King of Blues

King of Blues

King of Blues

ASIN: B00005YA1U

Track Listings
 
1. C. C Rider
2. Low Down Blues
3. St. Louis Blues
4. Blue as I Can Be
5. Dippermouth Blues
6. Midnight Blues
7. Weary Blues
8. New Iberia Blues
9. Careless Love
10. How Long Blues
11. Royal Garden Blues
12. Tishomingo Blues
13. C. C Rider Blues

King of the Blues,Bunk Johnson,American Music Rec.,Jazz,Jazz Traditional,New Orleans Jazz,Pop
In the Palace of the King
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Disappointed
  • In the Palace of the King
  • Nice tribute
  • Can I give negative stars?
  • RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "JOHN MAYALL TIPS THE CROWN TO ONE OF THE "KINGS"! (THAT'S FREDDIE!)
 In the Palace of the King
John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers
Manufacturer: Eagle Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Blues | Styles | Music
BritainBritain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music
Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000O590CU
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Tracks:

  1. You Know That You Love Me
  2. Goin' Down
  3. Some Other Day, Some Other Time
  4. Palace Of The King
  5. I'd Rather Be Blind
  6. Time To Go
  7. Big Legged Woman
  8. Now I Got A Woman
  9. I Love You More Every Day
  10. Help Me Through The Day
  11. Cannonball Shuffle
  12. You've Got Me Licked
  13. King Of The Kings
  14. Living On The Highway

Amazon.com

The 56th album by the 73-year-old godfather of British blues is a tribute to one of his major influences, the late Texas-born guitarist Freddie King. It's also a nod to current Bluesbreakers picker Buddy Whittington, an underrated pyrotechnician who follows a long line of distinguished six-string Mayall sidemen that includes Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Coco Montoya, and Walter Trout. Whittington measures up, recreating the terse energy of King's biting, blunt phrasing on the legend's classic "Going Down" and the swinging "You Know That You Love Me." And he puts his own grinding, slashing brand on the riff 'n' rip guitar of "The Palace of the King," a biographical tune Don Nix, Leon Russell, and Duck Dunn wrote for King. Guest guitarist Robben Ford lends his own instrumental King homage, "Cannonball Shuffle," but it's Mayall's piano-led "King of the Kings" that's most touching. Singing in his arcing, high voice, slightly thinned by age, Mayall explains how King influenced him and his Bluesbreakers, showing Clapton, Green, and Taylor "all the licks to play," and concludes that he's "Got the blues for Mr. Freddie/Sorry that you had to go." --Ted Drozdowski

Album Description

John Mayall, the "Godfather of British Blues", returns with the Bluesbreakers for his latest studio album "In The Palace Of The King". This new album is John's tribute to one of his blues heroes, the late, great Freddie King. King was a blues guitar pioneer from the mid-50's through to his tragically early death in the mid-70's and he influenced everyone from Peter Green to DaveEdmunds to Stevie Ray Vaughan and probably most of all Eric Clapton, who produced and played on King's final album. "In The Palace Of The King" features John Mayall's take on his personal selection of Freddie King favorites and is a fabulous combination of two true blues legends.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Disappointed.......2007-07-02

Superb Musicianship, tight arrangements, so what's wrong?

If you're new to the work of the great Freddie King, consider
investing a few bucks in the real deal. Most of Freddie
King's best work is still in print, e.g., "Getting Ready" or "Texas
Cannonball". His soaring vocals and wicked guitar phrasing are
like comparing a fine whiskey to this...I don't know...lemonade?

I found the tracks with Mayall singing (most of them), immediately
annoying. His straining, thin and unconvincing vocals pretty much
derail most of the material, which is too bad considering this is
a lineup of musicians with talent to burn. The "jump the shark"
moment - Mayall doing the line about not being able to "get a chitlin'
pizza at any price I pay...". I've never been a big Mayall fan as his
elephant sized ego always seems to intrude into his material and often
push it into the realm of precious and pretentious.

This is a John Mayall CD that happens to cover Freddie King material.
If you're a Mayall fan you'll probably like it.

5 out of 5 stars In the Palace of the King.......2007-06-27

Another great album from the British Father of the Blues. Albert King is one of my favorite performers, and Mayall does him justice. I've yet to find a Mayall album I didn't like, although some weren't as strong as others, this is a very good listen.

5 out of 5 stars Nice tribute.......2007-06-27

Great songs done by an all time blues superstar in memory of a "king". I especially like the Buddy W. vocals on Big Legged Woman.

