Little Milton and Chico Hamilton.

This CD is a great introduction to King's live style and the differences in his tone and dynamics. I personally love his Wattstax set the best. He never sounded like this before. He has an unknown backing band which I curiously think includes Micheal Toles and Willie "Too Tall" Hall (who played in the Blue Brothers Band) from his last period at Stax Records. He has no horns but still has a fat sound.

The set is great with "Matchbox" showcasing his great Talking Blues abilities "I'm here to hold up the Blues end!". The highlight of this for me is the old King Reords tune "Got to Be Some Changes Made". This is worth the price of the whole CD. It is perhaps the best live track Albert ever did! This blows away even Hendrix on "Red House". The other great track here is "Angel Of Mercy" which features the whole tune (it was editied in the original Wattstax release!). Most people wouldn't realize that this is the only time a Blues artist played at a stadium (L.A. Col.), well, B.B. played in Zaire at the Ali-Foreman fight!! This was in the US. King also once played with the Memphis Symphony too!

The second part of this CD contains the REST of the Montreaux set released as "Blues At Sunrise". It also has the whole version of Stormy Monday which was partly perviously released. A highlight of this set is his version of "Breaking Up Somebody's Home". Great playing! This was a great band with a horn section and Don Kinsey on the second guitar "that's my grandson!!!" He said that also of Little Jimmy King when I saw him in Australia in 1990.

This is a must have live blues CD. Get it with "Live Wire, Blues Power", "Blues At Sunrise" and "Albert Live". All of these performances have different tone, dynamics, phrasing and soul. A great overview of the adaptability and range of wonderful Blues Music.

Average customer rating: Not for the pretentious or those looking to unleash the college-boy inside Snap, Crackle & "Pop"! The way the blues should be Stax's super session Classic!

Jammed Together Steve Cropper , Pop Staples , and Albert King Manufacturer: Stax ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music 1960s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music Oldies | Compilations | Pop | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music 1960-1969 | Decades | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: With a Little Help from My Friends Peace to the Neighborhood Years Gone By I Wanna Get Funky Blues at Sunset ASIN: B000000ZJU Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

1. What'd I Say
2. Tupelo
3. Opus De Soul
4. Baby, What You Want Me To Do
5. Big Bird
6. Homer's Theme
7. Trashy Dog
8. Don't Turn Your Heater Down
9. Water
10. Knock On Wood

Customer Reviews:

Not for the pretentious or those looking to unleash the college-boy inside.......2005-08-20

Wow! I have just recently started getting into R&B and soul music and I think I have now been spoiled. This album has serious rhythm, which is incredible seeing as how there are three mofos tooling on their guitars at all time. In my opinion you can't find many more guitarists that are better rhythm players than steve cropper and even though the liner notes don't name names, it sounds like Duck Dunn (or an admirable clone of Duck Dunn) is the bassist. If those two don't ooze rhythm, I don't know what does. Then again, most of what I have listened to is metal and prog rock, which are more lead oriented.
This album is a miracle. Fantastic songs. That's all I can really say. The first song, a "cover" of Ray Charles' "what'd I say" will wake you up faster than any cup of coffee ever could. I didn't think the solos would ever end, and I didn't want them to. At times, all three of them solo simultaneously but never get in each others way...they seem to be helping each other out. Big Bird is another tune that perfectly blends rhythm and blues together for a unique experience. All these dudes are jamming on the same page AT ALL TIMES! The way Ned Flanders prepares for The Rapture, I prepare for a new Steve Cropper/Duck Dunn album. I feel I have missed the bus though.

Snap, Crackle & "Pop"!.......2004-10-22

One thing is certain...when these guys said "Jammed Together", they MEANT it; what an awesome album this is! Here we have two of the blues' elder statesmen (Pop Staples & Albert King), and the young "whippersnapper" (Steve Cropper) all assembled in one place, and the results are fantastic; there's no doubt that the three of them had a great time making this album!

