Reviews (3)

Nice live Luther
Something of an "elder statesman" of the blues, Luther Johnson played guitar in the Muddy Waters band for seven years, and his own band, the Magic Rockers, (almost) manages to produce the same tough, swinging groove that the great Chicago combos of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf and Elmore James laid down in their heyday.

This is straight-ahead, unpretentious electric blues anchored by a good rhythm section and a great piano player, and if Luther's vocals lack the power of Muddy's, his rock-solid guitar playing goes a long way towards making up for it.
The songs are somewhat crudely edited (probably an attempt to give the impression that they all came from the same set when they obviously didn't), and the back-to-back slow blues which finish off the set rob it of some of its intensity.
Oh, and the liner notes are lousy, too.
But the music is really good, occationally even great, like Luther's rendition of "You Don't Have To Go" and "What You've Been Putting Down" (great solo), a fun, swinging cover of Fats Domino's "Hello Josephine", and the one-time Bobby Bland single "It's My Life Baby".
Not everything is equally remarkable, of course, but there is certainly no need to skip anything either, and even somewhat predictable numbers like "I Don't Know Why" and "Love Me Baby" sound great when set to a lively boogie beat and played by a band as competent as this. Love that piano!

If you've been listening to "Muddy Waters At Newport" or "Howlin' Wolf Live At Alice's Revisited" all week, this album may disappoint you just a little bit at first, but give it a chance. It's a really enjoyable slide of Chicago blues played by one of the genre's most reliable performers.

Blues at its best!!
I used to go and listen to Luther's every concert at Harper's Ferry in Boston. This CD captures the best of Luther's live performances. Listening to this CD is like bein' there, right in front of the stage, sipping JDstraight up, moving to the rythm and the soul of Luther's deep blues.Luther for ever! I only wish he'd come to Hong Kong sometime... In themeantime, this CD will keep the Blues alive!!

Solid concert from Muddy Waters band alumnus
Let us not take for granted the solid, no-frills, blues artistry of Chicago's Mr. Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson - he's the real thing in an era of teenage guitar "sensations." When Johnson (now thepride of New England) is "on," as he shows here, he's one of thetastiest guitar pickers around. Better still, he has developed into atop-flight singer.This is a welcome re-release of what had been ararity put out by the club itself. It also marks his first solo liverelease. His studio work with Rooster, Bullseye and Telarc labels isprobably the better place to start, but this is a decent live snapshot of afine performer. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Country blues just doesn't get much better, or any sweeter, than Hurt's performance here. When this concert recording was issued as a two-record set 35 years ago, it bore the misleading title The Best of Mississippi John Hurt. Misleading because it featured the rediscovered 70-something artist reviving material he'd originally recorded more than 35 years earlier. But age did nothing to diminish the sly sensuality of Hurt's songs or the gentle virtuosity of his guitar. The selection includes traditional spirituals, such as "I Shall Not Be Moved" and "Nearer My God to Thee"; signature standards, such as "Candy Man" and "My Creole Belle"; and surprises, such as the instrumental "Spanish Fandango" and the evergreen "You Are My Sunshine." Hurt's return from obscurity ranks with the more rewarding upshots of the 1960s folk revival, and his legacy (since his death in 1966) has continued to influence contemporary folk and blues musicians. In addition to the original recordings from a 1965 concert at Oberlin College, this reissue contains three previously unreleased tracks recorded at the same year's Newport Folk Festival workshop.--Don McLeese ... Read more