Well done ! John
RIP Freddie

1 out of 5 stars Can I give negative stars?.......2007-06-19

How can anyone listen to this garbage with a straight face? People who consider this musical, much less blues, should consider purchasing albums only from the following labels for the first 5 years of their blues purchasing existence (just to name a few):


1) Chess
2) Excello
3) Modern
4) Imperial
5) Peacock
6) Specialty
7) ABCO
8) Atlantic
9) Sun
10) Kent


Just to play it safe, don't buy anything recorded after 1965 until you've spent at least $1000.00 collecting real, American roots, rhythm and blues.

(Hint: Avoid things from Britain.)
(Hint: Try a blues recording with black musicians.)
(Hint: Jake and Elwood are comedic characters, not competent musicians.)

If John Mayall wanted to pay tribute to Freddie King he should stop butchering his material. In fact, he should stop period, before he does any more damage. (If ever there was a need for a bit of self-filter.)

One interesting note, apparently people who purchased this CD also bought works by Jazz giant, Kenny G.

5 out of 5 stars RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "JOHN MAYALL TIPS THE CROWN TO ONE OF THE "KINGS"! (THAT'S FREDDIE!).......2007-06-05

First let me state for the record, that this CD is over 1,000 TIMES BETTER than John's previous release "Road Dogs". (See previous Shaq review!) This CD is special on so many levels. Most importantly, is the reason and feeling for this CD. To me, it's more than meets the eye. Just the fact that John, who is known as the "Father Of British Blues", to many blues fans, understands the importance of educating a new generation of electric blues fans, as regards, the blues masters that came before. Tributes to the "Kings" of early electric blues, are too few, and too far in between. I was raised to believe, that the greatest compliments, are the ones that come from your peers. So John, dedicating an entire CD, to the late, great, Freddie King, is a tremendous tribute. This CD contains 14 songs, that cover a lot of electric blues territory. Song #4 "Palace Of The King", is a "rocking, socking, blues, bopping", classic! Song#6 eulogizes John's Mother, who passed away at ninety-nine years old. John's words are touching, and there is a wonderful guitar solo also. Song #13, also written by John, entitled "King Of The Kings", says it all, as he tips a crown to Freddie King. This is a great, fun, yet respectful tribute, to one of the masters. As stated earlier, there should be more such tribute CD's, to electric blues legends, the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Luther Allison, Albert Collins, etc. If no one steps up in America, I'm all for the "Father Of British Blues" adding another tribute CD to his list! P.S. It should also be noted that John blows a mean "harp"!
Riding with the King
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A must have blues album
  • "These are the great ones"
  • RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "CLAPTON MAY BE BEHIND THE WHEEL ON THE COVER, BUT HE'S DEFINATELY JUST ALONG FOR THE RIDE WITH BB!"
  • just buy it
  • Riding With the King- Eric Clapton and B.B. King
 Riding with the King
Eric Clapton & B.B. King
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004THAY
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

  1. Riding With The King
  2. Ten Long Years
  3. Key To The Highway
  4. Marry You
  5. Three O'Clock Blues
  6. Help The Poor
  7. I Wanna Be
  8. Worried Life Blues
  9. Days Of Old
  10. When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer
  11. Hold On I'm Coming
  12. Come Rain Or Come Shine

Amazon.com

It sounds like the beginning of a story: "So, Slowhand and the King of the Blues were riding in a car ..." If this is a musical journey, it's the kind that rolls down long, empty stretches of country highway at 80 miles an hour, with the top down and the stereo blasting. Clapton and King may be more city than country, but this collection has the relaxed, laid-back feel that only comes from a pair of veterans doing what they do best. What they do here is cover 12 classic blues songs, many of them staples of King's repertoire, so the title of this album makes sense. Whether it's the rollicking rock & roll of the title track, or the acoustic shuffle of "Key to the Highway," or the sweet notes of "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer," a real sense of pleasure comes through on this album, the kind of pleasure one gets from jamming late at night with a good friend. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A must have blues album.......2007-06-23

Very good blues album, filled with just good tracks. If you like blues,
you can't go wrong with this one. Two great bluesman and great guitar players. Go buy it !

5 out of 5 stars "These are the great ones".......2007-03-02

If you love the Blues you have to have this cd. These 2 guys are the best in the business. They do not compete with each other. They simply make beautiful music as a team. With some new albums I have to play them a few times so they can grow on me. Not this time. I fell in love with it the first time I played it. Claptons band is there with them and that just makes it that much better. The only thing I think I could enjoy more is to see them together on stage. Who knows! Stranger things have happened. Buy this cd and buy it now!!

