Reviews (7)

Alan Haynes is the most impressive guitarist I've heard live
Why doesn't Amazon have Alan Hayne's "Live at the Big Easy" album? I want to hear him by himself! I was in Austin for a conference, and accidentally wandered into Joe's Generic Bar on 6th Street, and was totally blown away by Alan Haynes! Apparently, he's better known in Europe than in his home country (the U.S.), and that's a real shame for us. I can't ever remember being so impressed, and I would have been just as impressed if he had been playing Carnegie Hall, and I had paid $50 for tickets.

Not Much Better Than This
Jim Suhler is good but Alan Haynes is great!... Check out the Red Guitar he has, it was Stevie Ray's on the Albert King Record- IN Sessions. Alan has been playing since he was 8 years old and is tremendous. Buy this CD and go check him out at Joe's Generic Bar on 6th Street in Austin (every tuesday night!). He will rock your world!!

buy now
their shows are really this good!buy now you won't be disappointed

good drink'n music
my title speaks for itself............these two guys gotta get together more often........if you play this though; you should warn your neighbors

Blues at it's best
This is the best blues from Texas I've heard in a while. When will these guys get together again? I am living in Australia right now and I miss real BLUES music. Stores over here don't sell it. These guys are great! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Best Blues guitarist ever!!
This is AWESOME Albert King live guitar playing!!! He was at his best on stage!!! Every song is soooo good!! I'd venture to say this is the best blues I've ever heard and I've heard a lot. This includes Hendrix, BB King, EC and SRV. His guitar sound is
sooooo sweet whether he plays soft or loud. It's true feeling...
Wednesday Night and Live Wire/Blues Power are also MUSTS!!!
Albert King is thE TRUE KING OF THE BLUES GUITAR!!!

They All Want To Be Albert!
It's hard to believe that 34 years has passed since Albert King recorded this CD during a live performance one Thursday night at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco on June 27, 1968. It's even harder to believe that Albert and his Gibson Flying V guitar sound as fresh today as they did back then. There is some fantastic playing on this CD as is evidenced by "Drifting Blues" and "I've Made Nights By Myself". Albert had such incredible guitar playing ability that it was, and remains, a standard by which all blues players seek to attain. While, a lot of new blues guitarists are often compared to the great Stevie Ray Vaughan, those comparisons overlook the individual that SRV idolized and emulated-Albert King. In fact, Albert influenced the playing of many of the greatest players including SRV, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons and even Kenny Wayne Shepherd. On this CD you will experience what a consummate live performer Albert was. Some have described his playing as down right ferocious and sometimes scary. One thing is for sure, Albert is often imitated, but he will never be duplicated. The Wednesday Night makes a great companion to this disc so seek it out as well.

Live is Best.
To me, music recorded in front of a live audience is better. The musicians get turned on by the audience and vice a versa. As a white kid of 14, I listened to this kind of music in what was then the Black part of Seattle. I was able to enjoy this wonderful music with no hassels of any kind at "Battles of the Bands," in the old Finn Hall, The Washington Hall and even the Black and Tan. I have loved the blues then and ever since. Albert King is one of the greatest. Any one that enjoys blues will enjoy this album. What wonderful music.

This is the blues
There are two types of songs on this disc, shuffles and slow gut rippers. They even pretty much alternate one after the other on the disc. While it sounds like things could get boring after a couple songs, have no fear, we're dealing with Mr. Albert King.

While there are only two speeds, a gaggle of familiar blues standards, and the same notes on each solo, it really doesn't matter. The emotional whallop that Albert delivers is as intense as it gets. There are many long, searing solos that spew hell and brimstone. Then there is Albert's thick, sandpaper voice which is a beauty in itself. This is the blues, a man with limited ability and unlimited soul, playing on a stage.

Smokin' Albert at His Best
Albert King might play the same handful of licks all night long, but he'll knock you dead with 'em every time. Now THAT takes some doing! I agree with the review below-- I like this CD a lot more than B.B.'s Live at the Regal. Albert is full of confidence, he's totally in the groove, and you sense that he's in his happy, first blush of fame with "crossover" success. He really swings, and his timing is unbelievable. My friend and I were listening to some "ambient" nineties music the other day, and we quickly had enough and said: "forget this-- put on some Albert King, Thursday Night in San Fran!" We realize that there's no getting around it-- you can't beat a raw, thrilling, table-pounding groove, with hot, precise guitar licks. King rarely wastes a note here. It's been said many times, but 'tis true: he creates an exquisite, knife-edged tension by what he DOESN'T play. He sure was "in the zone" during that Thursday Night in 1968-- that's why this album is an all-time keeper. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Great Overview Of An Original Guitar Hero
I was very excited when I learned this was being released. I am a fan of great blues and blues/rock guitar playing and Rory Gallagher certainly fits the bill. This 2 cd anthology of his BBC recordings provides a fitting tribute to the now deceased Irish guitar hero. The first disc contains material from live concerts broadcast on the BBC while the second disc contains material recorded in the BBC studios. The set was recorded from 1971-1986. Rory Gallagher was one of the first world famous Irish rock musicians. He has influenced either directly or indirectly many of the Irish groups that followed such as Thin Lizzy and Gary Moore. He sort of reminds me of the Irish equivalent of Johnny Winter. Both are under appreciated and adept at playing both blues and rock. They played some of the same festivals, broke into the scene at the same time and play both acoustic and electric guitar equally well. The set includes some tracks not included on his studio albums. I think the live disc is the better of the two simply because of the live energy Rory was able to generate in concert (all of his live albums are worth picking up). My favorite cuts on the live disc include a killer version of "Calling Card", "Used To Be" and the trio of cover tunes "Got My Mojo Working", "Garbage Man" and "Roberta". Notable cuts on the studio side include "Hands Off", "Feel So Bad" "Toredown" and "Hoodoo Man". The only drawback is that it isn't longer. I keep hoping they will get around to compiling a box set which will contain all of my favorite tracks along with some unissued live and studio recordings. Until then I recommend this set along with the remastered versions of his original albums. It is also worth investigating his early more improvisational work with Taste.

SECOND DISC WORTH THE PRICE
Rory's MUST HAVE live disc still remains IRISH TOUR '74, but the second disc of this set is a close second.

The first disc, a "live in concert" suffers the same fate as the STAGE STRUCK live disc: poor song selection and less than inspired performances. The playing is merely GOOD, but it seems Rory's fires were burning low and he was counting on volume and distortion to take the place of passion. Unfortunately, it didn't. CALLING CARD and COUNTRY MILE are pretty good.

BUT disc two, the IN STUDIO disc... ah, that's a different story all together! Starting with RACE THE BREEZE, this part of the set, recorded between 1971 and 1974 (Rory's peak for me anyway, and excepting WHEN MY BABY SHE LEFT ME (based on SHE CAUGHT THE KATY) recorded in 1986 and also very well done) smokes with the same musical fire that pushed IRISH TOUR'74. The songs are some of the album tracks from Rory's first four solo albums and all are top flight performances. Add the blues of FEEL SO BAD (driven like RACE by a train type rhythym) and HOODOO MAN, this showcases EXACTLY where Rory and his band were in this period. If you get this JUST for the KILLER version of THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE YOU, you won't be disappointed, even when you get to TOREDOWN, the next song.

typical rory !
I'll keep this short and sweet
Both of these CD's would stand up alone as two of the best albums of all time!
Together they showcase Rory's awesome ability & energy on stage and his method of captivating even the smallest audience in the studio.
If you do not own this album, you should spend your last cent on it and listen to it daily!

Excellent
Rory Gallagher excelled on every level, as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, and this set reaffirms that fact. This 2-disc set features a both live and studio performances, with an interesting mix of both originals and classic covers of blues classics, and Rory's genius manifests itself throughout. In particular, the live performances show why Rory was one of the most dynamic, talented, and vastly underrated artists of all time. Special thanks are due to Rory's brother Donal, who has done a superb job in making Rory's music available, and keeping the legend alive. This set is a treat for any blues/rock fan seeking some of the best music ever made.