Amazon.com

Singer-guitarist Phillip Walker was part of the post-World War II musical migration to California that transplanted Gulf Coast blues styles to fertile new ground. His T-Bone Walker-influenced sound, captured in concert on this disc, combines the lessons learned from his early work with Louisiana zydeco legend Clifton Chenier with a hard-edged Texas blues attack, and he surrounds himself with the riffing horns of jump blues. Walker was well served by his participation on 1999's Lone Star Shootout session with Lonnie Brooks and Long John Hunter, but the true depth and diversity of his talents are on better display here. The set starts with a bright, horn-powered rendition of Walker's "Hello My Darling" breakout single from the late '50s before rolling through more modern material like the Robert Cray hit "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," a Walker original. But it is on Jimmy McCracklin's down and dirty "Think"--with Charlie Musselwhite adding some harmonica and a smoldering Angela Strehli trading vocal verses--that Walker hits his stride. An uptempo version of the Ann Peebles Stax standard "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" is an added treat, and the swinging and soulful rendition of Lowell Fulson's classic "Reconsider Baby," complete with some hot harp from Rick (Little Charlie and the Nightcats) Estrin, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Walker's tough Texas guitar tone deftly slices through the big-band accompaniment, and in the process he recaptures, personalizes, and updates the spirit of the quintessential West Coast blues sound. --Michael Point ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Blowing like crazy
James is called a young man on this CD, but he'd already played with Muddy Waters for a time. Recorded in 1967, it showcases his vocals and harp well. The recording, done at Montreal's Penelope Cafe, is a pretty accurate depiction of James Cotton's raw power and force. The sound quality is OK for the time and really captures the feel of a live performance. Cotton has long been one of the greatest of the Chicago blues harp stylists, and his energy, enthusiasm and sincere love for the blues jumps right out at you from start to finish. The idea of a blues musician doing a recording in a static and heavily controlled atmosphere like a studio seems odd; amplified electric Chicago blues really should be both played AND heard in a loud, raucous, dark, smoky bar-type environment. You can smell the smoke and feel the beer being spilled on you while listening to this CD. I'd heartily recommend it to anyone who loves Chicago blues. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not much Wolf
Howlin' Wolf sings only FOUR songs on this album. The other songs are instrumentals or are sung by other bandmembers, including Detroit Junior and Eddie Shaw. Those guys are good, and I have their records, too, but I wanted Wolf here. I gave it the second star for the pictures. Recorded in Cambridge, Mass. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Real blues, and live
This disc is incredible- better than I expected- both Bishop and his teacher and friend Smothers wail on guitar- Travelling Shoes is a classic and Bishop's solo shows why he is better than Santana! One of my best blues albums- nice clean blues with technique, tone, and taste. Bishop was guitarist with Paul Butterfield Blues Band in the late 1960's, went country in the 1970's and is back to playing blues again- this disc was recorded live in San Francisco in 2000. Another blues guitarists I believe is very special is Joe "Guitar" Hughes from Texas.

non stop good time blues
recorded live in sf in january of this year elvin & little smokey combine to recorded a great live set of tunes covering both of the artists career except for a cover of "little red rooster". every song is high energy of great blues guitar with great horns fillimng in.

Partners Blasts
It seems that when some musicians get together, they both sound better than either sounds alone. The first track shows both guitarists in full flower. The sound on this live CD is the best. There is not quite as much banter as you might expect from Elvin, but as always the lyrics are a riot. And listening to Smokey, you can hear where Elvin got some of his best licks. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

YES!!!
I love Otis and this is just a fine recording of him live. He's famously erratic, but there's some great playing and an even greater vibe on this. He hasn't been recorded anywhere near enough and half of the stuff out there proves it. This is from that half. Buy it! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My first Duke
This is the first Duke Robillard CD I've purchased. I bought it after hearing "Dyin Flu" on the radio. A couple of the songs have kind of a big bad bluesy sound to them. Not my favorite. And there must of been a problem recording live because at the end of "Dyin Flu" the Duke's mike drops out for like about a minute. You can hear him in the background (very faintly) but mainly just the instruments. Not good. It's a great song and the dead space at the end of the song kind of ruins it. There's some other good songs on the CD, but "Dyin Flu" is why I bought the CD. I might try to by another CD with the song on it and hopefully the sound engineer will not be sleeping at the switch.

The long-awaited LIVE Robillard!
This album is proof of what Duke's fans have known for a long time - as good as his recordings are, he's even better in person. The material here is very representative of a live show, recorded in late 1995, on a VERY good night. There's really not much more I can say here: if you like modern blues (T-Bone, Roomful, et al) then this is a keeper. I'd have rated it 4-1/2 stars, but the button doesn't allow that. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Truly Excellent
If you love live jazz, and you love great drumming, you will adore this album. Mel Brown was the drummer behind many famous groups (I believe mostly Motown groups, possibly even the Four Tops and the Temptations). Currently, he is probably one of the best jazz drummers around, certainly one of the best, if not the best, in Oregon. Seeing him playing live is a joy, as he is not only a phenominal drummer, but he just always seems to be having an incredably great time. Although hearing him on a recording cannot compare to actually seeing him live, this album is the next best thing. Recorded live at Jimmy Mak's (an intimate Greek restaurant and jazz club in Portland, OR), it really captures the sound of a great band live in a great club. Unconditionally recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's not that there's anything wrong with this 1990 recording: King's expressive guitar work and vibrant vocals rarely disappoint in a live setting, and this release here he has a top-notch big band behind him. In addition to U2's "When Love Comes to Town," King rolls through nine staples, including "Sweet Sixteen," "Thrill is Gone," and "Paying the Cost to Be the Boss." On the other hand, King has produced a number of absolutely riveting live albums, including Live at the Regal, Blues Is King, and Live in Cook County Jail. They remain high points of blues history, relegating this solid release to the second tier. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Live at the apollo
Solid album by BB king. But I missed the real passion like you hear on Live at the regal or cook county jail.