4 out of 5 stars RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "CLAPTON MAY BE BEHIND THE WHEEL ON THE COVER, BUT HE'S DEFINATELY JUST ALONG FOR THE RIDE WITH BB!".......2007-02-06

This is a good solid blues CD, with songs varying from toe tapping to mellow. This pairing of performers, was certainly more beneficial for Clapton, than for King. Even at BB's age, his voice is smoother, than Clapton's. As mentioned earlier, there is a full spectrum of songs, ending with the silky smooth, old classic, "Come Rain Or Come Shine".

4 out of 5 stars just buy it.......2007-01-06

I'm really glad my mom turned me on to bb king when I saw a kid, I owe her.

Just buy the cd, make up your own mind. Yes, it's a polished piece, perhaps overproduced; they have the bucks, the studio and the talent - who can blame them for making the cuts the way THEY wanted?

You and I certainly can't do it and that's why I'm gratfeful BB and EC did do it. It's a shame it's over so quick however.

"Worried Life Blues' worth the price of admission alone.

3 out of 5 stars Riding With the King- Eric Clapton and B.B. King.......2006-12-05

The Album Riding With the King has some really fantastic blues songs but is lacking the elements that would make this album worth buying. The 12 songs are all repetative and dull; they should have put some classic blues songs like "Have You Ever Loved a Woman". You would think two notorious classic blues guitar artists would collaborate to make a better album. Spend the extra money and buy Eric Claptons live album "One More Car, One More Rider", its worth the money.This album definatly didnt meet my expectations. But what do you expect from a guy who refuses to play chords.
The Ultimate Collection
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great introduction to B. B. King
  • The Best single disc of BB you will find
  • Terrific Decades Spanning Compilation!!!
  • unbelievable
  • The Growth of a Legend
 The Ultimate Collection
B.B. King
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. His Best: 1947 to 1955

ASIN: B0007QJ1PM
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Tracks:

  1. Three O' Clock Blues
  2. Please Love Me
  3. You Upset Me, Baby
  4. Sweet Sixteen Parts One & Two
  5. Rock Me Baby
  6. How Blue Can You Get?
  7. Everyday I Have The Blues
  8. Sweet Little Angel
  9. Don't Answer The Door
  10. Paying The Cost To Be The Boss
  11. The Thrill Is Gone
  12. Nobody Loves Me But My Mother
  13. Chains And Things
  14. Ain't Nobody Home
  15. I Like To Live The Love
  16. Never Make A Move Too Soon
  17. Better Not Look Down
  18. There Must Be A Better World Somewhere
  19. When Love Comes To Town
  20. Ten Long Years
  21. I'll Survive

Amazon.com

B.B. King's music has been anthologized and put in box sets many times, but this is the first single-disc collection that truly spans the American icon's career. It starts with his breakthrough 1951 No. 1 R&B hit "Three O'Clock Blues" and ends, chronologically, with 2000's "Ten Long Years" from his platinum-selling, pop-chart-topping smash collaboration with Eric Clapton, Riding with the King. In between there are 19 numbers that trace King's creative peaks (1969's "The Thrill is Gone," 1960's "Rock Me Baby") and valleys (1973's disco-inspired "I Like to Live the Love"). And they all tell the story of his growth as a performer. As the years and tunes tumble by, King's guitar solos become more expansive and adventurous, and his cross-genre experiments, like 1987's "When Love Come to Town" with U2, grow bolder. "I'll Survive," also featured here, has become King's late-career theme song, but as he heads toward his 80th birthday on September 16, 2005--still playing 150 concerts a year with his vastly influential guitar skills sharp and his voice just a bit weathered--King's version of survival contains genuine majesty. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great introduction to B. B. King.......2007-06-22

B. B. King is one of the best known bluesmen of the past several decades. His first hit came in 1951 with the wonderful "Three O'clock Blues" (more on this cut below). Nonetheless, his reputation was not very widespread among "mainstream" America. That changed with the British invasion (the Rolling Stones, Animals, Yardbirds, and so on) as well as the Paul Butterfield Blues Band (the liner notes do a good job of chronicling King's career). By the later 1960s, he became well known to people throughout the world. And in 1970, his great song, "The Thrill is Gone," became a hit. Even though this is a nice compilation of his best works, one can always wonder about items excluded. Personally, I regret that "Why I Sing the Blues" was not a part of this CD. But that is hardly a major problem. One final comment before taking a look at a sampling of his works on this CD. His guitar playing, of course, is legendary, but his is a restrained style, not spitting out a bazillion notes in a few seconds, as some guitarists are wont to do. But his guitar playing is mesmerizing.