Superb Music From A Guitar Legend
As a devoted long-time fan of Rory Gallagher, I was delighted at the release of this excellent 2-disc set. The live performances are particularly notable, as Rory was always at his best when performing live. The cuts range from classic originals to excellent cover versions of blues standards. I would highly recommend this set to old and new fans alike. This is nothing less than an artistic triumph for one of the greatest musicians of all time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Recorded at Wolf Trap in Virginia, Live & Uppity is just what itsounds like: a live performance by the sassiest, most attitudinal blueswomen in thebusiness--and that's saying something. The opening song, "Cold Pizza and Warm Beer,"a halfway-rueful morning-after song, sets the tone for the album; it's going to be a party,with no regrets. And the women of Saffire are funny, too. "You'll Never Get Me out ofYour Mind" is introduced as "a song that I wrote back when I was getting rid of mysecond husband." Songs like "You Can Have My Husband" (a nod to Koko Taylor),"Bitch with a Bad Attitude," "Dump That Chump," and the hilarious, double-entendre- laden "Silver Beaver" are humorous and savvy, with topnotch, energetic performancesfrom all three members. Yet Saffire have their serious side as well, as can be heard on"Lonely Nights," the startlingly tender "Hold Me Close," and the somber "1-800-799- 7233," a song about domestic violence (the number is for the National DomesticViolence Hotline). Though Saffire's sassy, clever humor is a major reason to listen tothem, there's clearly plenty of substance here as well; their songwriting is first-rate, as istheir choice of cover material, and it's all performed with skill and heart. Very highlyrecommended. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Lovely Golden Girls of Blues !!!
I am their big fan since I was a college student when I first heard their songs. I am glad this album is recorded in Wolf Trap, Virginia, where is my neighborhood and I visit there once in a while for great concerts. That makes me feel even closer and intimate to this live album.

All the songs are so good that I don't think yuou should skip any of them. And their energy is even pure and vivid in the live performance !!

Love These Ladies!!
This CD was given to me by a fabulous blues/boogie musician, and she sure knew what she liked here! This is a wonderful CD, with tunes you'll find yourself singing around the house (and sometimes just little snippets to annoy the men in your lives, ladies)! Love it!

The Best There Is Of The Blues
This album is fabulous and is a must for any blues fan who enjoys listening to the real thing. Being from Chattanooga, the home of Bessie Smith, these ladies make me proud of the Blues Heritage of this town. One of my favorite cuts is "You'll Never Get Me Out Of Your Mind" written and sung by Anne Rabson. "Mr. Insurance Man" sung by Andra Faye makes me want to start selling policies. Gaye Adegoalola wrote and sings "Silver Beaver," one of my other favorites on the album. It makes you want to see it, pet it and and kiss it's cute little nose. There is something on this album for everyone. It's a must for the blues collector.

this is a must .....even it you don't have all their others!
Saw them perform in Annapolis, Md. They sang many of their new recordings, this cd is one of their best. When you have a party..... this is a must!

This will end up as one of your favorites.
These are ladies I'd love to know. An excellent sense of humor and self, as well as a great repetoire of music. ... Read more

Album Details

Live, Eclectic Body of Work by Famed Producer/Slide Guitarist Cooder. 'show Time' is a Mixture of Ry's Incredible Guitar Playing, the Vocal Stylings of Singers Terry Evans and Bobby King and the Handy Accordian Talents of One Flaco Jimenez. Includes the Tracks 'jesus on the Mainline', 'Do-Re-Mi' (A Woody Guthrie Original), the Mezo-American Standard 'volver, Volver' and Much More. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Solid Live Ry Cooder
"There is so little live Ry available, it's great to find a live CD from a great era of Ry's work. This CD comes from the era of transition from Chicken Skin Music to Bop Till You Drop, with most from the former (along with similar stylings).

Classic Americana, Cooder-Style
Ry Cooder put this incredible band together in the late '70's, combining the soul stylings of vocalists Bobby King and Terry Evans with conjunto king accordianist Flaco Jimenez, and Ry's own amazing slide guitar work. This is a band in the truest sense, traversing American music and bringing fresh, creative interpretations of songs like Woody Guthrie's "Do-Re-Mi", r&b classic "Smack Dab In The Middle", and the Mexican torch standard, "Volver, Volver". This album introduced me to Flaco, and led to a series of trips to furniture stores in Denver's Mexican neighborhoods--the only places you could find his albums,at that time. Leave it to a master musician and musicologist like Ry Cooder to find these talented people, and create something so unique. This is a live album in every way. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's not the familiar, fiery playing of Stevie Ray Vaughan that tips listeners off that this set's first disc has captured an extraordinary moment in modern blues history; it's the jarring, rising chorus of boos that accompanies it. As with previous musicians as disparate as Dylan and Stravinsky, Vaughan's willful tweaking of staid genre conventions initially infuriated purists. Though few could have imagined it at the time, Vaughan and company's July 17, 1982, show at the Montreux Jazz Festival (included here in its entirety) ignited not only a brilliant career, but a widespread revival of the blues as well.

David Bowie was there that night, but he was not booing. He secured the Texas guitarist's services for his smash Let's Dance album on the spot, nearly a year before Vaughan would make his major-label debut.

Straight from the Austin club scene, the band displays their nervous energy in a set that contains several previously unreleased/rare gems from SRV's early repertoire, including the Hound Dog Taylor romp "Give Me Back My Wig." By the time of this set's second disc, recorded just three years later, SRV was a worldwide star, the boos had turned to rousing cheers, and Vaughan's nervousness was replaced by an incendiary swagger he seemed all too happy to push into the crowd's faces. With the band (drummer Chris Layton, bassist Tommy Shannon) now augmented by Reese Wynans on organ and guest guitarist Johnny Copeland sitting in on "Tin Pan Alley," the triumphant show (11 of the 15 songs are included here) centered on the cream of SRV's first three studio albums. While some of these tracks have found their way onto other releases (Live Alive, Blues at Sunrise), the show's "Scuttle Buttin'," "Voodoo Chile," "Gone Home," and "Couldn't Stand the Weather" are released here for the first time. The set's comprehensive liner notes contain new commentary from the band's Shannon and Layton, David Bowie, early confidant Darryl Pitt, and many quotes from the guitar legend himself. All history lessons should be this riveting. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Double disk set of live blues rock from Texas axe slinger!
This recent 2 disk set is another great live release from the vaults by Legacy. The first disk contains Stevie Ray Vaughan's first appearance at the Montreux Festival in 1982. The second disk contains a later appearance at the festival in 1985. The set contains nineteen tracks (The songs "Pride And Joy" and "Texas Flood" appear on both disks). The first disk contains an interesting set list with the inclusion of some rarely played (by Vaughan) covers of Freddie King's "Hide Away", Hound Dog Taylor's "Give Me Back My Wig" and Albert Collins' "Collin's Shuffle". The set while short (approximately 42 minutes) provided fans and musicians alike a preview of what Stevie Ray Vaughan was about. He was unsigned at the time of this first performance and while he wasn't a hit with all the fans (some even booed him), he gained the respect of musicians like David Bowie and Jackson Browne who attended this show. The musicians enabled Vaughan to further his career by inviting him to guest on an album (David Bowie) and allowing him free studio time to record what would eventually become his first album (Jackson Browne). Stevie's playing was already developed by this time and is highlighted on the Grammy nominated "Texas Flood" from the "Blues Explosion" compilation album of this festival. Vaughan's slide playing is spotlighted on the aforementioned "Give Me Back My Wig".

