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

Reviews (5)

pretty good, but not 5-star good
When I found out (not from Amazon) that Frank Marino was on this album, plus KWS, I almost bought it sight unseen, but I gave the samples a listen and then decided to pick this and the Friday night (part I) up.

I wasn't dissapointed, but my expectations we perhaps a little high, so it's not one of my top blues guitar albums, live or otherwise. It's a decent blues album and I like it, and although I'm no stranger to raw live blues, some of Lee's rawness comes off as, I'm sorry, but it's my opinion, sloppiness. Taken in context of a live recording in a New Orleans bar, this fits, but it's not 5-star material. Nor, IMHO is the companion album.

But don't let that stop you from picking it up, it's/they're good album(s). Lee is a decent guitarist and singer, and it's really cool that he had Marino & Shepherd sit in with him. Makes you want to blast it loud while sipping a Jim Beam.

To be really fair I need to check out other albums by Lee.

If you're a very hard-core Marino fan like I am, you might a little dissapointed , Frank's a great player on his own and even better with Mahogany Rush, but like his "blues period" where he went from his own, post-Jimi/almost progressive self-styled fantastic sound period (IV, Strange Universe) to a more Johnny Winter vein, well, Frank's just not a blues guitarist *first*. He seems to be straining, not to play notes, but to garner feel. I can't believe I of all people am saying this about Frank!

Frank does do some nice slide playing, although I'm not sure it's actually slide, I had heard that on earlier MR albums he used his whammy bar for slide-sounds, but that be yet another Marino urban legend.

Some people are not so keen on KWS, but I have most of his albums and I like him a lot even if he's a SRV clone, at the end of the day he plays well and has good tunes. He sounds good here too.

Don't kill me for this review, someone else yeh or nay it.

Johnny Blue
Bryan Lee's Live at the Old Absinthe Bar Saturday Night CD is without a doubt one of the best hard core live blues CD's around. Too bad not too many people have heard of him. He has a great band behind him and his guests are not too shabby either (Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Frank Marino). The Friday night CD is quite good also. If you love the blues, this CD is rather entertaining and should be in your collection. It is addicting to listen to since it is so good.

Unsung hero
Bryan Lee is one of my blues heroes. I don't know how I first heard about him, but I bought this CD a while back and it remains one of my favorites. So when I finally got to visit New Orleans this past weekend (2/21/2003) I made it a point to stop by the Old Absinthe House to pay my respects. Little did I know that only a few blocks further down Bourbon Street I'd get to hear the man himself, twice! At The Blues Bar on Bourbon Street I was privileged to hear him play on Friday and again on Sunday night. If you ever get a chance to visit N.O. make sure you go to hear Bryan Lee play. But even if you never make it there, pick this CD up.

Raw Energy...Foot Stompin' Good
I bought this CD because of a recomendation from Kenny Wayne Shepherd on the CD. WOW! This is blues with a feelin'. Good hard Looooosiana blues power. Joined by Kenny Wayne Shepherd (who Bryan Lee has mentored), you can hear the pride as he lets his protege strut his stuff on Look Over Yonder Wall. If there's a bad track on this CD I haven't found it. A raucous crowd adds to the excitement of the album. A sad note is that in 1997, the landmark where this was recorded was turned into a daquiri shop, so this is your only chance to hear Bryan Lee at the place he called home for over 10 years.

Nothing But the Blues
I have a very big blues collection but I had never heard of Bryan Lee. A friend of mine from New Orleans turned me on to Bryan and "Live at the Old Absinthe House-Saturday Night."Brian Lee really makes you feel the blues in this one. His live versions of "I'll Play The Blues For You","Flip, Flop and Fly" and Love Her With A Feeling" are the highlights of the CD but every song is a blues lover's dream. If you like this one you will also love "Live at the Old Absinthe House-Friday Night.----Blues lovers make these two part of your collection. Brian has some help from the likes of Kenny Wayne Sheppard,James Cotton and Frank Marino but he stands on his own very well on this CD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

