Albert King reccomendations?

[jpfeifer]

Hi Everyone,

I keep seeing Albert King showing up on more lists of favorites from various players. I have to admit that I haven't listened very much of Albert King's material and I think that I may be missing out (I know that I'm missing out). I do listen to a lot of B.B. King and Freddie King tough. I'm just missing one of the 3 Kings :-)

Can one of you reccomend an album to listen to for a good dose of Albert King's playing? I need to fill in that gap in my music collection.

I actually got to see him live once. He was really fun to watch. It was when I was living in Texas during my college years. He was playing one night at Antone's in Austin. It was really cool to watch him because he had a second guitar player with him in the band. When ever the younger guy would take a solo, Albert King would look back at him as if he was irritated in a joking way. Then he would put his pipe in his mouth and wail away on his flying V as if to show the younger guy how it was done. It was really cool to watch.

-- Jim

[Robert]

Here's a few good ones -

http://www.amazon.com/Thursday-Night-San-Francisco-Auditorium/dp/B000000ZKQ/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpt/103-4446569-0000650

http://www.amazon.com/King-Blues-Guitar-Albert/dp/B000002I7H/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpt/104-3840825-4606319

and In Session, with SRV:
http://www.amazon.com/Session-Albert-King/dp/B00000JTB2/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpt/002-8088572-0188804

[sumitomo]

++ on the session album with SRV,if you have never heard it I know it will become one of your favorites.Sumi:D

[birv2]

I'd recommend The Very Best of Albert King, which is part of Rhino's Blues Masters collection. It has highlights from all different parts of his career, with some great liner notes.

http://www.amazon.com/Very-Best-Albert-King/dp/B00000IMS7/ref=pd_sim_m_1

It'll give you a taste for Albert and then you can jump off to other CD's.

He's truly one of the great ones and doesn't get mentioned enough.

Bob

[ShortBuSX]

Ive only got a best of compliation of Albert King...but yesterday I heard a version of "As the Years Go Passing By" by Albert King and Rory Gallagher live that just bout set my ears on fire! And after listening to that, I see where Jimmy Page got the idea for "Since Ive Been Lovin You".

[ZMAN]

Albert was very prolific when it came to albums. HIs earlier ones in the 60s and 70s were some of his best stuff. I had them all on vinyl. They have since been remastered and are classics CDs to own.
Here is a pretty good list of his releases.
http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/albertking/discography
He kind of took Stevie Ray Vaughan under his wing, as Stevie used a lot of his licks in his playing, along with a bunch of others.
If one was to break Albert's playing down I am sure you would find only a dozen or so licks that he played. It was more HOW he used them to create the powerful results he gets. His call and response type of playing and
singing is the mainstay of most blues songs.
On the In Session CD that was actually a taped TV show up here in Canada, with him and Stevie Ray Vaughan, he talks between songs and more or less tells how his style came about, and that a lot of people who emulated him used too many notes and "not enough soul" in their playing.
He is the reason I play the blues.

[birv2]

ZMan -- so true about Albert. He can squeeze more soul out of 3 notes than just about anybody. And man, could he bend those strings!

I take heart in that approach when I realize I'll never be a fast player.

Bob

[ZMAN]

It is kind of interesting when you realize he was actually pulling down on the bends, he played left handed on a regular strung right handed guitar.
I had a buddy do that and I was always amazed that the chords did not look weird when he played them.
Don't worry you are like me. Luckily I will never have to make a living playing the guitar!

[birv2]

He had huge hands, too.

Where in southern ON do you live? We used to be south of Ottawa.

[ZMAN]

The Niagara region.

[Jipes]

I would recommend "New Orleans Heat" (http://www.amazon.com/New-Orleans-Heat/dp/B000S554VW/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi/102-4020078-6660152) and "Live wire Blues Power" (http://www.amazon.com/Live-Wire-Blues-Power-Albert/dp/B000000ZHB) and "I'll play the blues for you" (http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Play-Blues-Albert-King/dp/B000000ZI5/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi/002-7002409-0889640)

Albert is a true guitar master and an incredible soul singer :master:

[jpfeifer]

Thanks for the reccomendations guys.
I've been out for the past week or so for work travel so I never got a change to thank you guys for the links.

-- Jim