The second disk adds organist Reese Wynans to the band to flesh out the sound. The 1985 set is longer and contains the rare cover "Gone Home". Other highlights include the smokin' instrumental openers "Scuttle Buttin'" and "Say What!" Other notable cuts include the touching "Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love" and a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" which also contains bits of Hendrix's "Power Of Soul". Follow bluesman Johnny Copeland shares duties with Vaughan on the epic slow blues "Tin Pan Alley".

It is great to have both of these shows together to compare Stevie's evolution as a player during the three year interval. A drawback for some purchasers may be the fact that 8 of these nineteen cuts are previously released on various other Vaughan disks. Five of the eleven cuts from the 1985 show appear on Vaughan's "Live Alive" disk. It is interesting to compare that live disk with this one. I purchased "Live Alive" when it was first released and it was the first Stevie Ray Vaughan disk I bought. While I miss cuts like "Cold Shot" "Willie The Wimp" "Look At Little Sister" and the covers of "Superstition" and "I'm Leaving You (Commit A Crime", it is great to have a copy of rarely played numbers like "Hide Away", "Give Me Back My Wig", "Collin's Shuffle", and "Gone Home." This set also provides a contrast to the "Live At Carnegie Hall" disk with the many guest musicians and horn section. "Live At Montreux 1982 & 1985" shows the evolution of the stripped down trio or quartet versions of Double Trouble sans horn section and guests. This new set also presents the songs within the context of the actual concert set list rather than the more piecemeal approach of "Live Alive". Despite the fact that many of the cuts are previously released this set provides a good addition to Stevie Ray Vaughan's legacy.

Live at Montreux 1982 & 1985 [LIVE] ~ SRV & Double Trouble
This newly released cd is another example of Stevie Ray Vaughan's incredible ability playing live. At the 1982 show, the crowd wasn't being too kind to this unknown (at the time) incredible guitarist's amazing performance, or the effort he put into each and every note - They didn't welcome him from the moment he began his set. Even with the crowd booing him, Stevie still didn't let that affect his playing. He played strongly until the end, and left the stage upset from the little response from the audience and the constant booing.

When he returned in 1985 however, this was completely different. The crowd accepted him and loved him. He once again played another incredible show, this time a lot more confident with a great response from the crowd.

This 2 cd set is awesome for any SRV fan, any guitarist, or as a matter of fact, any body who has the slightest intrest in the blues at all. These cd's are up there with the Live at the El Mocambo show, and shows some of SRV's best live performances. I recommend this 2 disc set very strongly, as a huge SRV fan. Get a hold of it as soon as you can!

a good live album
I think this is a good live album. Many people say he's copying Jimi Hendrix, but he ain't copy. His guitar sounds very different. And in this concert he plays really well. The performances sound alike to the studio ones, but it's good anyway.

Excellent
This album is very good. He is a very good guitarist. His guitar sounds very different. In this concert he plays well. But his blues kinda turn into rockblues. The blues are hard. But it's ok. They are not that hard. I recomend it.

The best available live recordings of Stevie Ray
Well, first of all, the 1985 Montreux show is very good. The fact that several of the '85 cuts were released back in '86 on the "Live Alive" album is a bit of a drawback, but the performance itself is flawless. Stevie Ray Vaughan and his band perform superbly throughout the set, resulting in magnificent renditions of "Tin Pan Alley", "Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love" and several more.

But the 1982 show is the real revelation here. I have heard all the official live albums by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, and this magnificent performance outdoes them all.
It is somewhat unpleasant to hear the crowd's reaction (unlike the 1985 show, Vaughan was met with indifference and even hostility when he first performed in Montreux), but the music is white-hot.

Opening with two instrumentals, Freddie King's "Hide Away" and his own "Rude Mood", Stevie Ray Vaughan plays some of the very best and bluesist guitar you'll ever hear, particularly on a smouldering ten-minute version of "Texas Flood".
He was sometimes accused of playing ten notes when three would have done the job, but that accusation certainly doesn't hold up on these fabulous recordings.
Also, his vocal performance is superb. He rocks on "Give Me Back My Wig" and growls menacingly on "Dirty Pool", and the production is excellent. Sometimes a live album will suffer from the vocals being too low in the mix, but here the mixing is perfect. And Vaughan's playing on "Pride And Joy" and "Love Struck Baby" makes it hard to believe there was only one guitar player present.

This is one of the very best live blues and blues-rock albums I have ever heard, and if you like the genre you can't go wrong with "Live in Montreux". ... Read more

Album Description

For over 15 years now, CORKY SIEGEL’S CHAMBER BLUES has been delighting audiences throughout the U.S. with its unique hybrid of classical chamber music and blues tradition.Blending blues harp and piano with a string quartet and percussion, Chamber Blues is innovative, yet immediately accessible.CORKY SIEGEL’S TRAVELING CHAMBER BLUES SHOW is the first LIVE recording of this extraordinary ensemble.

The CD puts Corky’s creative genius on full display as he and his group refine this new musical genre right in front of their audience’s eyes and ears. It’s a sound renowned writer Studs Turkel describes as "a joyous marriage of classical music and the blues." ... Read more

Amazon.com

A magic night (May 11, 1995) on PBS's Austin City Limits translates superbly to disc for this heartfelt and soulful salute from a Hall of Fame crew led by B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, and Dr. John.Brother Jimmy's elegant "Texas Flood," Raitt's kick-ass "Pride and Joy," and the amiable collective jams on "Six Strings Down" and "SRV Shuffle" are all highlights. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Tribute Fit For A Guitar King
Before August 27, 1990 I had never really had to cope with death. Although this was not a family member or friend it was still someone I had grown up with, and on. Stevie Ray Vaughan has a special place in my life. His music stays with me until this day.

The amount of friends he had and how they came together was amazing. This was by far the best tribute album as far as talent. There are amazing players on here. It's worth the buy even if you aren't a fan of his, but the blues itself.

Artists include: Bonnie Raitt, Jimmie Lee Vaughan, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, and Dr. John.

The last three tracks are great and they feature all the players on the album playing in unison. This is a delight for fans of the particular artists to hear such a unique live JAM session. All in all this is a fitting, emotional tribute to a man whose guitar magic still lives on inside my soul.

An All-Star Tribute To Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan without a doubt is one of the greatest blues guitarist, and song writers that ever lived. I have been a long time Stevie Ray Vaughan fan when the tribute CD came out I was anxious to here people like jimmie vaughan, bonnie rait, bb. king, eric clapton, robert cray, and dr.john. I bought this not too long ago since I have never got around to it. I have been so caught up with newer releases like the Stevie Ray Vaughan Box Set that I forget to buy some of that other stuff. Anyways I thought in all this CD was another great thing that happened to the blues power of steive ray vaughan.

The guitarist's on here are truely great all of them have a different style thats what I really liked about this CD no one copied stevie note for note or tried to be just like him because every guitarist is different from another. The first track on this CD is Bonnie Raitt: Pride And Joy. Her version was way different from Stevie's but it was good to here a new flavor with some slide guitar. The second track is Jimmie Vaughan: Texas Flood. I also loved his texas guitar slinging playing it sounded like he was picking with his hands it was really cool. One of my favorites though is the next song performed by B.B King titled Telephone Song here is the coolest blues jam. The next one is titled Long Way Home by Buddy Guy. My favorite song on this album was Eric Clapton's version of Ain't Gone 'N Give Up On Your Love. Then their was Robert Cray's Love Struck Baby, Dr. John Cold Shot, All of the guitarist for Six String Down, All of the guitarist for Tick Tock, and all of the guitairist for the SRV Shuffle. Dont get me wrong this is one of the best tribute CD's that was ever put together their is great blues guitar playing on here any true fan, or guitarist would want. Highly Recomended!!

sounding to much like Stevie
i think when you do a tribute album you should do the songs in your own way. some people did but for the most part the play it the way he did. eric claptons song sound just like texas flood. dr john what the best becuase he did the song on a paino so it was diffrent. if you like the bkues you will like this album.