These three CDs document some of the greatest moments ofculture shock in American music. Most of the bluesmen who first came toNewport had never played before audiences so attentive, large, orwhite. And those listening had never experienced anything like Skip James'sblood-chilling whine, Reverend GaryDavis's furious testifying, or Mississippi John Hurt's twirling melodies. Most of the audience, in fact, assumedthe bluesmen were dead. As a cinematic sweep of just what made those countercultural gatherings so exciting and diverse, this set is anunqualified success (though the rather arbitrary and ahistoricalsequencing by blues subgenre is as puzzling as the omission of specificperformance dates). While many tracks have long been available on othercompilations, the unreleased cuts, 11 in all, are revelations,especially Muddy Waters andOtis Spannstrutting through "Flood" and John Lee Hookersinking into the scary groove of "Let's Make It." --Roy Kasten ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A treasure trove
It's almost hard to believe that this CD exists. So many excellent performances by legendary bluesmen like Son House, John Lee Hooker, Skip James, Muddy Waters and a whole host of others, all recorded live at the legendary Newport Folk Festival. And the sound is amazing, crisp and clear.

Disc one opens with a six-song set by "Mississippi" John Hurt which includes "Candy Man" and "Stagolee", and also includes two spooky songs by an ailing but still-powerful Nehemiah "Skip" James, four songs by Son House, and songs by Bukka White and Fred McDowell, as well as two excellent acoustic solo performances by Muddy Waters. House's "Death Letter Blues" and "Empire State Express", Muddy Waters' "I Can't Be Satisfied", and Skip James' "Devil Got My Woman" are among the highlights, but there aren't really any "lowlights".

Disc two features a great little set by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, a wonderful rendition of Sleepy John Estes' "Clean Up At Home", three excellent songs by the underrated Robert Pete Williams, and several other fine performances, including Mance Lipscomb's version of Blind Willie Johnson's "God Moves On The Water", and Jesse Fuller's "San Francisco Bay Blues" (which you may have heard Eric Clapton cover on his "Unplugged" album).

On disc three, Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins plays an electric guitar (gasp!) on a great, swaggering "Baby Please Don't Go", and is backed by drummer Sam Lay on "Shake That Thing". John Lee Hooker lays down haunting versions of "Tupelo" and "The Great Fire Of Natchez", as well as a gritty "Boom Boom". Muddy Waters is accompanied by pianist Otis Spann on a great, swinging "Blow Wind Blow". And the 6'6" John L. "Memphis Slim" Chatman plays a version of "How Long" to rival that of Leroy Carr himself.

Almost all of these performances are acoustic, and there is a lot of wonderful acoustic slide guitar here...Muddy Waters, Son House, Fred McDowell, Mance Lipscomb, and Bukka White all play ringing bottleneck phrases. Sonny Terry blows his customary harmonica, and Memphis Slim and Otis Spann both contribute some excellent piano playing. And while many of these songs have been available on various LP and CD releases before, "Best Of The Blues 1959-1968" includes almost a dozen previously unreleased recordings, of which Sonny Terry's & Brownie McGhee's "Drink Muddy Water", "How Long" by Memphis Slim, and John Lee Hooker's "Let's Make It", are among the greatest.

This collection is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the 60s blues revival, or just acoustic blues music in general, and you won't believe the fidelity. A wonderful two hours and fifty-three minutes of music.

A Stunning Collection Of Live Performances
If there is a better collection of live blues than this Newport 3 CD set, I haven't heard it. This stunning CD covers 10 years Newport performances during the height of the folk blues revival in the early 60's. Many of the artists were rediscovered by blues enthusiasts like John Fahey, Al "Blind Owl" Wilson and Sam Charters by canvassing remote areas of the south and locating the M.I.A.s of the 1920-30s "race" records. Some of these performers were presumed to be dead, and Newport was their first time in front of an audience in decades. There is not a single throw-away among 16 performers and the 51 (count 'em!)cuts here.

Vangaurd Records is to be commended for making the right artistic choices in thier production of this CD. Many of these performances had been floating around for years on other Newport collections. Producer Tom Vicker devoted an entire disc to each of these three categories: delta blues, country blues and urban blues. There is a sense of continuity on each disc without any jarring segues. Engineer Jeff Zaraya captures the warm analogic glory of the orginal performances and wisely chooses not to edit out foot stomping, hand clapping and crowd noises. Zaraya's mastering work captures the passion of the living blues and he avoids the mistake of reducing the performances to sterile museum piece curiosities.