"Jammed Together" isn't an album of self-indulgent guitar solos and noodling to satisfy egos; the title tells you all you need to know: this is all meat, no filler, folks. Because each of the three guitarists have very distinctive playing styles and tones, you can literally pick them out as you listen to it.

A great example of this can be heard on the rocking instrumental "Big Bird", where Cropper, King and Staples each occupy the left, middle and right stereo channels respectively, but the stereo separation didn't really need to be done so you'll know who is who; as I said, you'll literally be able to identify them with each solo turn.

In addition to the fabulous guitar playing, all three take turns on vocals as well; King leads off with the Ray Charles classic "What I'd Say", Cropper turns in a rare vocal on "Don't Turn Your Heater Down", and Staples on the positively spine-tingling "Tupelo", where his soulful vocals and trademark tremelo-effected guitar give the track a swampy, ominous feel and mood. It's very obvious that this song influenced John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival, as evidenced by the CCR tracks "The Midnight Special" & "Born On The Bayou" alone.

Released on the Stax label in early 1969, "Jammed Together" is a genuine blues/soul classic; get it now!

The way the blues should be.......2004-10-21

Yeah man! You can feel the soulful blues trickling and dripping down the neck of Cropper's Telecaster. Love this album. So many standards. What blew me away was realizing that one of my favourite Hip Hop samples came from 'Opus De Soul,' Public Enemy used it for their 'Give It Up' track back in 94. I'm bias anyway, anything that has the Staxx house band or Cropper's licks gets my vote. Pop's and King to boot? Better get'chaself daawn the crossroads bawwy! My souls taken!

Stax's super session.......2003-03-23

Steve Cropper in particular is not crazy about this release. To him it's "just a bunch of jams that Al Bell spliced together." I finally shelled out the bucks for it and was pleasantly surprised. It's an interesting mix, these three guitar greats. Talk about different styles...you also get all three singing. The real test of this CD is the fact that it was all I listened to after I bought it. The idea was for it to be Stax's version of the Mike Bloomfield "super session" concept. It is at least as good or better than Super Session.

Classic!.......2002-07-25

Jammed Together is somewhat of a surprise jam disc featuring three musicians with seemingly little in common. Pops Staples, Steve Cropper and Albert King. Pops Staples, the leader of the Staple singers, started his solo career at the ripe age of seventy. Pops played guitar with incredible agility for a man of seventy and his voice has been described as rough and sweet, sometimes wispy but full of soul. Pops released two solo albums, both steeped in gospel, in addition to this jam before his death on December 19, 2000. Steve Cropper was a guitarist for the popular R&B band, Booker T. & the MGs. Cropper was also a member of the Blues Brothers Band of film and recording fame. Albert King, was, well, Albert King, guitar extraordinaire. The guitar interplay between these three performers is first rate, exciting, sometimes funky and never dull. The guitarists blend with harmonious splendor and it is often hard to pick out which guitarist is playing the various solos. Vocal performances are kept to a minimum with each performer singing lead on one song apiece. This is Stax Records equivalent to Alligators "Showdown" featuring Albert Collins, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland. Mighty good stuff. The liner notes are sparse and, as much as I would like to credit the excellent backup band, their identities are not revealed in the notes.

Average customer rating: Excellent sound Albert King SRV Blues that cut like a chainsaw Wish I Could Have Been There A Jam Session Well Worth Listening To...

In Session Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan Manufacturer: Stax ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: Texas Flood In the Beginning Live at Carnegie Hall In Step Blues at Sunrise ASIN: B0000AZKLF Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

1. Call It Stormy Monday
2. Old Times
3. Pride and Joy
4. Ask Me No Questions
5. Pep Talk
6. Blues at Sunrise
7. "Turn It Over"
8. Overall Junction
9. Match Box Blues
10. "Who Is Stevie?"
11. Don't Lie to Me

Customer Reviews:

Excellent sound.......2007-06-14

Very pleased with this SACD, sound is awesome. I agree with all other highly rated reviews, it is more than words can describe.