Pointless cash in
It may have been a good idea to put on a tribute concert to SRV, and I hope the proceeds (and the proceeds from the sale of this CD, the VHS, the DVD etc. etc.) go to a worthy charity - although, since it isn't mentioned on the tin, I doubt they will - but in any case it doesn't reward the listening.

Each one of the featured artists is great in his or her own right, and if you want to catch some of that greatness, then buy the artist's own CD. Same goes for Stevie Ray Vaughan. But don't buy this.

Just give this record the swerve - if you already own everything else by the artists concerned, by a book or something, and improve yourself.

Great tribute to a great artist!
I recently repurchased this cd & listened to it from start to finish. Funny, but I don't remember it sounding this good when I first owned it. It still amazes me that all this talent could be assembled in one place - it speaks volumes about their love and admiration for Stevie. This is a great primer for someone interested in blues music, but unfamiliar with some of the artists on this disc. Each has a very distinctive style and sound. I'm not a huge fan of Jimmie Vaughan, but I have to admit "Six Strings Down" (about the tragic accident that killed Stevie) touched me more than any other song. All the artists sound in top form - none of them are just going through the motions. Truly a great tribute to a great artist! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Silvertone Records has done a smart job of resurrecting Buddy Guy's career. When the label signed the Chicago blues guitar master in 1990, the 54-year-old legend hadn't had an American release in nine years. Silvertone introduced him to a new audience by having him play duets with such rock-star admirers as Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and Jeff Beck on the 1991 album, Damn Right, I've Got the Blues. In 1996 the label unleashed the hardcore Buddy Guy stretching out on vintage blues numbers in a live setting on Live! The Real Deal. The payoff is not only a terrific blues album but also an album built on the kind of financial foundation that will insure many more to come. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Very good. Almost great
Buddy Guy is accompanied by the Saturday Night Live house orchestra on this album, which may only include nine songs, but still clocks in at well over an hour.

Guy's playing is strong and focused almost all the way through, and he gets superb backing from former Chuck Berry-pianist Johnnie Johnson, whose solo on the T-Bone Walker-like "I've Got News For You" is one of several instrumental highlights. Guy plays rhythm and lead guitar equally well (some blues guitarists, like B.B. King, literally can't play a chord), his voice is still powerful in spite of his advancing years, and he plays excellent renditions of "I've Got My Eyes On You", "Damn Right I've Got The Blues", "Let Me Love You Baby", and the Elmore James-single "Talk To Me Baby" in particular.

"Live - The Real Deal" may not be perfect (Guy's slightly erratic vocals are sometimes too low, something which should have been corrected in the mix), but it does show what an excellent guitar player that Buddy Guy is. It also features some of his best songs in good or even great live renditions, and if you're a fan of Chicago blues, you'll probably enjoy this album. If you're a fan of Buddy Guy you're almost sure to.

BUDDY BRINGS BACK THE BLUES
This is a good live album because Buddy Guy for once in concert is playing Buddy Guy, not imitating other guitar players which he annoyingly loves to do. It is also the most traditional blues sound he's done in about 20 years, not counting the duo cd's with Junior Wells. The Saturday Night Live Band keeps right in step on all 9 tracks with some good driving rhythum. There are some roof raising slow numbers like "Sweet Black Angel" and "My Time After Awhile" where you really hear Buddy actually playing the blues like the old days at Chess.

buddy Guy takes the SNL band to blues school
this is an interesting album. I have been a Buddy Guy fan for a long long time and I've seen him live on a few occasions. While I like the sound of the album and it does have some great moments I just don't get the whole SNL band thing. While great technical musicians they just don't know the blues and it is glaringly obvious when one of them attempts a solo. G.E. Smith's weak excuse for a call and response section with Buddy during, "Damn Right I've Got the Blues" sounds like my cat when she is wining about being hungry. Buddy will throw out some amazing guitar line and smith will answer with something that a ten-year-old would play while learning how to bend the strings. Pathetic! the only other soloist who keeps up with Buddy on this album is the amazing Johnny Johnson on piano. the man is just a legend and he does show it here. This album seems to be another attempt to make Buddy palatable to the casual blues fan, (The ones who think Keb' Mo' is a blues artist), in an attempt to widen his audience and from a financial standpoint I can't blame him or his record company. Ih short, if you are a true Buddy Guy fan you'll find this album to sound pretty waterd down so I wouldn't rush out and buy it. If you are someone who is interested in learning about the blues and have heard about Buddy Guy then I would recommend buying this album simply because Buddy's playing is normally very intense and it may scare off someone who is not familiar with his style so start with this one and then build into the real good stuff.

The best!
Buddy Guy's recent (Silvertone) studio albums range from ok to very good, but none really capture Buddy at his best--in concert. Nobody puts on a better show, and this album comes very close to taking you there. I have seen Buddy twice in concert and, while he does use a different band here, I believe this album really captures the spirit, passion and virtuosity of the best blues musician in the world. Fast tunes, slow tunes, quiet, loud--it's all here, and it's all brilliant.

Some of the earlier reviewers seem distressed that Buddy is teaming up here with the SNL band, rather than playing with his usual smaller group. Well, so what? They bring out a new side in him, and complement him very well. And, they are tremendous musicians. I really enjoyed listening to piano, organ, and sax solos, in addition to Buddy's fantastic guitar work. Everyone obviously had a great time, and they made some truly inspiring music.

Astonishing,historical performance of a genius!!
This is an historical album.A rare opportunity to hear the magical guitar of this great bluesman at his own home the Legend's.Here we have a Buddy Guy with intense,gutural,sensuous voice,a testimony of a genius,that plays like no other,with heartfeelings,and sustained by a great band.This is a cd for those bluesfans,those Buddy's fans!!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

wanna jam?
This cd starts out with some acoustic numbers from Edwin McCain. They hold up to repeated listening because of Warren Haynes' tasteful and impressive acoustic lead and slide playing. The Derek Trucks Band is as an exciting band that is working today and their set is a joy. But it gets even more thrilling as virtually each extended jam features one great artist after another. The Cry of Love set adds hard rock and is alittle weak. Then Gov't Mule takes over. It's set is more like, but maybe even beter than, disc one (as opposed to the stellar disc two) to "With a Little Help from Our Friends" and holds up well to repeated listening. "But" you may wonder, "isn't this just another one of those blues based extended jam albums that I already have in abundance in my collection?" No! Herring, Haynes and Trucks deliver (together no less) on song after song on this cd, plus, and I must say surprisingly, the sound quality here is outstanding. One last thing, Haynes, McKay and the various and asundry good friend/guest vocalists can belt it out -- not an embarrassing note among them.

Habitat for the Blues
The 1999 11th Annual Warren Haynes benefit concert for Habitat for Humanity offers something for everyone. Disc One opens with soul-filled acoustics by Edwin McCain and Warren Hayes. They are followed by a rolling blues jam hosted by Derek Trucks. Derek Trucks leads with "Rastaman Chant" -- a bow to Reggae that keeps you bouncing. Trucks then lays a solid foundation with the jazzy Chicken Strut for a five-song set that closes out the first disc. The set features guest after guest pushing each other to new heights. Jimmy Herring, Col. Bruce Hampton, Susan Tedeschi, and Larry McCray mix and match as song after song delivers first rate blues. Larry McCray sizzles on "Ain't That Loving You" and Col. Bruce Hampton will have you kneeling at the altar of the blues with his "Yield Not to Temptation". Tucks closes Disc One with Tedeschi's "Just Won't Burn" (Oh, but she does and so will you).