The scope of performers is staggering. Son House, self proclaimed mentor of Robert Johnson, whose piercing slap-time steel guitar was the alter-ego to his gritty emotional baritone. Skip James, ghost of the delta, sings in his haunting falsetto with his mastery of complex right hand poly-rhythymic bassline fingerpicking. Jesse Fuller, San Francisco's one man band, plays his ramshackle ragtime blues. Mississppi John Hurt demonstrates his wry humor and his delicate five finger picking of his brillant orginal music. Polished performers like Muddy Waters and Brownie McGee know how to pace a show and work the crowd. Harlem's Rev. Gary Davis' does "old time religion" gospel shouting and precision ragtime picking. The suprise is an obscure ex-con, Robert Pete Williams with his eerie "stream of consciousness" lyrics and elliptical song structures. Robert Pete Williams, more than any of the performers, is connected to the roots of West African folk music. By my own count, John Lee Hooker was the last performer on these recordings to die(June 21, 2001). These astounding Newport performances are, at once, a historical document, a tribute to the diverse artistry of American blues, and some of the most passionate and riveting music I've ever heard. An essential for anyone collecting blues or roots music.

Great Set & Package
This is a nice cd set done by the folks at Vanguard records. They collected many of the cuts that have been previously released into one collection, with some tasty unreleased tracks.

Regarding the artists & their material.. well, you really can't go wrong with sets by Mississippi John Hurt, Muddy, Son House, John Lee Hooker, & etc. The artists on disc 1 alone is a "who is who" of the early blues that were only heard on scratchy vinyl before these organized festivals existed. Some might've considered them past their so called "prime", but their performances don't reflect upon it, as they take the listener & the white crowd on a trip down the Delta. Some of the performances on this package are unbelievable.

Might be me, but John Lee Hooker's set REALLY stands out. He sounds DANGEROUS, & his unreleased tracks alone make this package a well worth buy.

An interesting note, that in this mostly acoustic set is the inclusion of two Butterfield Blues band cuts. Having these cuts on different sources, it was great to hear them sonically remastered in all its glory.

Recommended, but more importantly, this is essential listening.

Blues in the Open Air
The Newport Folk Festival in the 1960's regularly featured blues artists; from Son House to the Butterfield Blues Band, acoustic to electric: Mike Bloomfield was on hand with Butterfield in '65 and wound up backing Bob Dylan in his now-near-mythic "coming out" as a rocker. This new anthology of Newport blues supercedes and expands upon the "Blues With a Feeling" set, leaning heavily on the acoustic, but including some essential electric performances. The rawness and authenticity of these artists will excite anyone with ears for this kind of music. Essential for blues fans, and a real bargain as a three-CD set. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Rockin' Live Mix
Howard and the White Boys deliver a awesome electric blues live show sound. With the influences of Buddy Guy and others, Howard & the White Boys delivered on this album. I highly recommend it for you cd collection. Awesome at parties without the crowd sounds in the background. Look Who's coming to dinner, has to be one of the best albums they have put out. I would highly recommend that one also. If you ever get the chance to see them "live" do it since you won't regret it!!! Check their web page out for dates.

Thier best
I have seen Howard and The White Boys over 50 times throughout the Chicagoland area. This cd is the as close as you are going to get to a live show. It captures the sound and excimtment of a Howard show. The first thing I notice is how tight the bands sound is. This is so much better live than in the studio. Not that I don't like the studio disc's by the Boys but this is the essential HWB Disc. The Bo Didley jam is something they've been doing live for years. For great local music and good blues you will never go wrong with Howard and The White Boys. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's Mardi Gras time every time soulful singer-guitarist Snooks Eaglin starts to play, and this live recording catches the Crescent City eccentric in full glory. Eaglin, known in New Orleans as "the human jukebox," leads a trio of New Orleans stalwarts anchored by legendary bayou bassist George Porter Jr. through a typically wide-ranging set spiced with his fluid but unpredictable guitar work. Eaglin's guitar lines may twist and turn like the Mississippi River, but his licks are neither lazy nor laid-back. He's also a solid, if admittedly idiosyncratic, vocalist who effectively personalizes Stevie Wonder's "Boogie on Reggae Woman" with some swamp soul and totally reinvents the Isley Brothers' hit "It's Your Thing." Eaglin delivers more traditional New Orleans fare, such as Fats Domino's "Josephine," Earl King's "Soul Train," and his own classic party favorite "I Went to the Mardi Gras," with equally satisfying results. The deep blues workout "Black Night" and a reprise of producer-songwriter Dave Bartholomew's gem "Yours Truly," Eaglin's first regional hit more than four decades ago, allow the boisterous blind virtuoso to exhibit still more of his expansive musical reach. --Michael Point ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One Good Album!
Excellent live album - makes you feel like you are there! Guitar sounds great in a variety of settings. Very different from most of your average blues albums.

