Customer Reviews

In Session (Ocrd)

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Albert King/Stevie Ray Vaughan: In Session(2010). American blues stars Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan create blues jam-session magic during this historic 1983 recording. The show, which was taped live in a club in Austin, Texas on December 5, 1983, was recorded for the Canadian live music TV series "In Session." As both popular singer-songwriters are now, unfortunately, gone from the scene, relatively young, and this was the only time they were recorded playing together, this classic rock disk is likely to be a must for blues fans. The musicians play off each other beautifully: it's hard to credit that they hadn't rehearsed together for months, but, in fact, sources say that King, already an established star, was unwilling to play with Vaughan, until the older musician realized that he had already played with the native Texan before, under the moniker of "little Stevie."

The set, unfortunately, lacks three hit songs that are on the DVD of the same concert. Albert King's signature song, "Born Under a Bad Sign," penned in 1967 by Booker T. Jones, of Stax Records' Booker T. and the MG's, and William Bell. Also lacking are "Texas Flood," and "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town," a hit for Louis Jordan, and also Ray Charles. The DVD does give us T-Bone Walker's classic "Call It Stormy Monday," "Matchbox Blues," Tampa Red's "Don't Lie to Me," "Overall Junction," and "Pride and Joy."

King was born in Indianola, Mississippi, on April 25, 1923, as, coincidentally, was B.B. King - no relation, nor is the third blues King, Freddie King. However, Albert did, perhaps, like to fudge things a little: he called his favorite Gibson Flying V guitar Lucy, as B.B. King calls his guitar Lucille. I actually did get to listen to Albert live, quite a few times; his power could energize a room. In fact, I followed Albert around for two weeks observing him on his first, possibly his only, tour of the United Kingdom, in, I believe, 1969. I almost didn't get to go. I was, initially, to be traveling on a ticket meant for a Memphis Horn. But when the impresario of the tour discovered the Horns weren't coming, he was furious, and cashed in those tickets. However, I'd already pre-sold my article on Albert to "Cavalier," a magazine current at the time. So Stax, his recording company, bought me a ticket.

At any rate, B.B. is still with us, but Albert passed of a heart attack on December 21, 1992. His career was made when he was signed by the Memphis-based Stax, in 1967: his first album for them was, in fact, "Born Under a Bad Sign." The Texas born Vaughan, who was born on October 3, 1954, was killed in a foggy-day helicopter crash on August 27, 1990.

Unless you particularly want this as a CD, I can't see why you wouldn't get the DVD with those important three more songs.

I have been a huge SRV fan for a long time and I was so excited to run across this CD. Hearing SRV play with his hero Albert King gave me goosebumps. While the music is outstanding, the banter between the two bluesmen is even better. It makes you feel like you are sitting in the studio with them.
This CD is well worth adding to your collection.

This 1983 live performance summit between a legend and a soon-to-be legend has been reissued a few times on CD, including a hybrid SACD in 2003. This latest CD is a remastered reissue of the original eleven tracks and includes three sets of liner notes. At the time the pair met in a Canadian TV studio, Vaughan was blazing a trail into the blues world with his debut album, Texas Flood. King was long since a legend in the blues world, and though he didn't recognize the name "Vaughan," he immediately recognized the guitarist who'd sat in with him whenever he played in Austin. Snippets of dialogue interspersed between the tracks do a good job of showing the personal bond that complemented the guitar slingers' deep artistic connections.

King and Vaughan are backed by the former's tack sharp road band, and run through a set drawn almost entirely from King's catalog. You can hear what was on the horizon, though, as Vaughan rips into his own "Pride and Joy" with monster tone and a gutsy vocal. Throughout the session the players trade licks and prod each other with solos that quote all the great players from whom they learned. King's influence is clear in Vaughan's playing, but hearing them side-by-side (the recording does a nice job of keeping their guitars separated slightly left and right) gives listeners an opportunity to hear how the same fundamentals change as they filter through different fingers and hardware.

As free as both guitarists play, the band, the catalog, and the deference Vaughan shows King all tipped in favor of the latter orchestrating the pacing. This is a master class, King leading the way with his guitar and providing verbal tips in between songs. In any other venue Vaughan would be the master, but here he plays the role of apprentice. How many chances do you get to play with someone who can introduce "Blues at Sunrise" with "This is that thing, uh, I recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin out there at the Fillmore West"? It was a good time to be the apprentice. Anyone who loves King, Vaughan or great blues guitar should catch this one. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

My fist big dose of Albert King came when I heard him playing, over WNEW FM radio, at the closing of the Filmore East back in 1971. Fell in love with his playing, vocals and blues story telling then and there.

My first big dose of Stevie Ray Vaughan came when I heard Bowie's Let's Dance in 1983. Honestly, I was offended: it sounded like Stevie totally ripped Albert's style off.

After some recent reading of Guitar Player magazine, I've come to realize that King's 1967 "Born Under a Bad Sign" album (another five star album, with Booker T and the M.G.'s as backing band!) was an inspiration to all the soon-to-be guitar heroes of the time....Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, in particular. Needless to say, that increased my understanding and appreciation of Albert King.

That knowledge and some additional listening helped me get over my first impression of Stevie. I now think of Stevie, as many do, as the better-late-than-never carrier of the torch that dropped when Jimi died and Cream, with Eric Clapton, disbanded: a true, blue guitar god.

The missing link between Stevie and Albert has been filled in by this album. According to the liner notes, Stevie met Albert in 1973 and sat in with him a few years later. So they had a least a little master/apprentice relationship.

As to the album itself, the music and the between-tracks comments, mostly from King, make clear that this is not a master class. Instead, it is a coronation party. King declares that Stevie is the rightful crown prince and basically passes along his crown. Stevie is appropriately humble. But would soon step up to show himself able to bear the weight of the office.

Stevie and Albert fans probably already have this album. If not, there is no question that they would enjoy having it. Anyone into blues history should have it, if only as a historical document. Finally, anyone into blues rock -- Allman Brothers, Government Mule, post-Cream Clapton -- would enjoy it. After all, it doesn't get much better than either Stevie or Albert by themselves. Their playing together is truly musical and the music is great.