Tedeschi opens the second disc with a version of "Angle from Montgomery" that rivals Bonnie's rendition. Cry of Love returns after a five-year absence to rock the concert. On "Piece Pipe" they beat out a powerful song that resurrects the spirit of the 60s. Government Mule then does for Disc Two what Tucks did for Disc One - they host a rolling jam featuring Johnny Neal, Jimmy Herring, Col. Bruce Hampton, Mike Barnes, and Little Milton. Jimmy Neal rips out one great line after another on "Falling Down". Hampton, Neal and Mike Barnes have some fun with Willie Dixon's "Spoonful". The second disc closes with Little Milton reaching new heights on "When the Blues Come Knockin'" followed by Government Mule, Derek Trucks, Little Milton, Johnny Neal and Little Milton in an unforgettable version of "Merry Christmas Baby".

This is a solid two CD set for the serious Blues-Rock fan who appreciates live music and artists who love to jam.

Wanna Jam?
This cd starts out with some acoustic numbers from Mr. McCain. They hold up to repeated listening because of Mr. Haynes' tasteful and impressive acoustic lead and slide playing. The Derek Trucks Band is as an exciting band that is working today and their set is a joy. But it gets even more thrilling as virtually each extended jam features one great artist after another. The Cry of Love set adds some welcomed, tuneful hard rock and then Gov't Mule takes over. It's set is more like, but maybe even beter than, disc one (as opposed to the stellar disc two) to "With a Little Help from Our Friends" and holds up well to repeated listening. "But" you may wonder, "isn't this just another one of those blues based extended jam albums that I already have in abundance in my collection?" No! Herring, Haynes and Trucks are the "it" boys and they deliver (together no less) on song after song on this cd, plus, and I must say surprisingly, the sound quality here is outstanding. One last thing, Haynes, McKay and the various and asundry good friend/guest vocalists can belt it out -- not an embarrassing note among them.

Good Friends, some tunes, ....
and what you get is music contained on this 2 CD set. To try and cover everything on this would require a book, so I`ll just say that this entire set has numerous highlights, like all of the great talent that Warren Haynes seems to always assemble. The players on each song rotate so much you need a program, but unlike most All- star jams, this one has each player pushing the other one,creating some incredible improvisational jamming.

There is the Derek Trucks Band, with Derek`s incredible Duane Allmanesque slide on Rastaman Chant, Edwin McCain, Col.Bruce Hampton with Jimmy Herring, two fifths of the Aquarium Rescue Unit, there`s Cry of Love playing together for the first time in five years. You have Larry McCray, brillant blues guitarist, Susan Tedeschi with her warm Bonnie Raitt like voice. Then the Mule`s set with it`s burning version of Bad Little Doggie, and then there`s blues legend Little Milton, doing a smoking When the Blues Come Knocking, and most of the gang performing 15 minutes of Merry Christmas Baby.

This is a great CD of an incredible night. There were other great players there also, I`ll end it by saying if you like the Mule and great jamming, along with some musical surprises, this is it. Rest in Peace Allen Woody.

Gov't Mule has some great friends:)
Warren Haynes has been doing a benefit show in Ashville,NC for years, but this year the concert moved to a much larger venue. It was a very cold windy day, and there was still some snow to be found around the Auditorium. The 2 cd's capture all of the best moments of the night. There is a few songs from everyone that was there. The Derek Trucks set was just amazing. And the night just got better and better from then on. The Govt Mule set was the show stopper. I think that everyone was on that stage at one time or another. The highlight of the whole eavning had to be Little Milton singing "Merry Christmas Baby". Wow what a legend. So, if ya like the Mule and there friends that always show up. This is a must have.. ian lee ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Awesome live blues guitar
Albert was at his best live...This is awesome guitar playing and Albert's singing is awesome as well. One listen to this and one realizes that Albert King is truly THE master of the blues guitar. ALL songs are excellent! "Don't throw your love on me so strong" is the VERY BEST BLUES GUITAR PLAYING I've ever heard and that includes SRV, Hendrix and the rest of King's followers. He was the BEST!!! Thursday Night and Live Wire/Blues Power are also MUSTS!!!

Hot Blues!
Albert King recorded this CD on Wednesday June 26, 1968, one day prior to his more popular and better known release, "Thursday Night In San Francisco". This disc represents the first day that Albert performed at the Filmore as the headliner. Prior to that time, he had appeared as the opener for Jimi Hendrix and John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Albert's "best" performance that evening, as well as the next day, (according to Stax anyway) was originally released by Stax on the "Live Wire/Blues Power" CD. The songs contained on both, the Wednesday and the Thursday CD were thought to be a cut below and were not included. Fortunately for us, Stax took another look at the material, albeit 22 years later, and released the remainder of the material as it occurred on two separate discs. In order to gain a full understanding as to what occurred on those two nights, King fans should purchase all three of these excellent recordings. As with the other two discs, King's performance is outstanding.

Live proof that Albert King's blues guitar voice is unique.
This album is typically overlooked by blues fans, even Albert fans, but it's a note-perfect document of how to deliver a live blues performance. Albert has such total control of the blues guitar vernacular unique to him that he can ply a range of emotions through a subtlety of pitch, dynamics, and timing that is probably unmatched. The uninitiated listener mistakes this control for repetitiveness, but the flawlessness of Albert's delivery makes his blues guitar voice undeniably compelling nonetheless. All the evidence is on this record. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Three star package
Five stars for the music. It all sounds great, even the radio broadcasts. Plus, I like the variety of the different small groups and the big band. Each disk is wonderful.
Three stars for the package, though.
1 - The title should be "America's #1 BandLEADER". After all, one-and-a-half disks are devoted to small group performances. This is four disks of Basie, not the Basie Band.
2 - This is not the best of Basie, it's the best of the Columbia sessions. Two obvious omissions are the early versions of "One O'Clock Jump" and "Jumpin' at the Woodside". Neither of the later versions here include Lester Young in the band.
3 - Why the cheap shot on the back cover about Benny Goodman? Did the liner note people feel they had to resort to race-baiting in order to praise Count Basie?
4 - Why the cheap shot in the liner notes about the New Testament band? My guess is that if those recordings had been on Columbia, that little quote would have been left out. Again, is it necessary to denigrate Basie's later work in order to praise his earlier material?

Basie's Columbia recordings have never sounded so good!
I've just got this and played the first two discs, so I can't comment on it all, but what I've heard so far is AMAZING! The sound--so shoddy on the '80s "Essential Count Basie" series--is superb, and the music is just beyone belief. The playing is light and forceful at the same time--just great, great stuff. A perfect complement to the 3-CD Decca set. And I can't wait to hear the previously unreleased live stuff on disc 4. The packaging is very attractive and the booklet--make that book--is very detailed and informative. Another classic Orrin Keepnews reissue.

This is the perfect gift for any jazz fan--and you should get one for yourself while you're at it!

Swinging out the Park
I was lucky as a Kid to Hear the Greatness of Count Basie.His way of Playing the Piano&Leading His Band was truly Funky."One o'clock Jump" for instance is a Slamming Groove.I first became how aware of the Groove within a Count Basie Band when I bought Count Basie&Duke Ellington's bands Meet.I notice the difference right off the jump.Duke had a Cool Smoothed out COnservative take while Count was bringing up the Grooves.Count truly knew how to Swing&Groove&this Multi-Set of Discs Captures so many elements&Challenges within His Music&Arrangements as a Band Leader&Player.Count Basie is one of the Greatest Creative Forces Ever in any time period. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Stuff Here
From the heartfelt Crossing and Come on in my Kitchen to Big Leg Mama, this album traverses alot of emotions and really packs a great blues punch. I have enjoyed this album alot and it is a great live recording, definitely worth your purchase. Taj mahal is an extremely versatile and talented artist and this live recording strongly reflects both of those characteristics.

Puts You In The Mood
At first listen, the guitar can be a little annoying, but once you get into the mood of the CD, it's phenomenal. I've never seen Taj, but would love too, this CD is why. I find one of the most enjoyable ways to listen to is on a clear night with your window open while you drift off to sleep. At the point the songs take an aural quality that is hard to desrcibe--just great though!