Some cuts:

"Three O'clock Blues": This is a nice example of his blues singing. He has a fine voice, a nice blues voice. He looks around, in the song, at 3 O'clock in the morning.

"Well, I can't find my baby,
Lord, I can't be satisfied."

His guitar work is sterling, but understated. There is a very well done guitar turn about 2/3 of the way through. All in all, a strong work.

"Sweet Sixteen": This cut begins with some very well done guitar work. Not wild playing, but controlled and oh so effective. It reminds one that playing fast is not necessarily playing well. He sings of when he met his baby, when she was "sweet sixteen." He says that she was "the sweetest thing I ever seen." But then things soured and she left. He displays great blues singing, as he wails away about her running away from him.

"The Thrill Is Gone": Quintessential B. B. King. This features wonderful guitar work. "The thrill is gone" is sung throughout as a recurring phrase. The pain of lost love is manifest. And his splendid guitar work is a glue that holds the work together.

"Nobody Loves Me but My Mother": This is short but cool! One of my favorites. There is nice keyboard playing. One of the great blues lines is repeated in this bagatelle:

"Nobody loves me but my mother,
And she could be jiving, too."

When all is said and done, this is a good way for anyone interested in B. B. King to be introduced to his work. His blues playing on guitar and his singing are top notch. A good CD to add to one's musical library.

5 out of 5 stars The Best single disc of BB you will find.......2007-04-03

If you are going to own just one CD by the King, this is it. No compilation disc is all encompasing, but this one hits all the highs and well represents the various stages of his career. I particularly like how it is all in chronological order, other compilations could learn from this one.

5 out of 5 stars Terrific Decades Spanning Compilation!!!.......2006-11-13

One of the best compilation CD's that I have ever heard!!! Includes many of B.B.'s early work, without any sugar coating. Includes songs that today might be considered mildly controversial like "Don't Answer the Door" and "Paying the Cost to be the Boss" and classics like "Rock me Baby" all the way through more modern hits like "When Love Comes to Town" with U2. This is a CD that you can play over and over again without getting tired of it.

5 out of 5 stars unbelievable.......2005-06-23

i've never heard music so moving in my entire life, this is the ultimate addition to anyones collection, get it or be lost

5 out of 5 stars The Growth of a Legend.......2005-06-11

This collection of great songs begins with the early hits and moves thru time to the more recent collaborations with U2 and Eric Clapton. You can really hear B.B. King grow as an artist as the album progresses and recording techniques improve. The songs themselves are truly classic : the lyrics to How Blue Can You Get belong in a museum. I especially recommend Paying The Cost To Be The Boss , Never Make A Move Too Soon, and his signature song, The Thrill Is Gone. There is no way that any blues fan cannot enjoy this cd
Ultimate Collection
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Very Good
  • Classic melodic, poppy blues
  • Freddie King is a blues master
  • "if you like rock mixed with blues then this is the place"
 Ultimate Collection
Freddie King
Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005B2XZ
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

  1. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
  2. Hide Away
  3. You've Got To Love Her With A Feeling
  4. San-Ho-Zay
  5. Lonesome Whistle Blues
  6. The Stumble
  7. I'm Tore Down
  8. Someday After Awhile (You'll Be Sorry)
  9. My Feeling For The Blues
  10. Palace Of The King
  11. Going Down
  12. Key To The Highway
  13. Big Legged Woman
  14. Woman Across The River
  15. Dust My Broom (solo acoustic)
  16. Pack It Up
  17. Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do (live)
  18. , Sugar Sweet

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Very Good.......2006-01-23

This is the best single disc Freddie King Collection on the market, considering that Hideaway: The best of Freddie King is out of print. Two or three selections are doubtful (Dust my broom and Sugar sweet), but mostly it is really good, combining his trademark instrumentals (Hideaway, The Stumble, etc) with wocal tracks. Freddie's sharp, melodic and intense guitar playing influenced a lot white blues guitarists - most obviously - at least to my ears - Eric Clapton on the John Mayall's Bluesbrakers with Eric Clapton album. If you like blues, or just great guitar playing (and there's some fine singing from Freddie as well), get this record.

