11-27: Lightning Bolt: Hypermagic Mountain
11-20: Wooden Wand and the Vanishi...: The Flood
10-02: ...: Oboroed/Circus Live...
07-04: Need New Body: Where's Black Ben?
04-09: Caribou: The Milk of Human Kindness
10-13: Sonic Youth: Sonic Nurse
10-13: Things Explod...: It's Never Worked Befor...
10-03: Controller.Controller: History
Music Reviews index


11-09: Three...Extremes
10-19: Battle Royale II
10-04: A History of Violence
08-26: Grizzly Man
08-22: The 40 Year-Old Virgin
08-12: The Dukes of Hazzard
08-05: The Devil's Rejects
08-03: The Island
Movie Reviews index


01-06: List: Best/Worst of 2005: Movies
08-28: List: 2004's 50 Best Albums, Part 2
07-02: List: 2004's Best and Worst Movies
04-20: Article: Mikel Ate That CD
04-20: Interview: Half of the Fiery Furnaces
04-17: List: 2004's 50 Best Albums, Part 1
04-08: List: 2003's 20 Best Albums
Features index


Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan: In Session
Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan
In Session
Stax: August 17, 1999

90


When two greats of contemporary rock-blues come together there is a good chance that the result will kick major ass. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King certainly didn't disappoint. In Session was, as the name suggests, a live session with the two musicians. Although many live albums disappoint, this certainly did not. Each man was spurred to play harder by the other, thus creating one of the best blues compilation I've heard. Recorded in late 1983, this capped off an extraordinary year for Stevie, who released his debut Texas Flood, and did session work with David Bowie.

The only part of the CD that disappoints is these little intermissions where Albert King talks to Stevie, and gives him advice. I really think that they were unnecessary, and were just there to make it sound more live. Every song heard on the CD exhibits the intense emotion of the blues, which why it is so brilliant. I was less than enthused by parts of "Blues at Sunrise," were Albert starts talking about performing with Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin at the Fillmore West. It's kind of interesting, but not really worth listening to when compared to the rest of the recording.

This is simply an excellent introduction to the Blues. It is clear that Stevie Ray Vaughn was one of the best guitarists of his generation; his death is a clear tragedy. If you can find this CD, pick it up and give it a listening to. I wasn't disappointed, and I doubt you will be.


quoth Justin Hardy.



-> 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