Well, Semi Acoustic, Anyway...
The "Acoustic" in the title is a bit of a misnomer. Taj plays an electric piano on a couple of cuts (which is fine) and his guitar sounds like it's miked through an amp with the "chorus" effect turned up to 11 (which I could have done without).

Some reviewers have panned the songs where he's accompanied by Howard Johnson (not the hotel guy) on tuba, calling them "sloppy", however, in my opinion, these are the highlight of the CD. In particular, "Cake Walk Into Town" stands out- This is a song that should be prescribed for people that are chronically depressed, as it never fails to put a smile on my face.

The CD lags a bit on "Ain't Gwine Whistle Dixie Anymo" (live or in the studio, this is a song that is always an endurance test to me to see if I can get through it) and the part where he coaches the audience on clapping in time, which I've never heard any audience do. This is one of those things that are much more fun in person that hearing on a CD, and could have been left off.

I also urge all fans of Taj and Ry Cooder to check out Austin, TX group "Bad Livers", especially "Hogs on the Highway" - Banjo & Tuba at it's finest!

Taj Mahal, singing solo is dynamite!
"An Evening of Acoustic Music" is reminescent of "A Giant Step" from the late 60's. If you loved that album (as I did) you'll probably enjoy this one too. As the Dirty Linen review points out, the cuts with Howard Johnson playing tuba are weaker than those where Taj flies solo; "Big Kneed Gal," especially, is sloppy. Despite that, the CD, as a whole, makes you feel really good. And a large part of its charm is that it hasn't been cleaned up too much in a studio. This is not a slick recording--it has a very direct, authentic quality, a kind of immediacy rare in the music world today. Its definitely not background music. Because its easy to listen to, you'll put it on while you're doing something else--only to find you're no longer doing anything but listening. Taj Mahal is just so charistmatic here he engages all of your attention.

Acoustic magic
This one's not BRAND new, but very recent & apparently only being discovered by a wide audience. LIVE Taj is a phenomena to be witnessed - ask anybody that's been on one of the Blues Cruises with him. Its tough to gauge his disks at first glance, because some contain different versions of the same songs. In his case, they're all good. This one's an acoustic gem. He does his interpretation of a Langston Hughes poem & teaches a German audience how to keep blues time. I won't waste your time with anything but something I can RAVE about. An original that exudes BLUES. One of my favorites & I have a LOT of blues disks. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Live collection?
All the best live albuns are those which brings a complete show, with something special and different from a studio recording (B.B. King recorded two historic live albuns, "Live In Cook County Jail" and "Live at Regal"). This is why a collection of live recordings sounds a little bit strange. But we are talking about B.B. King, a legend of music and a great entertainer, and this album brings a good sample of his energy and charism in stage. This album covers a wide range of years in King's career, and it's a good introduction for those who are starting to appreciate blues.

Midnight Blue
Unbelievably scorching 2CD set of the best live blues you're likely to hear in your entire life--as most of the other reviewers allude to, the first CD is the killer; ostensibly because it covers B.B.'s early years.

It's especially useful for those of us who don't fancy the idea of buying every single one of his live albums due to limited budgets, and it's equally useful in a 'greatest hits-live' notion.

The second disc suffers a bit by comparison--the duets come off as novelty status at best, but that doesn't mean B.B. isn't phenomenal for his part. Check out 'Sweet Little Angel', 'Don't Answer the Door', and 'Worry, Worry' for a classic blues primer.

Classic BB.. Superb collection of blues by the King !
This 2-CD set is full of classic blues numbers performed exquisitely by BB. All performances are live and that adds to the excitement and sheer beauty of the music. Every number, on both CDs are worth listening to. Most of the music, specially on CD one, is superb. Stuff like, "Sweet Little Angel", "Buzz Me", and "Baby Get Lost" evoke sheer joy. The number two CD is not quite as good as the first simply because there are duets with other artists. However, if you want to listen to great blues music and sample the work of an American great don't hesitate to get this set.

B.B.'s at his best live. This is the best of him live. Enjoy
This is great big band B.B. The classics, like Chains and Things and The Thrill is Gone, are a little heavier than their studio counterparts, and they sound great. But an even better argument in favor of this two-disc set is that there isn't one bad song. Some are better than others, but they're all good.

Great for B.B. fans, spectacular for those that want to be. Enjoy.

B.B.'s best 'live' sets!
Great performances of the bluesman,that won a Grammy this year! If you want to know something about the work of this eternal King,then buy this cd,and you'll not be disappointed! Really the first cd,is better than second.It's more bluesiest! But all the two are good and you get a view of B.B.'s peformances,on stages all over the world,and the guests performances,enriches the work.Perfectly,sensual,emotional..... ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Delbert - Live From Austin
To start with, I DON'T like country music. With that said, this CD rocks. I had to try a Delbert McClinton CD after listening to Imus drone on daily about Delbert McClinton and started out with this CD. I am particularly a fan of tight bands and they just don't get tighter than his. The twangy ones I can do without but overall this CD rates a 6 on a scale of 5. And if you get the chance to see him and his band live, well, don't miss it. Pay any money. You will not be diappointed.

McClinton Rocks Austin City Limits
For lovers of good clean rock and roll with a bluesy flair, this album is one of the best buys around. Backed up by a terrific band, including a fabulous horn section, McClinton runs through his own classics like "Givin' It Up For Your Love",and "Back To Louisiana" as well as covers like Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams To Remember". McClinton's raunchy voice and energetic style prove that he sets the standard for live perfomances. The album's only drawback is that at less than 40 minutes in length, the party is over before you are ready for the fun to end. Nonetheless, it remains one of my favorite albums, bar none. An absolute must have for any rock and roll fan.

Excelent compilation of Delbert's best work
Although live, this is an excelent recording and I think that a live performance is the only way to hear Delbert at his best. I also have the Ultimate Collection CD, which it is not the Ultimate collection, it is missing Standing on Shaky ground and several other great tracks.

Energetic R&B/Soul & Blues
This is an outstanding set of soulful R&B and blues, powered by a great five-piece horn section. Delbert's vocals and harmonica playing are in fine form, as is the entire band. Among the many highlights are "Maybe Someday Baby", the funky "Standing on Shaky Ground" and "B Movie Boxcar Blues", "Let Me Be Your Lover" (featuring some great guitar), "Back to Louisiana", "You Are My Sunshine" (with a cool organ solo), and "Givin' It Up For Your Love". One of the few changes of pace in a very uptempo set is a nice version of Otis Redding's ballad, "I've Got Dreams to Remember". Nobody does this style of music any better than Delbert.