The sound quality is excellent. A very rich sound because BB got a whole orchestra backing him up.
My advise is (If live at the Regal and Cook county are in your cd collection) to by buy BB king Live in Japan instead of this one. I think it's the best BB king Live album after those two.

Captures BB Live in prime form, doing what he does best!
I saw B.B. King in concert last night, in Coto de Caza, CA, as a part of thier "Summer concert in the park" series. At 78 he plays guitar and sings in his prime! As a matter a fact his guitar playing is more on the jazz improvisational side, of the blues. His band was allowed plenty of space to stretch out. Anyhow this cd, is a great example of one of his live shows, and on this cd recorded in 91, he is also in prime form, though the band is strictly used a background prop, BB's highly appealing vocals and guitar solos are highlighted throughout this exellent live session. As jazz critic Scott Yanow has pointed out, King alsways has a way of making his old hits sound fresh everytime he revivrs them, and on this cd is no acception, he does a killer job on Sweet Sixteen and The thrill Is Gone. You can't go wrong with a live BB album, the only thing missing is his jump blues standby song "Caldonia", ah well this is still one of BB finest "recent" cd's. If you can't go see him live, this is the next best thing. I only wish somone had recorded last nights show at Coto. Oh well, pick this cd up!

The Thrill Is Back
B. B. KING: LIVE AT THE APOLLO combines classic and modern blues tracks with a live performance that is more than up to the legendary B. B. King's standard. It's a pity that there's only ten cuts on this album; the band is playing rather well, and it would have been nice to hear their interpretation of a few more songs. Still, for what it is, this album delivers.

If you decide to buy this album, then it will probably be the least surprising purchase you will ever make. B. B. King is as professional as they come, and you're guaranteed a great performance no matter what the occasion. The songs that he plays here are, of course, great blues standards mixed with one or two written either by or for him. The only variable in this album would be the backing musicians. But for this performance, King was backed by Gene Harris, on piano, and the rest of the Philip Morris Superband (insert your own social commentary on that name and sponsor here). They do not disappoint.

One of the highlights on this album is B. B. King's version of the classic, "The Thrill Is Gone". It's a slow and jazzy cover of this great number. The mind boggles at how many times he must have played this particular tune before, yet he manages to make it sound as though this is the first time, and that the words mean as much to him now as they did then. Other standouts include a swinging version of the song U2 wrote for King, "When Love Comes To Town", an upbeat "Paying The Costs To Be The Boss", and a soulful "Ain't Nobody's Bizness".

In fact, there simply isn't a poor track on this album. The sound recording is excellent, and the musicians are all having a terrific night. Any fan of the blues should have this CD in their collection.

Live at the Applo
the Title tells you all you need to know first time i heard this it was on Wax i have been dragging a copy of it around from then on

LOVE IT!
Yeah, nothing compares to great B.B...

I LOVE the songs on this CD. Everything is as melodic and hearty as can be.
For me, the BEST I could get from a live CD (better than the one he recorded on that jail years before, much more pleasant). ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Going through the motions
I dunno....if I was playing to an audience of prison inmates, I don't think I would do "Let The Good Times Roll".
The whole happy-go-lucky thing, not least the lines about the police coming to the door, seems kinda inappropriate.

The music is good, though. King's playing is excellent (even though his vocals seem just a little bit tired here and there), and he is backed by a great band (pianist Eugene Carrier in particular is superb, and Calep Emphrey on the drums does a very fine job as well).