4 out of 5 stars Classic melodic, poppy blues.......2003-01-15

They say timing is everything, and in Freddie King's case, that certainly was true. His early hits, especially the classic instrumentals, "Hide Away" and "San-Ho-Zay," came out in 1960 and '61, at precisely the right moment for his career to intersect with the SoCal surf scene (which also centered on instrumental numbers) and the nascent British blues revival, which was ever eager to find American bluesmen to latch onto and laud. Here, white kids on both sides of the Atlantic had a guy who bridged the gap between raw authenticity and pop polish, setting the standard for the zilllion-and-one future Fendermen who sought to sharpen their guitar chops. Fittingly, King cracked into the US Top 40 while also picking up flocks of converts (such as Eric Clapton) who worshipped his fluid, pop-tinged electric guitar leads. King's style was a perfect distillation of the smooth yet soulful postwar blues style, rootsy yet accessible and perfectly pitched for the ears of adoring white blues fans. His career had its ups and downs, but by the time he passed away in 1976, he had packed them in on the pop and blues circuits... This disc covers the breadth of his career, matching the ace oldies up with a good selection of his often overly-bombastic later material.

5 out of 5 stars Freddie King is a blues master.......2001-08-31

I don't have this actual CD, but I have most of the songs that are on it from other collections and they are all great. This is a great collection of Freddie King's work from his earliest recordings (1960's "Have You Ever Loved A Woman") to his later Shelter records material (1969's "Palace of the King" and "Going Down"). If you like blues guitar, then at least one Freddie King CD should be in your collection. He influenced countless guitarists, particularly Eric Clapton. This is a good place to start if you're new to this blues guitar master.

5 out of 5 stars "if you like rock mixed with blues then this is the place".......2001-05-13

Freddie King is a one-of-kind-artist ~ his talent is tremendous ~ check out the style you've come to love from this down-home-finger-picking icon.

Of course there are stand outs ~ "HAVE YOU EVER LOVED A WOMAN", "HIDE AWAY" and "AIN'T NOBODY'S BUSINESS" are just but a few that grab you, but then the whole album pulls you in ~ hook, line and sinker.

The influence of this great artist can still be heard through recordings of the musicians of today ~ the short time this legend was here on this planet will be missed, but they'll never be another to pass this way again ~ FREDDIE KING!

Total Time: 59:43 on 18 Tracks ~ Hip-O Records 314 520 909 2 ~ (2001)
In Session
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Unbelievably soulful
  • Rockin From Head to Toe
  • Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughn.
  • Outstanding!!!!
  • RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS THIS IS THE GREATEST ELECTRIC BLUES GUITAR CD EVER MADE!
 In Session
Albert King , and Stevie Ray Vaughn
Manufacturer: Stax
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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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:

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS THIS IS THE GREATEST ELECTRIC BLUES GUITAR CD EVER MADE!.......2007-01-16

I have been dedicated to electric blues guitar music for over twenty years now, and I spend at least 25% of all my free time, investigating and searching for electric blues music. I can say uncategorically, that this is the greatest electric blues album ever made!! It is the King and Prince of blues live. Some people play the guitar and touch the strings. Albert and Stevie "bend" the strings! As great as the music and singing is, the live "banter" between the two should be in the blues hall of fame. If you really know the history of the electric blues, you'd know that, Albert was, to put it mildly, cantankerous to work with. He once threw his drummer off the stage in the middle of a concert for messing up notes. But, Stevie, showed so much respect, and reverence to his idol, that Albert, had a ball, during the recording, and told him how glad he was that Stevie came to play with him. After listening to this CD, you will find it hard to find anything that comes close to it. With all my heart, I guarantee, that any person, who really likes electric blues guitar, will love this album, like no other. If I were allowed to put my phone# or EMAIL address in this review, I would have every one of you, who read this, and listened to me, and bought this CD, and was happy with it call me, and I'd never be lonely again!!!
Live at the Regal
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The KIng at his best
  • b.b. king at the top of his form.
  • A must have for any blues collection
  • Regally Overrated
  • You Really Have To Hate Music To Not Like This
 Live at the Regal
B.B. King
Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Live in Cook County Jail
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ASIN: B000002P72
Release Date: 1997-07-29

Tracks:

  1. Every Day I Have The Blues
  2. Sweet Little Angel
  3. It's My Own Fault
  4. How Blue Can You Get?
  5. Please Love Me
  6. You Upset Me Baby
  7. Worry, Worry
  8. Woke Up This Mornin'
  9. You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now
  10. Help The Poor

Amazon.com essential recording

Heralded as one of the greatest live blues albums ever recorded, this set catches the singer-guitarist as his star was in ascent: in 1964 playing Chicago's answer to Harlem's Apollo Theater--the Regal. King's performance is visceral. He sings so hard that gravel flies even in his clearest high notes. And his trademark single-note guitar lines are sharp and steely, matching his voice with trembling vigor. He offers early hits like "How Blue Can You Get," "Worry, Worry," and "You Upset Me Baby" to what's essentially his adopted hometown crowd (by his own account, King had already played the theater hundreds of times). They give him a hero's welcome. In fact, the audience's screaming enthusiasm is distracting. But rarely has a love-fest of this magnitude between a performer and fans been documented. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The KIng at his best.......2007-04-02

As a Memphis native, I have heard B.B. on many occasions. Never have I seen or hear him play with the same passion he did here in 1964. The quality of the recording is outstanding, with Lucille giving the center-stage on many occasions. The clarity and quality is amazing for a forty year old recording. This is the live B.B. King recording to buy. The Cook County Jail performance from 1971 is a close second, but the quality is not nearly as good.