Superb horns sessions!
This is one of my favorites in my collection.The voice of Delbert is a great surprise for me.All the tracks seemed so familiar to my ears,and with the help of the team of horns,this "live"performance hits the top! For those sentimental bluesfans,rare moments of great ,joyfull music! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Perhaps no musician more defines a city and a sound than ChuckBrown does Washington, D.C. and go-go. At the age of 67, the godfatherof go-go has entertained three generations and still plays to thousandsof fans at least three times a week in the D.C./Maryland/Virginiatriangle. Go-go is the same age as hip-hop, and shares all of its urbanbombast, but it's a live-band thing, and a community thing too. Whendisco DJs threatened to displace cabaret bands in the '70s, Chuckinvented the kinetic, syncopated go-go backbeat and put togethercontinuous funkified sets of originals and covers linked by generouscrowd shout-outs and sizzling percussive breakdowns. This recent set,featuring appearances by Trouble Funk and Rare Essence luminaries, hasit all: Chuck's exquisite baritone, brilliant musicianship, go-gofiedhip-hop, blues and jazz, and breakbeats you can fit a trailer into. Ifyou don't know anything about go-go or Chuck, Your Game...Live AtThe 9:30 Club might the best introduction you're ever likely tohear. It's definitely one of the best records of 2001. Special bonus:the multimedia enhancements include two videos that put you right inthe middle of all the go-go action. --Jeff Chang ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Not my game exactly, but I can't stop playing it
Go-go is D.C.'s indigenous funk, but I'll freely admit that I'm way less familiar with it than I really should be. This realization came upon me with astonishing force upon listening to this record, which is unlike anything else I've ever heard except Chuck's actual live show, which I had to check out after hearing this CD.
The audience for this live show seems to be specially selected people who know every rite of the go-go show and who appreciate the cameos from Jas, Funk, Benny, Andre "Whiteboy" Johnson (some irony there), and other special guest artists from old school go-go luminaries such as Trouble Funk. I hope one day to be well-enough versed in go-go to savor such moments.
Coming to this CD from classical and hip-hop, though, there are priceless moments enough. A horn riff with (electronic piano doubling as) harpsichord under it in the opening "Wind Me Up, Chuck" sounds freaking exactly like the opening ritornello in Bach's second Brandenburg Concerto, but about five million times funkier. Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" gets a conga-driven workout and some ultrasmooth Chuckster lyrics. "2001 (That'll Work)" again takes a classical work, in this case "Dawn" from Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra, and funkafies it mercilessly into the go-go strut, producing extra-special glee for anyone who likes historical irony and remembers Strauss's vile late-life racism. "No Diggity," the one hit in the wonder that was Blackstreet, and the Kool Moe Dee classic "Do You Know What Time It Is?" both get slamming covers towards the close of the album, showing that Chuck and his band can cover all the R&B bases they choose to.
But mostly this record is about bold, jazzy brass playing, guitar riffs powerful enough to shake mountains, Chuck's magesterial presence, and the go-go beat powering it all. It's really a wonderful thing, and the only reason I don't play this record more than I do is that I'm worried about becoming inured to its glories.
The fact that the first of like five shout-outs to Silver Spring occurs at 4:26 into the record is purely incidental to my enjoyment of it, by the way.

Chuck Brown still "kickin it"
Chuck Brown the "Godfather" of "Go-Go" has once again proven that live band music is nothing but the truth. This CD has to be the best live "Go-Go" album ever made. For those of us that remember back in the day, Chuck brings back those good memories of the "Chapter" and the "Metro Club." Hey baby "Chuck does give a [care]." Peace

YOUR GAME IS ON
HIS STYLE IS SO HEY WILD,
THE MUSIC MAKES YOU WANT TO SMILE,

GO-GO IS THE REAL BEAT,
THE SOUND MAKES YOU MOVE YOUR FEET.

SOME OF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THIS MUSIC CALLED GO-GO.

TOO BAD, NOT TOO LATE,
YOU NEED TO FIND OUT, WHILE IT STILL AWAITS.

STEP UP IN DA CLUB;
ASK THE DJ WHAT'S UP.

HE KNOWS ABOUT THIS SYNCOPATED BEAT.
THIS SOUND IS HEARD ALL THROUGH THE STREETS.

SEE YA LATER PEACE OUT.
JUST REMEMBER, GO-GO IS THE REAL STYLE!!!!!

GOGO LAKA

THE REAL GO GO MICKEY
THIS IS THE REAL LIVE GROOVE OF GO GO MUSIC. CHUCK BROWN WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. THE BASS IN HIS VOICE TELLS THE AUDIENCES THAT THIS IS THE CAREER HE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR. THE INSTRUMENTS USED FOR GO GO MUSIC IS OUTSTANDING. I AM A FORMER RESIDENT OF D.C. I AM NOW LIVING IN SUFFOLK, VA, WHICH TO ME IS BAMMA. ANYWAY, CHUCK BROWN, IS THE ONE TRUE GO GO MICKEY. HE IS THE ORIGINGAL GODFATHER OF GO GO. PEACE OUT.

Wind me up Chuck........
Chuck Brown brings Go-Go home where it belongs.....Go-Go is live, Audience-interaction, Conga-smacking, Backbeat-Drumming......if you are ever in DC.....Check out Chuck Brown.....this cd is hot ... Read more

Album Description

The greatest living chromatic harmonica player, tears it up at BB King's in Memphis. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A superiaor rockin' blues band
Well this band Rod Piazza and the mighty flyers, have mroe in common with boogie beboppin' swing, then blues, but this genere is now being referred to as "Rockin' blues", and Piazza a talented harmoica player, who really makes his harp rock and wail, does rock good enough to attract a rockabilly crowd following. Honey Piazza(Rod's wife), is the real treasure of the band, adding boogie woogie rockin' piano riffs, that are out of thsi world. a great cd, a rockin blues band, and yes you can dance rockabilly style to this band!!!

Almost like being there
I have seen this group perform twice at an intimate club in Mishawaka, IN. They are awesome. Words cannot describe how they get the joint jumping. I am looking forward to seeing them again. I see they are due to return to Mishawaka and also play at Buddy Guy's in Chicago. I will definetly be there. This CD captures as well as is possible how great they sound. I have played it over and over and still get goosebumps when I hear Rod blowing that harp and Honey slamming out a boogie.
If you cannot see them live, get this CD. If you have seen them live you must have this CD.

Awesome Awesome Awesome
I used to play this CD all the time until it was stolen from my car (along with many other CD's). I have been looking for it ever since and am very happy to have found it. Play this anytime you need to be energized!

The best live blues album
I got the cd from a friend of mine. The first time I heard it I was in love. What a sound, what a style!! This man makes a crowd go wild!!!, even on cd!!

Amazing Live! performance.
I saw him at Biscuit & Blues, San Francisco... and his harp playing is really amazing, diatonic and chromatic. He even used a cordless mic and played around the hall! His wife boogie style piano solos were incredible. I purchased this CD there (and a modified harp mic) and it returns me back to those moments everytime I listen to it, five stars!!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cate Brothers Live
This album is excellent. The five members of the band are all great musicians. They complement each other and no one tries to hog the stage. The music is a blues/soul/pop combination. This was recorded live at "Chester's", a small club in Fayettville, AR. The best... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Ditto what all the guys said!
I really can't top the first three reviews. They said it all. I will add that I was glad to see a version of "God Will", since I love that song. Hearing it sung by Tracy, who has been my favorite singer since I first heard her back in Madison, Wisconsin, in college, was a real thrill.
I was glad to see the arrangments taking a bit of a back seat to her voice on this CD, allowing her "blues belter" vocals to come to the foreground. The slower than usual tempos on some cuts also helped to highlight Tracy's incredible vocal talent.
I agree with James, if you have a chance to see her live, don't miss it. She can stand three feet away from the microphone when singing, and still blow you right out of the room with the power of her voice.
Buy it...you won't regret it.

Missing Out On This CD Is A Crime!
Devotees of singer Tracy Nelson (and I certainly number myself among them) have been waiting for years for an official 'live' release from this phenomenal artist. Tracy has released 21 albums prior to this release, all of which have their wonderful moments and some are downright clasics(including 2001's independently released EBONY & IRONY, as well as I FEEL SO GOOD, and MOVE ON from the 1990s (both on Rounder Records), and several re-releases from her early days in the 60s and 70s). It's all great stuff, but even folks who love her studio work have been known to come out of one her concerts utterly astonished. It's almost as though even the best studio settings cannot do this astonishingly powerful singer justice.

I've always said that if I were a waiter in a club where Tracy Nelson was performing, I'd probably be fired before the night was through. Because I'd doubtless just stand there stock still, tray in hand and jaw dropped to my chest (if not the floor) in a state of complete awe.