Albert King SRV.......2007-04-03

All one has to do is to listen to this and realize that we were lucky that this event happened. I hear something new every time I play it. Enjoy

Blues that cut like a chainsaw.......2006-12-16

While Albert King never rose to the massive popularity of Stevie Ray Vaughan, as far as blues players go though, he was one of the more familiar to rock fans, thanks to his work being covered by Clapton and Hendrix ("Born Under A Bad Sign").
No modern guitarist was more influenced by King than Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose admiration and praise allowed him to share the stage in a Hamilton, Ontario TV studio right around the time of the release of Vaughan's "Texas Flood". This summit was long overdue, and is absolutely critical for Vaughan and King fans.
Mind you, there are many rehashes, repackagings and other posthumous releases of SRV, most of which are unforgivable, offering nothing new, only capitalizing on the myth and making a fortune off his memory.
"In Session", however, like "The Sky Is Crying", is one CD that does offer a fresh look at both masters.
King is still the star of this show, and his band provides the powerful backing music as the two titans trade off solo after solo, each careful to not overplay, but not hide behind their amps, either.
Vaughan sounds a lot like King, showing us the bedrock of his style. He was a little flashier, and could control feedback ala Hendrix, but when all is said and done, SRV was the best white blues player period. Brit players like Clapton and Page pale in comparison.
Prime cuts include "Pride And Joy" as handled by King's band, and it thumps and grinds mightily. "Overall Junction" is a King jam and indeed it does. Perhaps the best is "Matchbox Blues", with an absolutely wicked swing beat that allows both guitarists to soar, reaching blues nirvana over and over.
SRV fans will delight in this CD when he was probably at his greatest, and will come away King fans as well, after finding out who got this party started in the first place.

Wish I Could Have Been There.......2006-05-27

Albert King and SRV appeared on the Canadian TV show 'In Session' and the result was incredible. The music itself is really good, with two great musicians playing the tunes they loved. But it's the dialogue between Albert and SRV that puts this over the top.

Albert's story about Stevie sitting in with him about 10 years earlier when he was just a skinny kid in Austin was amazing. And while SRV was coming into his own at the time of the session, he was still paying a lot of respect to Albert. There was this aspect of passing the baton from one generation of blues players to another about this session.

Finally if the combination of 'Who Is Stevie' and 'Pride & Joy' doesn't have you smilin' and hummin' along - then you just don't like the blues.

You can't go wrong with this CD. In addition to the good music the recording is also pretty realistic. I keep wondering what it would have been like to be in the studio when this session was recorded...

A Jam Session Well Worth Listening To..........2006-02-15

Albert King was always overshadowed by BB King and thus never received the credit he deserved for the way he shaped how the electric guitar is played. This is true not only in the blues but indeed in all styles of music. Modern guitar players who look back with a sense of fondness for players such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Paul Kossof, etc. would do well to consider the man who so strongly influenced their playing as well as countless others. (Including bluesmen Otis Rush and Albert Collins: already distinctive stylists in their own right.) And perhaps no other guitar player was as influenced by Albert King as the young Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan.

To say that Stevie Ray Vaughan idolized Albert King would not be inaccurate nor would saying that Stevie's style was about 80% influenced by the mammoth Mississippi bluesman. On this album, the songs are mainly from King's repertoire but in many cases Stevie had been weaned on them and practiced them in his formative years so there was not much in the way of adjustment for him here generally speaking.

It starts with "Stormy Monday" which King begins with some of his signature mournful phrasing while Vaughan utilizes a tasteful countermelody in return. Albert's comments as the song was starting off indicate that they have played the song together before and the smooth way they played off one another would seem to verify that. From there a bit of dialogue takes place where they reminisce about old times and at Albert's request, Stevie kicks off "Pride and Joy." From there they moved into "Ask Me No Questions." Unlike the previous song where it was King who had to adapt to a new song, this time it was Vaughan and he does so quite well with tasteful vibrato fills and taking the first solo at King's request. They then dialogue a bit more with Albert asking Stevie to never settle but instead to always strive to work and play better.