Bow down before Snooks!
One of the most spectacular practicioners of the lost art of rhythm guitar(to say nothing of his lead work), Snooks can literally burn up the fretboard. He is a living repository of 1000's of tunes and a link to a type of traditional singing and playing that died with the advent of modern recording technology. To call this music 'blues' or 'soul' is a disservice, labels cannot contain the music of Snooks Eaglin. ... Read more

Album Description

UK live release recorded Sunday April 5th 1998 at Ronnie Scott's, the world famous jazz club. This 2 CD compilationwill come as welcome news to the many fans who missed outfirst time round with the limited edition, 20,000 numberedcopies of the Soho Sessions package which sold outimmediately on it's first release. The set includes many of Peter Green's most famous compositions such as 'Albatross', 'Black Magic Woman', 'Rattlesnake Shake', 'Green Manalishi' & 'The Supernatural', plus versions of other blues classics such as 'Traveling Riverside Blues' & 'Steady Rollin' Man'. Includes extensive liner notes. 2001. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hot Tracks!!!
I love Peggy Scott-Adams "Live & More" cd! The first 3 songs that are proformed live gives you a sense of what Peggy is like at her concerts. The next two songs are new singles that a hit songs. "Sweaty Men" is my favourite, in which she talks about the issue of men that don't have personal hygeine at the top of their lists. "When I'm With You" is a beautiful ballad. The remainder of the Cd are remixes of most of her pervious hits. They are great dance remixes that would do well at clubs or parties. Those tracks are not fast dance tracks, they are mid- tempo dance tracks with a lot oif soul! This is recommended if you like soul and dance music. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A fine, somewhat overlooked live album
Considering the late, great Michael Bloomfield's rather sparse and sometimes erratic output, the high quality of this excellent live album came as a pleasant surprise to me.

Recorded at San Francisco's Old Waldorf in 1976 and 1977, and produced by Norman Dayron of Maxwell Street fame, it features Bloomfield and some excellent backing bands which includes guitarist Nick Gravenites, drummer Bob Jones, bassist Roger "Jelly Roll" Troy, and pianist Mark Naftalin (who used to play alongside Mike Bloomfield in the Paul Buttefield Blues Band).
Gravenites, Jones and Troy perform the lead vocals, Butterfield, who was never much of a singer, plays all lead and slide guitar.

Ironically, the best track here, the "Sweet Little Angel/Jelly Jelly" medley, is not from the Old Waldorf; it was recorded in 1974 and broadcast on San Francisco's KSAN radio. Bloomfield's playing on that song is simply magnificent, clear and inspired.
He sounds a little bit ragged on a couple of the Waldorf tracks, but his smouldering solos on "The Sky Is Crying" and the slow, mournful "Your Friends" are superb.

Not every song is equally great, and not all three singers are great, either, although the fine, under-recorded behind-the-scenes bluesman Nick Gravenites does a very good job, particularly on his own "Buried Alive In The Blues". But Bloomfield's guitar is something to behold almost all the way through, and even though none of the Old Waldorf tracks match the phenomenal, fiery lead guitar on "Sweet Little Angel", the best moments here really do validate Mike Bloomfield's reputation as one of the greatest white blues guitarist of the 60s and 70s.

It's Not Killing Me, and It's Not Worth It
As a live album, and a guitar album, and as a band album, this album is absolutely awful. Bloomfield only plays slide guitar except on about one track, and his slide playing here is just awful. There a a couple of good moments when he doesn't play slide, but they aren't THAT good. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENS ON THIS ALBUM, from anybody, though Nick Gravenites throws in a couple of songwriting gems, and, unfortunately, for as bad as Bloomfield's playing is on this album, this is definitely Bloomfield up front and center stage all the way from the start. If you want to hear Bloomfield playing great slide, buy the first Butterfield album, where he cooks like a demon on fire. If you want to hear Bloomfield playing his greatest guitar, buy Super Session, A Long Time Comin' (Bloomfield's guitar on Going Down Slow is worth getting the extra tracks), and East-West. This album is nowhere near as as good as the liner notes make it out to be. It was a waste of tape. Bloomfield's mind was clearly on something else besides his guitar playing.