5 out of 5 stars b.b. king at the top of his form........2007-03-13

recorded live at the regal theatre, chicago in 1964, this is generally considered b.b. king's best album, and deservedly so. this is simply one of the great urban blues albums of all-time. b.b.'s singing is as powerful and nuanced on this recording as it was ever to be, before or after. his guitar playing is at a peak of expressive beauty here, far more tasteful and beyond the technic, at this point, of what any rock and roll guitarist was yet capable of. yes, the rock and rollers would improve greatly in time, but this was 1964, and King was the undisputed guitar king. a fine horn section, it should be mentioned, also graces the album. the whole affair is magical. a great night in recording history.

5 out of 5 stars A must have for any blues collection.......2006-12-28

BB King's Live at the Regal is a recording of a great show performed at the Regal Theater in Chicago in 1965. Considered among many, including myself, as his greatest album its a must for any blues collection. King is at the top of his form and you can hear it in his guitar playing. His band gives their all and, importantly, the song selections are magnificent.

Its a great recording of a great performance. Its also a perfect introduction to the blues for neophytes as well. Highly recommended.

2 out of 5 stars Regally Overrated.......2006-06-15

I can't believe the touch of B.B. King. I enjoy his playing immensely. I know this album gets buried in accolades. But I don't like it. The quality is poor and, differing from other's opinions, the crowd noise takes away from the music. B.B. said, in so many words, that Live at the Regal was far from his choice as his best recording. Typically, he said he wouldn't argue with success--and left it at that. There are so many good albums by B.B. You can't go wrong for $4.65 for the "Ultimate Collection". Sure it doesn't have them all--but it has quite a few of his great songs, including a few from Live at the Regal. I would steer clear of this selection. Or I'll send you mine for free!

5 out of 5 stars You Really Have To Hate Music To Not Like This.......2006-05-12

One of the first things people notice when listening to B.B. King's Live At The Regal album is that the response of the audience is rapturous, almost like the congregation at a Pentecostal church. There's a reason for this. This is simply the natural response of anyone hearing the King of the Blues at the peak of his powers.

The critic Lester Bangs once wrote that the reason we listen to music in the first place is to hear passion expressed. If this is the case, which I believe it is for most of us, I can think of very few recordings that are more worthy of your time than Live At The Regal.

I was going to continue on about B.B.'s silky-smooth guitar tone on this album, Erick Labson's excellent remastering job on this CD (Wow - those drums sound GREAT!), B.B.'s incredible gift for pacing a show just right, and so forth, but this is all ultimately superfluous. Let me simply say that B.B. King's music transcends genre distinctions - he is simply one of the treasures of American popular music, and this is him at his finest. To paraphrase a commentator I recently heard on NPR, you really have to hate music to not like this.
King & Queen
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • King & Queen: Aces
  • Awesome
  • The Perfect Duo
  • Soul Monarchy
  • King and Queen
 King & Queen
Otis Redding & Carla Thomas
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002IR9
Release Date: 1991-06-11

Tracks:

  1. Knock On Wood
  2. Let Me Be Good To You
  3. Tramp
  4. Tell It Like It Is
  5. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
  6. Lovey Dovey
  7. New Year's Resolution
  8. It Takes Two
  9. Are You Lonely For Me Baby
  10. Bring It On Home To Me
  11. Ooh Carla, Ooh Otis

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars King & Queen: Aces.......2006-11-08