At that point, Albert kicks off "Blues at Sunrise" and anyone who doubts that a fifteen minute blues song with a shuffle beat can be kept interesting for fifteen minutes needs to hear these two play off of each other as they do here.

From there, it moves (after some dialogue) into the instrumental "Overall Junction" which has a strident pacing to it. Vaughan starts it off and gets his bits in certainly -based on much of what he plays his familiarity with the original tune (as recorded by King in 1966) is evident to this listener. And King shows on the song for those who would question it that he can move around the fretboard nimbly...a feature he usually saved for instrumentals but not always. They then move pretty quickly into "Matchbox Blues" a longtime King concert staple. Stevie's playing in the song is a homage to Albert and he certainly could authentically approach the latter's style better than arguably anyone else. There is then another dialogual interlude prior to the last song "Don't Lie to Me", a song Stevie would recognize as "I Get Evil." Again the dueling is entertaining when Vaughan goes into the lower registers and Albert encourages him further in the process. That concludes the album but not this review.

The essence of blues playing requires soul and you cannot manufacture it by wanking speed riffs on a fretboard. (I note that here for those who think "better blues playing" means faster playing: that is not necessarily so.) Albert King was a master of the blues and Stevie Ray Vaughan was his most loyal disciple. Indeed, I believe Stevie is the only one who could so flagrantly use King's own signature riffs in his playing without the master himself taking offense. And when you consider that Albert did not take such things lightly --because he developed a unique style and by his reckoning owned it-that is no mean achievement.

Clearly on this album King had in mind to some extent a passing of the torch to Vaughan at one point in the recording because he plainly says so after they finished playing "Blues at Sunrise." Stevie laughs and says he does not believe it but the sentiments sounds convincing enough even if King was to continue playing live after Vaughan's passing in 1990 at the tender age of 35. (The former retired and made comebacks in the same fashion as Frank Sinatra: at least in King's case, he retained his form all the way to the end with minimal if any diminishment.) As far as Vaughan's death goes, King would recount in a 1991 interview published before his own passing that Stevie's loss hurt him deeply and if you listen to the way they interact musically and otherwise on this album, it makes sense. What started out as a young boy and his idol grew into a situation where they were contemporaries and there was a genuine affection between them. Albert seemed to view Stevie as his son in the blues and no father wants to see his son go before him. May they both rest in peace and may this recording stand as a testament to them.

Average customer rating: Excellent Blues Album! Albert King's Most Experimental Album. Fine, soulful 70s blues Serene At The Top of His Game Best damn blues LP/CD ever! With props to the two below.

I'll Play the Blues for You Albert King Manufacturer: Stax ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: Years Gone By Born Under a Bad Sign Live Wire/Blues Power I Wanna Get Funky King of the Blues Guitar ASIN: B000000ZI5 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. I'll Play The Blues For You (Parts 1 And 2)
2. Little Brother (Make A Way)
3. Breaking Up Somebody's Home
4. High Cost Of Loving
5. I'll Be Doggone
6. Answer To The Laundromat Blues
7. Don't Burn Down The Bridge ('Cause You Might Wanna Come Back Across)
8. Angel Of Mercy

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Blues Album!.......2005-10-03

This is a phenomenal blues album by the late great Albert King. Easily one of my favorites.

Albert King's Most Experimental Album........2004-02-08

When the late great Albert King signed with Stax records in the 60's, they really didn't know what to do with him. Like Aretha Franklin at Atlantic (which had a hold on Stax in the 1960s). They teamed him up with Booker T and the MGs to produce a unique soul based blues that no one had ever heard. He had had several winning LPs for Stax and then put out this one. "I'll Play the Blues for You" is a concept LP (Like Issac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul). King re-invents himself to fit into the emerging soul-funk grooves of the 1970s. However, his guitar playing is about the best it ever got!