Mucg Better Ta\han I Was Led to Think
As a avid Bloomfield fan I had hesitated getting this CD based on various reviews. However I just picked it up. Much better than people have said. If Mike's playing on My Labors and More is a 5 (or higher?) and Super Session is also a 5, then this is a 4.

He really cooks on My Labors and Super Session; here he is very good. Surprises for me were The Sky is Cryin' and many others. The songs are good even if Mike's licks are not god like; only above us mortals.

Recommend it after you have listen to My Labors, Super Sessions, and the Butterfiled albums. It won't disappoint you.

A lesser known Guitar Hero
Although never a household name like Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mike Bloomfield was undoubtedly one of the greats of blues/rock guitar. Bloomfield is best known for his stints with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Bob Dylan; he played on such classic albums as Paul Butterfield's "East-West" and Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited." In 1968, Bloomfield teamed up with Al Kooper to produce the "Super Session" album, that recording spawned the instrumental hit "Albert's Shuffle." Mike Bloomfield has often been described as a "musician's musician": a substantial number of his fans have always been fellow guitar players looking for inspiration.

"Live at the Old Waldorf" captures Mike Bloomfield in his element: onstage in his hometown, the San Francisco Bay Area. The Disc is a collection of beautifully re-mastered performances recorded between 1976 and 1977, along with a set of rare photos and extensive liner notes. The music on this disc is outstanding; old fans will be ecstatic and newcomers just may rush out to buy everything else Bloomfield recorded after listening to this disc. The mastery which Mike Bloomfield exhibited over his Gibson Les Paul guitar was amazing; he could churn out sweet, soulful BB King-style riffs or play biting, stinging lead lines reminiscent of a young Eric Clapton's work with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. His solos on blues standards like "Sweet Little Angel" and "The Sky is Crying" are simply jaw-dropping. On several tracks Mike's old running buddy Nick Gravenites contributes his gruff voice and wry vocals; tunes like "Dancing Fool" and "Buried Alive in the Blues" are excellent examples of Nick's inimitable tongue in cheek songwriting. All the tracks on this disc have the loose, spontaneous feel of a great live recording.

Listening to this disc, it is easy to understand why Bloomfield has always been so highly regarded by guitar players. His solos are like textbook examples of how the electric guitar should be played. Anyone with an interest in blues/rock guitar owes it to them selves to check out this disc by one of the lesser known heroes of electric guitar.

Lackluster
Unfortunately Bloomfield's best days where long behind him when he made this recording in the mid 1970's. Better is Live Adventures from 1968 and SuperSession 1968, also Paul Butterfield East-West 1967 and Electric Flag Long Time Coming 1967. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Ultimate in Blues/Rock
Too Slim & The Taildraggers are an awesome blues/rock band. All of their albums rock and make you want to get up and dance. I have seen them perform live several times and they are even better. All of their albums are a must have for the true blues fan. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

blues workout
B.B. King with his dearest, Lucille in action at the club The Regal. It is an absolutely incredible album in which you get drawn into further and further after each track. B.B.'s playing is top shelf and his audience surely lets him know. It is the raucous crowd that is audible during the whole show that seems to rub its excitement onto the listener. Anyway, this is a fantastic album that truly exemplifies how good a live blues album can really be. It is an album that is essential listening for any blues fan of any genre.

the definitive
From the opening introduction to the last note, this CD is simply amazing. Kings voice resonates clearly and moves your soul. An economical guitar players every note he hits floods your body with emotion. With the live crowd in a frenzy you feel like you are at the Regal that night. This is the King of the Blues at the height of his powers and this is the best live record ever.

Superlative live performance
It must have been a truly amazing night at the Regal Theater. I saw BB King perform at a stadium show a couple years ago, and he was still a fine performer even then, but this recording is the man in his prime in an intimate venue. The audience response complements the music rather than distracting from it. King clearly had these people in the palm of his hand. Judging from the clarity and power of his guitar playing and nuanced singing, it is not hard to understand why.

