Customer Reviews

Collins Mix: Best of

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is not the best of Albert Collins, but a bunch of re-recordings of his best songs made at the end of his career. If you're new to Albert Collins buy Ice Pickin' or Cold Snap for a more rockin' sounding Collins. This is more for the completist.

What separates a good player from a master is the little things. Albert Collins was a true master of the blues whose piercing playing could send chills down the spine. One of the few players who could rival the intensity of Albert King, Collins like King (who cited Collins as his favourite player) forged his own unique style that countless guitarists have tried to emulate (including yours truly) but none have successfully duplicated it.

Of course that was the idea as Albert saw it - create your own means of expressing yourself through the instrument. This album captured Collins in excellent form covering a retrospective of songs spanning thirty odd years of his career. Guests on the album include the great BB King (on one of Albert's signature instrumentals 'Frosty'), Gary Moore (on the slow burning 'Time is Money'), and old Tonight Show band frontman Branford Marsalis trades licks with Albert on 'Honey Hush'. Without prejudicing the other tracks on this album, some of the standouts to me include (other than the ones already listed) 'Tired Man' (a slow shuffle blues with harmonica accompanyment), 'The Moon is Full' (Albert's solid backing band is particularly funky on this one), Mastercharge (a funny song with possibly my favourite Collins guitar solo on this album), and 'Collins Mix': a musical mosaic of how to let one's guitar do the talking - few could compare to Collins in this area. I know some of the reviewers have personal album favourites of theirs but in my opinion this is the best Collins album because it is a solid retrospective. And unlike a lot of "greatest hits" compilations, this one lives up to its billing and showcases a legend who never received the degree of acclaim that he should have. For lovers of good music, 'Collins Mix' belongs on your music rack.

This CD is great, yet if you are expecting a real blues of Mr.Collins this is not the one. For a true blues fan I recommend "Alive and Cool" in stead of this CD.

I had never heard of Albert Collins when I bought this album. Although he is not my favorite guitar player, he is awesome and this album rocks. Chock full of great tunes, the album has an upbeat feel to it. The backing musicians are outstanding. The sax solo on track 6 is fantastic, and the bass is excellent across the album. A great collection of blues, and a proper introduction to the "iceman."

A good cd and the reason I say good is because there isn't a perfect compilation of Albert Collins music yet. Until then this is the one to get.

This was a post death release of Albert Collins' tunes, geared toward more of a funky black R&B type of blues; all compiled by his wife Gwendolyn (who, BTW, wrote most of his later era sings). For those that have the complete line of Collins, one can see how his styles of picking and playing developed, though the era of my personal favorites was the 1985 era releases of more modern casts and electric blues, especially live recordings.

Albert Collins played a lot of festivals in Canada, and Europe, and had notables in his lineup such as Coco Montoya (post John Mayall), Debbie Davies (wife of Coco Montoya at the time), and allowed jams with other irregular musicians. While he was playing a festival in Switzerland, he felt ill at the end of the show and went to a hospital to have a checkup. It was there he learned he had terminal cancer with less than 6 months to live (it turned out to be 2 1/2 months). Getting his affairs in order by returning to his home in Las Vegas, everything was turned over to his wife and kids. He was buried in Davis Cemetery (corner of Eastern & Patrick).

Albert Collins was a true Christian man, friendly with all the neighbors, an easy person to approach and chat with, and very congenial, and at times, charitable to those in need or that needed a hand or support. His wife and kids were with him and had the same character and demeanor. Even John Lee Hooker remarked that if he had a second life, he would hope to be more like Albert.

Albert rocks, his tone and licks are amazing! He's got a good sense of humor and the band is great too! Not all that great as a lyricist, but he writes what he knows and it works. I dig this CD!

I can't tell you that this is Collins best release but I can tell you that it's worth the money, if only for the first solo he plays on the track 'If Trouble Was Money', wow! THAT is how a slow blues was meant to be played. Great sound, killer vibrato and deep emotion, and I don't even play guitar!
That solo gives me goosebumps every time.
One of my all time favorite guitar players, Gary Moore, also does a solo on that track and I think it is one of his best. It's not his usual fire and brimstone attack but a very smooth and understated solo, very tasty indeed.
'Mastercharge' is a great funky toe-tapper of a number featuring a great solo by the Iceman. This is a real nice disc and you can't go wrong here.

[...]

then you'll dig this album. Its tight, punchy, and mixed with clearity. Its like being at the Thurday night blues jam live drinking some Alaskan Amber and boogie'n your behind. Albert is wailing, the horns are snapping, the organ comping and snipit licks are too sassy for your own good. But, the backbone is the most impressive - the bass is solid and the snare has the crispest, fullest, most thumping whack I have ever heard. Put on your shades and groove mama!

If you like the blues to really rock, to be unpredictable, to have soul, but outrageously funny words, and guitar work second to none, then this is the album. I own 5 albums of A.Collins, and this is my favorite.

"Mastercharge" has a great beat, great humor when Albert sings in falsetto telling what his wife says - tells him why she bought stuff, and guitar playing from the outer/inner alien world of Collins' genius mind. This disk has the best rendition of "Mastahcahd, Bankahmerahcahd."