"I'll Play The Blues For You (Parts One and Two") showcases his singing, talking blues ability and guitar. It features the only use of his famous (to blues players) bass string riff in Part 2 of the tune. SRV used it several times. "Little Brother Make A Way" is a great soul vocal and is the only double tracked vocal he ever did! "Breaking Up Sombodys Home" is a classic blues funk inspired from an earlier tune by Ann Peebles. He vamps it up with a meaty solo. "I'll Be Doggone" is a Marvin Gaye tune made into real soul (like Stax did!!!) I have never fully believed that that track is really live- oh well, it is effective! The solo has true King-style bending.

"Don't Burn Down The Bridge" is a King classic. However, he subsequently was never able to produce the power in this song in later live versions of it. The bending on this tune is the best ever in any blues music, it is Albert's finest creative hour! (I'll stick my neck out!) SRV tries in The Sky is Crying and a couple more efforts, but this is IT!!!!

"Angel of Mercy", another classic minor key blues, was originally a bonus single later added to this LP. This one also features King's finest bending and phrasing. His vocals proclaim "I can't even afford them soup!! A great tune written by Al Jackson Jr the great MG's drummer who also produced Albert's first live LP. The Bar-Kays are good backing for this album, Albert always sounded better with horns although he didn't always use them on the road.

The tune that always gets bagged in this set is "Answer to the Laundromat Blues"- well it's typical filler material- the topic is very sexist and pro-domestic violence (like JB Lenoir's "Talk To Your Daughter"), but the TONE and clarity of his guitar, bends and micro-pitches is truly amazing. I always thought this one of his best solos. The use of wah-wah second guitar dates it a bit, but I love it!

Finally, the pop inspired blues tune "High Cost of Loving" also is a track which seemed was destined for single release, it's short enough for radio play. But it never made it. The solo features great bending, timing and tone. This LP is a classic it shows why Blues is the foundation of all popular music and is the most adaptable of any music genre. B.B. King tired to do the same thing with strings in "The Thrill Is Gone", but stopped after that when he became a household name. Albert continued to experiment throughtout the 1970s.

Fine, soulful 70s blues.......2004-01-13

There are no fewer than three albums by Albert King titled "I'll Play The Blues For You" - a 1999 album which also includes some sides by John Lee Hooker, a 1977 live recording, and this one, which is the original, or at least the first.

Released on Stax in 1972, "I'll Play The Blues For You" doesn't quit match his magnificent second LP, "Born Under A Bad Sign", but it is a very enjoyable, melodious blues record, even if it lacks the raw, gritty power of men like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.
Albert King's soulful vocals are supremely smooth and confident all the way through, and this album includes some of his best recordings of the 70s, "I'll Play The Blues For You", "High Cost Of Loving", and "Little Brother (Make A Way)" among them.
The title track would be even better without the spoken soliloqy half way through part one, but King's fluid guitar playing couldn't be better. When Stevie Ray Vaughan was a boy, he wanted to be Albert King, and you can understand why when you hear King's sparse, melodious soloing, every note ringing clear as a bell.

The Memphis Horns back Albert King on this album, without overwhelming him in the slightest, a credit to the excellent mix and the relatively lean production.
This funky, soul-influenced slice of urban blues is one of King's best Stax sets, and one of his best studio albums, too.
Definitely recommended.

Serene At The Top of His Game.......2000-05-23

The title cut alone makes the set worth it - this is the single best piece of music Big Albert ever cut for Stax without the M.G.s, and he bloody well yanks the Bar-Kays into line with every one of his trademark crying guitar notes. It's also almost the last studio album of his career in which he could make the case that while he was keeping step in the modern world he didn't and wouldn't forget the blues. He turns a lesser Marvin Gaye chestnut ("I'll Be Doggone") into greasy Southern-fried blues, and he's so damn charming that you'll forgive him for trying to re-write his classic "Laundromat Blues" as laughably as he does here. If that's the only clinker, so be it - by this point in the game, Big Albert had earned the right to it, and anyway, he's poking at himself as much as anything else, which not too many bluesmen had the serenity to do well.