Memphis has produced many great musicians. Sam Phillips' Sun Studio, launched in February 1952, boasted Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison. Beale Street started BB King's career. And then there was Stax/Volt, home to Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Johnnie Taylor and Rufus Thomas. These Stax acts, ably backed by one of the greatest studio bands of all time, otherwise known as Booker T. and the MGs, have left us unmatched rhythm and blues. (Now, I'm not going to get into the argument of which had the greatest studio band, Detroit's Motown, Atlantic's Muscle Shoals, or Stax: I'm just not competent to do so, unfortunately. I'm just going to say that with Booker T and the MGs behind him, Otis Redding has to be on the short list for greatest rhythm and blues singer, greatest Southern soul singer, however you prefer to characterize his music.) "Sitting on The Dock of the Bay," "Knock on Wood," "Try a Little Tenderness," "I'm Coming Home:" the man had range. What he didn't have, on his own, was humor: that's where Carla Thomas, daughter of Rufus, came in. "Tramp" is an exuberant corn-pone-flavored duet: once heard, it lingers in the mind, or at least in mine. It's funny. The rest of this record, first released in 1967, lingers well, too: the covers of several rock and roll masterpieces like "Tell It Like It Is," "It Takes Two,"and "Bring It On Home to Me," are crisp, light-handed, and sure-footed.

People say that the late, great Marvin Gaye never sang better than when he was paired with Tammi Terrell; that's a matter of personal taste, and I wouldn't say the same about Otis Redding and Carla Tucker. I would say they sang superbly together: if you love 1960's Southern soul, you want to get this rare record before it goes out of print.

5 out of 5 stars Awesome.......2005-08-05

I had to write this because I couldn't believe that none of the people that already reviewed it mentioned "Are You Lonely For Me, Baby?" Definately the best song on the album and one of the best Otis ever recorded. The rest kick ass too.

5 out of 5 stars The Perfect Duo.......2005-07-30

How can anybody from Georgia - even the South - not think that Carla Thomas & Otis Redding are sui generis. The song "Tramp" with their clever exchange of lyrics, and gold digger/dirt farmer jokes is a hoot. "Otis," says Carla, "you ain't nuthin' but country." Otis replies, "That's right, baby. Yes I is." She complains, "You can't buy me diamonds or minks." And he comes back, "Why, woman, I can buy you anything you want - rat, squirrell, frog, anything!" The romantic songs are as good as it gets, as well.

5 out of 5 stars Soul Monarchy.......2000-12-05

Otis Redding & Carla Thomas recorded one album together, but it is an R&B gem. Motown started the duet album trend by pairing Marvin Gaye with Mary Wells, Kim Weston & most famously Tammi Terrell, so this was Stax/Volt's rebuttal. The album is made up of mostly covers, but Mr. Redding & Ms. Thomas attack the songs with a ferocity and verve that makes them sound all there own. Mr. Redding's smooth voice easily mingles with the sass of Ms. Thomas' and this is no better illustrated than on "Tramp" which is pure Southern Soul. They do a tender take on Sam & Dave's "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" and Aaron Neville's "Tell It Like It Is" while ripping it up on Eddie Floyd's "Knock On Wood" & "Lovey Dovey". It is interesting to hear them do the Gaye/Weston song "It Takes Two" as there is always was a rivalry between Motown & Stax/Volt. King & Queen was a boastful title and the two more than live up to the claim.

5 out of 5 stars King and Queen.......2000-11-02

A fairly swell collection of duets between Otis and Carla. They fit together like, well, King and Queen. If you like the Stax/Memphis sound and Otis Redding and/or Carla Thomas, you can't go wrong on this one. Their version of Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood" is an absolute classic. Great Album. Buy it before it goes out of print!
Live in Cook County Jail
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • BB in Action
  • Arguably B.B. King's Best
  • Best of BB King
  • Eh
  • When BB is on
 Live in Cook County Jail
B.B. King
Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000062Y5
Release Date: 1998-04-21

Tracks:

  1. Introductions
  2. Every Day I Have The Blues
  3. How Blue Can You Get?
  4. Worry, Worry
  5. Medley: 3 O'Clock Blues, Darlin' You Know I Love You
  6. Sweet Sixteen
  7. The Thrill Is Gone
  8. Please Accept My Love

Amazon.com essential recording

One of the greatest concert recordings of all time. How could it be less, with B.B. King performing some of his best material before a literally captive audience in an Illinois prison? "Worry, Worry" and "How Blue Can You Get" take on deeper meanings here, although King works the latter's camp lyrics as if he were in a juke joint. His mix of down-home humility and commanding stagecraft is instantly appealing. And his guitar barks, sings, and squeals with such authority that this is a bravura performance from the first bent, soul-searing note. A true desert-island disc. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars BB in Action.......2006-11-08

B. B. King is more than a talented musician and songwriter, he is a phenomenal entertainer as well. He works a crowd like few others with his obvious love for people and his devotion to giving his best. This album captures BB as he is best, live and in action. He does not need light shows or other props to sell his work, he just plays and sings with a style and an infectious joy that few entertainers can match. One of his best albums.