But his cheerful chatter between (and during) the songs is a little bit annoying, and asking the audience to applaud the warden (!) is simply ludicrous. It's as though King is totally unaware of the fact that he is playing to a literally "captive" audience.

When Johnny Cash recorded his "Live at San Quentin"-album, he was very much aware of the intensity of the situation, and he took it and ran with it to great effect, chosing his songs and his mannerisms with his audience in mind.

This is not a bad record by any stretch of the imagination, but it feels a little like a wasted opportunity. B.B. King is just going through the motions...he might as well have been playing to Mr and Mrs Middle America and their friends as they sat enjoying a glass of wine, and that's a bit of shame.

3½ stars.

The next best thing
I have seen B.B. King live, and he was just amazing - A brilliant musician, a crowd pleaser, and a bundle of energy. He is an amazing performer, and this live c.d. is awesome!! Worthy of any Blues fans collection, "Live at San Quentin" had me wishing I was a fly on the wall at that show. What a performance! Every song here is great, and King doesn't slow down for a minute. Like he says in the album, the blues doesn't mean "blue" as in depressing all the time. I actually listened to the entire c.d. while i was on the treadmill at the gym. It was very upbeat for the most part.
A sensational record that is worth buying. Rather than have his whole catalog, I prefer this! It is just masterful!
Highly recommended!!

What Live Albums Are All About
I concur with the first reviewer. This is a great album. I used to like the Cook County Jail album a lot (and it's good), but this one has it beat. B.B. sounds so fresh, yet totally in control. It's really a classic album

King of the Blues
Prison performances are sort of a standard for blues singers, and it just doesn't get any better than this -- B.B. King playing his classics live at the San Quentin Correctional facility. I used to have this cassette, but I played it so much that it popped!

Here King is playing to a truly captive audience offering up such classics as "The Thrill is Gone," "Sweet 16," "In the Heat of the Night," and my personal favorite "Nobody Loves Me But My Mother." In the intro to that last selection King explains to the inmates that while the blues was not just about hard times, some of the tunes could be pretty depressing. "Some of it can be pretty down alley. Like I'm fixing to do right now. I'm going all the way down to the bottom." Yet he also encourages the audience to go on and boogie off some of the uptempo tracks. This is music from the heart, and you can just feel the soul of the artist. This is the blues -- unvarnished, straight up and raw -- served up by a master of the genre.

King broke a few strings on his faithful Lucille during this performance, but he never misses a note. His voice is still clear after all these years and he still knows how to spin a tale through song. He does a few audience participation numbers and banters smoothly with the crowd and the band. This is a fundamental recording, and an important part of my collection. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Ultimate Charles Brown CD/DVD
This execellent performance captured in high definition sound and video and presented on CD and DVD is what all the hype about Charles Brown was all about. Hew was no reheated 1940s R&B hero; he was a 1990s jazz & blues entertainer and original of the first water. I saw him several times at Jazz Alley in Seattle and he charmed the crowd with his warm and unique blues. He was the original inspiration for Ray Charles and a contemporary of Nat King Cole before Cole stood up and stopped playing piano most of the time. Don't miss this CD/DVD set. It's the best Charles Brown had to offer and he sings his finest songs with the brilliant trio led by guitarist Danny Caron that accompanied him in the 1990s. A Must Buy!

Looks like another Greatest Hits- But It's Not!
The cover is very misleading with the vintage photo and title. This but the song selection would lead you to believe this was a "Best Of" type CD- but it's not! It's a great live performance on CD and DVD, plus some other great stuff like his wedding shots to Mabel Scott (who has her own CD out, finally!), a discography and some Soundies (nothing great but they're something!). I saw Brown several times during the 1990s and this is a great package for remembering some great music. Now maybe we can get a King compliation CD!

Fabulous CD plus concert DVD!
If you love club blues, this is the ultimate Charles Brown collection. It features a bonus DVD that has a full concert from the '90's recorded in high def video and audio, showing Charles Brown and his band at the Lone Star in New York City, performing his classic hits, like "Driftin' Blues" and "Merry Christmas Baby." Plus two bonus films from the 40's and interview material. The CD is fantanstic--Charles Brown plays piano like a dervish, and sings with the cool style that inspired Ray Charles, Nat Cole, and a host of other artists. It also includes a 72 page book of liner notes, telling the fascinating Charles Brown story, along with a bonus discography. This new collection would be great for any blues or jazz fan. ... Read more