Best damn blues LP/CD ever! With props to the two below........2000-02-04

My favorite Albert King LP, 'cause, it has the Stax/Barkays folks on it and it is definitely phonkay, dig? It has the title cut, which is like the Cadillac Mack Daddy's theme song--plus it has my favorite creepin' days (when I was younger, of course) song "Breaking Up Somebody's Home"...and the great "I'll Be Doggone". It's good damn blues done damn right.

Average customer rating: King + MGs = Must Have Albert King's First Studio Album. Albert at his best! Awesome!!! Do not look any further than this one! Incredible!

Years Gone By Albert King Manufacturer: Stax ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: I'll Play the Blues for You Born Under a Bad Sign I Wanna Get Funky Blues at Sunset Live Wire/Blues Power ASIN: B000000ZIM Release Date: 1989-11-16

Tracks:

1. Wrapped Up In Love Again
2. You Don't Love Me (instrumental)
3. Cockroach
4. Killing Floor
5. Lonely Man
6. If The Washing Don't Get You, The Rinsing Will
7. Drowning On Dry Land
8. Drowning On Dry Land (instrumental)
9. Heart Fixing Business
10. You Threw Your Love On Me Too Strong
11. Sky Is Crying

Customer Reviews:

King + MGs = Must Have.......2004-07-03

The legendary Albert King's first Stax release was the groundbreaking, earth shaking Born Under a Bad Sign, a collection of singles named for the song keyboardist Booker T. Jones and singer William Bell wrote with Big Albert in mind.

Stax sent the new King of the Blues in the studio in 1969 to record this, his first official studio album. "Wrapped Up In Love Again" sets the album off. An even better, tighter version of the song was released as a single. This type of Soul/Blues with its rockin' tempo is something nobody has ever done better than Albert King. On the other side of the coin is the album's closer "The Sky Is Cryin'". Stevie Ray Vaughn's version of the Elmore James staple is pure Albert, but of course Vaughn never had Producer Al Jackson, Jr. as a drummer - Wow!

Nobody's ever come close to Jackson's snare sound, right up front on the great "Heart Fixin' Business". Jackson and his fellow MGs display their unmatched interplay throughout, particularly on Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" and on the delightful "Cockroach", a song that finds King's woman forcing him to sleep on the floor while a big ole cockroach is lookin' up at him. It features one of the most superb bass lines you'll ever here courtesy of King's fellow pipe smoker Donald "Duck" Dunn and brilliant work by Jackson. The great slow Blues of "Drowning On Dry Land" is yet another Albert King masterpiece. This is followed by an instrumental version that is just awesome. It's like a really hot MGs instrumental, complete with great rhythm guitar playing from Steve Cropper, with the added greatness of King's string bending leads. Al Jackson arranged this, and it is perfect. The Memphis Horns, Booker T. Jones's piano, King, Cropper, Dunn, and jaw dropping drumming by Jackson. Incredible!

Try and get the U.K.'s Ace Records release of Years Gone By - Plus. This will give you such great finds as a never released version of Ray Charles's "I Believe to My Soul" and a beautifully done alternate version of "As the Years Go Passing By", where Jones's B-3 organ leads the way as opposed to the horns and Jones's piano on the original classic.

This album should never be lost in the shuffle amongst more seminal King works such as, naturally, Born Under a Bad Sign. It is a great production from the greatest Blues guitarist and greatest band of all time.

