King of the Blues Guitar

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Product Details

Artist : Albert King
Format : Best of
Binding : Audio CD
EAN : 0075678201721
Label : Atlantic
Number of Discs : 1
Product Group : Music
Release Date : 1990-03-07
UPC : 075678201721

ASIN : B000002I7H

Track Listings for

Disc-1
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. Very Thought of You [*]
11. Hunter [*]
12. I Almost Lost My Mind [*]
13. As the Years Go Passing By [*]
14. Cold Feet
15. You Sure Drive a Hard Bargain
16. (I Love) Lucy
17. You're Gonna Need Me

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Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.co.uk

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 accentuate "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

Albert King's Atlantic Records Version of his Stax Work (2004-04-20)

This was my very first Albert King LP. It was released as the height of the 1960s Blues Mania and so did very well with white listeners. However, the album is really a re-release of several singles and additonal session material that was done at Stax during 1966-1968. The real story is that Atlantic stole the whole Stax catalogue under a clever distribution agreement. This lead evntually to Stax's total demise in the Mid-1970s.

The album is a great overview of King's early period with Stax. Actually, it is a double album- the seminal album "Born Under A Bad Sign", with additonal cuts. All bonus tracks are originally from that Stax classic album-the most influential Black Blues LP of the late sixties.

The tunes include his classics such as "Laundromat Blues" Albert's first Stax release with his soulful double string bends, "Overall Junction" a mono instrumental masterpiece, that unlike Albert Collins or Freedie King tunes has no primary melody "or head". He offers "Born Under A Bad Sign" a tune he recorded in one take as an overdub to the MG's backing track, "I Love Lucy" is a great example of his talking blues abilities (he was one of the best) and the guitar is super raw with superb bends! "Cold Feet" a tune written with drummer Al Jackson, Jr (who also helped him on "Night Stomp" and produced his famous "Live Wire" set) it is a great talking blues with a catalogue of King licks-it was his second highest charting single. "You Sure Drive A Hard Bargain and You're Gonna Need Me" are later cuts that were added on the release of the original LP. "Bargain" was a cover a another R&B tune with a great Memphis Horns chart and "Need Me" is a self-penned Albert Classic that became the basis for Otis Rush's "Right Place, Wrong Time".

"Crosscut Saw" is my personal favourite with "Personal Manager" second. Crosscut Saw was an old 1940s tune which was given a rumba beat and still was originally released even though the first tape had been damaged! "Manager" is a great showcase for KIng's soloing technique. It may even be too much for some people! "The Very Thought of You" and "I Almost Lost My Mind" are great examples of Albert's Big Band Blues roots and his great tenor vocal ability. Many people are thrown by these tunes as not being really blues, but they demonstrate the versatility of this genre.

"The Hunter" is a famous tune that was never a hit for Albert, but was on his Bad Sign LP. Ike and Tina Tuner later recorded it with much success. "Oh Pretty, Woman" is a powerful tune that has been covered many times (Gary Moore, John Mayall) but was never actually a hit for Albert. It was wrtitten by WDIA's A.C. Williams and demonstrates the close link Stax had to Black radio play (Rufus Thomas was also a DJ there!). "As the Years Go Passing By" is one of Albert's best slow blues numbers. The best take of this tunes is to be found on the "Hard Bargain" CD released after his death and has many outtakes from this period! No one really knows who wrote the song or where it originally came from. Dedric Malone, another DJ is credited with penning it.

Finally the thrilling instrumental, his first in stereo, "Funk-Shun" contains his famous stop break bending from his original tune "Won't Be Hanging 'Round" (Although this phrase is never actually sung in the tune, a charactersitic he must have learned when he played with Jimmy Reed!). It is great, but too short! This LP is a great overall introduction to the Albert King style of Blues. An essential part of any Blues collection!

Yes indeed! (2003-10-02)

This is an excellent overview of Albert King's beginning days with Stax Records and house band Booker T. & the MGs, along with The Memphis Horns. What this offers is the entire landmark Born Under a Bad Sign album which is considered by many to be the definitive urban Blues album. Atlantic packaged that album with some bonus material that is just as great.

King was without a doubt the most prolific Blues guitarist of his generation, and his sound spawned more imitators than even B.B. King. The remastered Rhino CD The Very Best of Albert King is the place to go to get the full effect of Albert's Blues power. His guitar doesn't stand out here near as much, but this is really a showcase for not only King's soulful string bending, but for the MGs' superior ensemble playing. It took the greatest Soul band in the world to be the most perfect band any Blues singer could ask for. Multi-instrumentalist Booker T. Jones will dazzle the listener with the most impressive technically and stylistically Blues piano work I've ever heard. And with King's producer and drummer Al Jackson, Jr. leading the way, these are some of the greatest records ever made - whatever the genre'.

Funk-Shun (2003-09-17)

This is a great collection for the blues fan, that really showcases Albert King's talents! My only wish would be that the songs were longer, but this is the way they were recorded and still worth their weight in the funk-shun of the blues! Magic!

Speechless! (2003-06-14)

Unbelievable! This album is awesome. If you like the electric blues guitar, Albert King is your man and this album is his best. Excellent guitar solos accompaniad by great deep vocals. Only one song i don't love. An attempt at a slow song, "I almost lost my mind". It is Albert King tryin to be what he is not. The rest of this album is the best collection of blues i have ever heard. Three words.....BUY THIS ALBUM!!

An unexpected treasure from an unexpected source. (2002-06-10)

This is an album I lifted from my parents record collection when I was a kid. They didn't miss it, it was a selection they got by mistake from their record club (they were more of the Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell and Donovan ilk). I was hooked immediately. In fact, I think it was the first full blues album I ever listened to. This is the essential Albert King set, and it is pure blues magic from start to finish. Highly recommended for all blues fans, especially aspiring blues guitarists (like me).

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