So at last, we have the live album that many of us have been awaiting for the last two decades or longer. It's probably a cliche to say that it was "worth the wait," but in fact, it was.
This release is the work of a mature artist, one still very much in control of her instrument, but also whose artistry and vision has only deepened over the years. She wrote her signature song, the classic "Down So Low" when she was in her early twenties--a remarkable feat for someone so young--but the version included on this recording seems to come from an even deeper place. She sings every song on this record with conviction and authority, but nowhere is it more evident than on "Down So Low" and on Memphis Slim's blues classic "Mother Earth"--both of which she recorded for the first time in 1968.

Tracy has assembled a crackerjack band for this recording. She does not always work with a horn section, but when she does, the results are nearly always stellar. The horns give her that extra oomph and send her already soaring vocals into the stratosphere. And she has found a great setting and a more than enthusiastic audience in that Tennessee prison. This is an audience starved for music, and even if they had no idea who Tracy was beforehand, they respond eagerly and gratefully to what they soon realize is a truly first rate performance.

The selection of material could not have been better. Aside from the two early classics mentioned above, there are new versions of songs from throughout Tracy's lengthy career. She opens with a "I Need All the Help I Can Get," originally recorded in the 90s for Rounder. It's a rousing opener and sets the tone nicely. She follows with a song that she has never actually released on record, although she has been known to perform it live before, Patsy Cline's classic "Walkin' After Midnight." Tracy is one of the few singer's who can take on a Patsy Cline number and successfully make it her own. (Eat your heart out, LeAnn and k.d.) So in the space of two songs, she demonstrates her astonishing range and versatility. She follows up with another new track, Lyle Lovett's "God Will," a song which fits her voice perfectly and which demonstrates that she did not leave all sense of irony back with the last record's "ebony."

Her powerful r&b shouters never cease to astound, and stand up to repeated plays. But those repeated plays will also demonstrate the subtlety with which she approaches the ballads included here. Her phrasing on "God Will" and on "Tennessee Blues," first recorded in 1972 or '73, is controlled, disciplined and intelligently executed. She could teach a master class--provided she could find students worthy of her time.

Tracks that will be more or less familiar to fans are given new life in their live versions. Songs like the recent "Got A New Truck" and 1974's "After The Fire Is Gone" were originally recorded as duets (and remarkable ones they were too; the former having been a joint effort with another great lady, Marcia Ball, and the latter a collaboration with the legendary Willie Nelson--who is, by the way, NO RELATION), and as good as the originals were, it's great to hear Tracy tackle them as solo numbers. Nearly all previously recorded tracks have been revamped in ways that fans will find interesting, if not illuminating.

Nearly every review of Tracy Nelson's recorded work or of her live performances includes the observation that it's a downright shame that she is not better known. That's another cliche that's become hard to avoid when talking about this great singer. From everything I know about her, I don't think she particularly cares about reaching superstar status. She is first and foremost, an artist. But like many of her devoted fans, I still am eager to spread the word to as many receptive souls as possible. I figure it's doing them a favor.

Tracy Rocks The Jail House
When the hell is the public ever going to catch on to this woman? Most of the record stores I've visited have only had one or two copies in stock. That is an absolute sin. In her 35 year recording career, this is Tracy Nelson's 21st release - 22nd, if you count the Best of Tracy Nelson / Mother Earth - yet for some reason, she is not a household word. (Well, I could give you lots of reasons, but don't get me started). Established superstars (such as Willie Nelson, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor, to name just a few) have praised her for years as "one of the best voices around" and "a singers singer". She has a powerful, expressive voice, demonstrating a talent that is almost superhuman, but inexplicably, she remains a secret. Her music is known only to music insiders, and a few lucky fans, who seem to number only in the thousands, instead of the millions she deserves.

For her first live album, recorded before inmates in the West Tennessee Detention Center, Tracy revisits two of her old standards from her first Mother Earth album - Down So Low (her self-penned theme song) and Mother Earth, an wonderful blues reflection on mortality written by Memphis Slim, from which her old band took their name. Esquire magazine once called Down So Low, "the saddest song ever written". Down So Low has been recorded by Linda Ronstadt, Etta James and Maria Muldaur (among others). It has never received a stronger treatment than it does here. Her legendary vocal prowess has only improved over the years, and her reputation as singing powerhouse is well supported by this release. This version of Down So Low compares quite favorably with the original, which she recorded in 1968, proving that she still has it. How many singers can re-record the same song after 35 years and sound better than ever doing it? I can't easily think of a single one.

The venue has an impressive effect on the selections. For anyone who has ever been to jail, or if you are a family member, or the loved one of a prisoner / ex-prisoner, some of these songs will take on a heartbreaking intimacy that is almost too personal to bear. When Tracy sings her theme song, Down So Low, suddenly, for me, it is no longer a song of unrequited love; instead I hear my own mother wailing in anguish at the first arrest of my older brother ("When you went away, I cried for so long...").

I have been privileged to hear Tracy live many times, the experience of which no record can ever fully convey - her voice is just too powerful. Before I even read the notes, I looked at the track listing and saw Tennessee Blues, and my first thought was, "I've never heard her do that live. That's an old one". Almost reflexively, I started to run the lyrics through my head, and a chill ran down my spine. "If I had my way, I'd leave here today, I'd leave in a hurry..." the song starts. Instantly, images of those inmates flooded my mind, smiles and maybe a few tears on their contented faces. All of a sudden, the identification they must have experienced with that lyric and the stark reality of their situation came pouring out of the words right at me, and the song took on a new, heartbreaking, yet comforting profundity. I can see those inmates in their drab uniforms (no matter what color, prison garb is drab), nodding their heads and agreeing 1000% with the sentiment behind the song. "A place I could use... a place I could lose those Tennessee Blues". Wow. Tennessee Prison. Tennessee Blues.

Tracy doesn't stop there. She has finally committed to record her version of Walkin' After Midnight, made famous by the late Patsy Cline. Tracy's rendition owes nothing to Patsy; as few singers can, she manages to make it her own without dredging up comparison to Patsy, or detracting at all from the memory of the original.

She also revisits some of her best stuff with new verve, including her self-penned (with assistance from Marcia Ball) Got A New Truck (a song I confess I loathed until this reading - but I'm not into autos) and a solo version of the duet for which she and Willie Nelson received a Grammy for Best Country Duo in 1974, After The Fire Is Gone. She has lost none of her incredible voice, and seems to improve with age, like fine marijuana.

Added to this wonderful mix of Blues, R & B and Country (and ALL her albums are a wonderful mix of Blues, R & B and Country, with just a smidge of Country-Blues influenced Rock to round it all out) is a thoroughly original arrangement / cover of Lyle Lovett's lyrically ironic God Will, which may just be the most understated and effective track on the whole album, since it suits her style perfectly and offers her fans choice to add to their list of favorite Tracy Nelson tunes.

Since acquiring my copy last week, I have played this album no less than two dozen times. It gets fresher and more creative with each listen. If you are familiar with Tracy at all, you will not hesitate to acquire this release. If you're not, I can think of few better introductions to her craft - notably her 1969 classic Country album (Mother Earth Presents Tracy Nelson Country - Mercury Records - available on a Reprise CD) or her 1978 masterpiece Homemade Songs (Flying Fish Records - available on a CD also containing her complete second Flying Fish issue, Come See About Me). Try her out soon - you will not be sorry. Submitted June 22, 2003.

Live From Cell Block D
First of all - let's get one thing straight. Tracy Nelson can do no wrong. That said, this is an incredible live album, which was a long time in coming.

I'm sure jokes will be told about singing to a 'captive' audience, but it takes a true talent to be able to get away with singing a song in a jail entitled "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair".

Other highlights are her own "Down So Low" "Tennessee Blues" and "After the Fire is Gone". Actually, as is true of every Tracy Nelson album, there is not a bad song in the bunch. Listen to "God Will" or "Mother Earth" and try not to be moved.

Bottom line, buy this CD - you won't be sorry. And while you're at it, spread the word. Forget about all the flavors of the month - Tracy Nelson is a force to be reckoned with. ... Read more