Albert King's First Studio Album........2003-11-09

This set was Albert King's first intentional LP. His most famous record, "Born Under A Bad Sign" had been a compilation of singles he'd recorded in sporadic sessions at Stax. This was meant to be a proper album. It is interesting that his very first LP, "The Big Blues", for King Records, was also a singles compilation. This record is important for a number of reasons; First of all he is in his prime. He is playing straight blues with some soul arrangments. His guitar has about the best sound he was ever able to achieve. Later albums, such as Lovejoy and I'll Play The Blues For You, he became more experimental and sophisticated. Which is alright, but this CD had him as raw as he every got. The tracks are excellent. "Wrapped Up in Love Again" is a self-penned song that also became a rare single. He borrowed his ideas for this tune from some earlier blues standards of the 1940s like he did with "Blues at Sunrise". "You Don't Love Me" is his famous instrumental version of the Willie Cobb tune, this is as raw has his sound ever got!!! Check out the bends in this! "Cockroach" and "If The Washing Don't Get You The Rinsing Will" are typical of the wily humour in the 1960's Stax writing team. I particularly love Cockroach! "Drowning On Dry Land Parts One And Two" are equally raw and are classed as one of his best efforts. It is interesting that Albert never gets the lyrics right and he does a mix up of the middle of the song and also exclaims: "my nose are in the sand!" He did this on the alternate take as well! To hear the proper lyrics listen to O.V. Wright's soulful version. However, Albert's is real, it's great-what the blues is all about! It is honest music!

"Heart Fixing Business" and Little Milton's "Lonely Man" are included as tunes with different tempos and I would guess were done to augment this LP's dancablitiy. He does a cover of his own "You Threw You're Love On Me Too Strong" and the track is interesting as it is the only mono track and it is mixed poorly. I have always thought that is was included to make up the LP (they were always 11-12 sides in those days!). Finally there is the classic "The Sky is Crying" unlike Elmore James, Albert does not play slide and does some great and deceptively simple bending solos. Stevie Ray Vaughan thought this was the best ever. Now on the alternate take which you can hear on "Hard Bargain" I think his playing is even better. It is interesting that the Stax people probably thought that his other version was too long for one song (in those days) and put on "Too Strong" instead. Oh well, this is a great and historic CD. I would also buy his "Hard Bargain" CD as well for the extra singles and out takes from this period at Stax. "Years Gone By" is a great record and is topped off with a great cover photo from the Fillmore West.

Albert at his best!.......2003-05-28

I bought this album many years ago and rediscovered it when I got into Chris Cain and Stevie Ray Vaughn. You can tell both these guys took a lot from this record. In fact Stevie once said "Drowning On Dry Land" was one of his absolute favorites and you can hear a lick in "Texas Flood" that is taken verbatim. I absolutely love this album. To me, "Killing Floor" is the best solo Albert ever recorded. And "Wrapped Up In Love", and "The Sky Is Crying"? Wow! Every track is filled with soulful vocals and that stinging guitar that no one can do with the same intensity.

Awesome!!! Do not look any further than this one!.......2002-11-29

I first got this c.d in England where it came out as "Years Gone By ..PLUS!" "Plus" meaning that it had 11 extra tracks!
(Quite a few of the extra tracks were taken from Alberts other c.d "Funky London") I wouldn't be able to hand pick a favourite track because they are ALL GOOD, and this is very rare when you are buying music."Drowning on dry land" is great as is " Don't throw your love on me too strong". Albert had a way of really digging deep and acheiving those two octave bends on his slow blues songs.
This U.S version still features the best tracks, and if you are searching for the BEST Albert King...then here it is!
His guitar can be heard nice and loud and can strip paint off walls easily.... his voice is absolutely in immaculate shape...and just look at that 'psychedelic' cover art work (originally from 1969). ---That picture was once available as a full size poster, and is the grooviest snap of Albert...One that even Austin Powers would be proud of.
Just remember what Joe Walsh said about Albert....quote" Albert King could blow Eddie Van Halen clean off stage with his amp just on 'standby'!!"
This c.d testifies to this statement accurately.

Incredible!.......2001-10-16

Ever had a shot of straight Jack Daniels? That is exactly how hard and raw Drowning on Dry Land is. I fell in love with this CD the first time I listened to it. This is Albert King at his rawest. The guitar licks on tracks 7&8 can burst an eardrum if you turn up the volume a little. I have several Albert King CD's and this has been an excellent addition to my collection. If you're an Albert King fan, this is a must-have!

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