5 out of 5 stars Arguably B.B. King's Best.......2006-01-14

Fans often call B.B. King the king of the blues guitar, but if B.B. were only a brilliant guitarist he wouldn't be a household name for decades. B.B. King is also a powerful singer, a terrific interpreter of others' material, an effective bandleader and - most importantly - a thoroughly professional entertainer. You can experience all B.B. King's sides on the "Cook County Jail" CD.

Virtually every cut on the CD is a powerhouse. Although the Cook County Jail setting might lead one to expect that B.B. King would play up the outlaw aspects of the blues (the way that Johnny Cash did with his prison LPs), B.B. takes the opposite approach. He delivers a well-rehearsed and utterly professional show. It must have seemed a revelation to rock fans, as most blues-rock concerts at the time were notoriously sloppy affairs. But it's what we expect from B.B. King. He may define himself as a bluesman, but B.B. applied many lessons learned from tight jazz combos.

For the uninitiated, the strong performances of B.B. King's best-known hits "Sweet Sixteen" and the "Thrill is Gone" will be the selling points, but every track has its delights. For me, the strongest moment comes with "How Blue Can You Get?" Here, we clearly get to experience how B.B. King is able to feed off the energy of a responsive audience, to the point where the inmates are practically bandmembers. When we hear their laughter and applause, we know that B.B. King has won over one of the most difficult audiences to please. Every solo on the CD is well-constructed, and at no time does B.B. allow himself to become self-indulgent.

The CD's short running time is the only deficit. While appropriate for an early 1970s LP, this is one short concert by modern CD standards. It would be nice to see this CD reissued with material cut from the original release (as is the usual trend for live album reissues), but there is no denying this is one of the very few live albums worth revisiting again and again. It belongs in the collection of anyone who truly loves post-war blues.

5 out of 5 stars Best of BB King.......2005-09-18

This CD captures the very essence of what makes Blues Boy King the King of the Blues. The power of BB's music thunders througout the CD. This album has the best rendition of "The Thrill is Gone" I have ever heard, and I've heard just about all the versions he has done over the years. You can almost see him crooning to the microphone with his eyes closed, and Lucille gives this song so much more with her solo at the end. If anything buy this CD for the "The Thrill is Gone"; as soon as you get it turn it up, sit down and close your eyes...

3 out of 5 stars Eh.......2004-09-01

I don't get it.
I had high hopes for this CD. Every review I've read, including the editorial review here at Amazon, has been jubilant, and "Live In Cook County Jail" is certainly not a bad record, but it's not great either, and at times it's barely even good.

I have an awful lot of blues albums, and I like to think that I know good blues when I hear it, but I just can't figure out what it is that people find so appealing about this recording.
Sure, King does a very good rendition of his trademark "The Thrill Is Gone" and plays excellent guitar on a great reading of "How Blue Can You Get", but "Every Day I Have The Blues" is marred by bland vocals and horrible drumming (easily the most annoying ever heard on a blues record!).

As for the rest of the seven songs, "Worry, Worry" trails off into long, sometimes tedious improvisations and is badly mixed. The first half of the medley "3 O'Clock Blues / Darlin' You Know I Love You" is pretty good, but "Darlin' You Know I Love You" is more jazz ballad than blues, and while I enjoy a good jazz ballad, I don't expect to find them on blues records. Besides, this one is not really that good either.

King does a good job with "Sweet Sixteen", but the album winds down with a closing number, "Please Accept My Love", which doesn't feel like it belongs on a blues album...there's more pop than blues to it.
All in all, there is some good and some bad on this album, and quite a lot in between. King's playing on "How Blue Can You Get" and "The Thrill Is Gone" rivals anything he's ever done, but those two songs by themselves are not enough to make this a great album.

5 out of 5 stars When BB is on.......2004-08-31

This is one of those concerts where BB is on fire with a very good crowd that was happy to see him. While BB is usually very good in concert some nights he is just on fire and this is one of them.
Born Under a Bad Sign
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 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

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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:

3 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.
The Very Best of Albert King
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 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

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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:

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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 !!

5 out of 5 stars 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~

4 out of 5 stars 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

Jazz Music:

  1. Labor of Love [Live]
  2. Latino Erotico [Import]
  3. Les Paul Now!
  4. Life Changes
  5. Live at Montmartre, Vol. 2 [Live]
  6. Live At One Station Plaza
  7. Livin' in the Zone
  8. Lou's Blues
  9. Manhattan After Hours
  10. Manhattan Vibes

Jazz Music

Jazz Music