Simply put, marvelous.
This cd is one of the all time great vlues albums, and I am thankful that it has been restored onto cd, for further generations of bleus fans. This is classic BB in fine voice, and playing jazz riffs on his guitar.

Blues People & Riley King
As has been noted, this is one of the essential albums, one of the records that everyone is supposed to have like John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, like Robert Johnson, like the music Billie Holiday made with Lester Young for Columbia, like Louis's Hot 5s and Hot 7s, like Elvis's Sun Sessions.

Beyond that, this is something that has become increasingly rare, a live blues recording where the music is played for blues people, African American working class and middle class blues people in an urban center. This all about singing and swinging and jiving and talking to the audience and the audience talking back.

When I was in Mississippi in the mid 1960s doing civil rights work, I met Blues People who loved BB King who didn't know that he played the guitar. The expression always was and still is 'BLUES SINGER," not blues guitarist. He sang the blues the way they needed to listen to and in a Blues People venue the folks will talk back to him too.

My favorite, classic moment of the blues dialog here is in "It's my own fault baby" where Riley sings "I gave you seven children, and now you want to give 'em back." All the sistas in the audience scream. Gruffer sounds came from the men.

What is essential to blues performance for BLUES PEOPLE is the constant dialog between the singer and the audience that is the heart of the native blues experience. The dialog isn't about the impeccable guitar playing on this record, or the totally righteous playing of the band, or even the fine voice of Riley B. King here, but it is about what the words the lyrics speak to the lives of the audience, and what the audience responds to the singer. That's the center of blues, not heavy guitar licks that the post-folk-post rock blues fan thinks is the essence of heavy blues.

It's a shame the audience for the blues has almost disappeared, that blues stars no longer play in big "Chitlin' Circuit" theaters like the Regal, the Apollo, the Howard, the old non hippie Fillmore, or that you can't see Riley or Bobby Blue Bland in smoky little night clubs in the ghetto.

Perhaps, I am showing my age here, because time has to roll on. I am sure that night at the Regal there was someone who could remember when the sistas and their men would be shouting back at things Bessie Smith, or Big Maceo and Tampa Read, Lonnie Johnson, or Memphis Minnie had sung to them from that same stage without the electric instruments.

The real Black blues when it was based among us, was about singing, about commentary. For even the greatest guitarists like Riley, Lonnie Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Johnny Lee Hooker, Guitar Slim, the guitar playing and the band were just ways to emphasize how the to talk to audience. This brings to mind that great Betty Carter Album, "The Audience and Betty Carter." This is the Blues People and Riley King talking to each other. That's priceless, get it, and listen to it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Judah Bauer steps out!!!!!!!!!!!
And quite frankly, makes one of the best rock'n roll records of the late 90's! This album, while only half an hour long is one of the rawest records ever made. 20M frontman Judah Bauer's singing is uneven and, at times a bit off-key, but there is absolutely nothing that would sound better in its place. This is Judah's first effort out of his day job as Jon Spencer's personal Steve Cropper in the JSBX. This album shows that there is true hope for real rock music out there and 20M's two subsequent releases ('I'm A Lucky Guy' and last year's 'Keep It Coming') show Judah progressing even further beyond my expectations. This record, in all its ragged and odd brilliance, is perfect!!!!!!! ... Read more

Album Description

A new mostly acoustic live album recorded during the British blues legend's last tour of Europe at the Down Town Blues Club' in Hamburg, Germany on September 21st 1999. 14 classic tunes featuring his trio that includes Butch Coulter & Matt Taylor. Tracks include, 'Good Morning Blues' & 'Whoa Back Buck'.2000 release. Standard jewel case. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

LONG JOHN BALDRY CAN MAKE YOU A STAR!
A friend of mine loaned me this cd the other day. I said John Baldry? I thought he was dead. He said no, and don't ask me any more questions, just give this cd a listen. He sounded pretty excited over it, and he's usually not a very excitable boy. So I put it on. I have to admit I didn't know much about Long John Baldry. But as I began to read the liner notes to this album, I came to realize what an interesting cat this guy is. I didn't know Baldry was the father of the British rock invasion. He started the first white electric blues band in 1961 called "Blues Incorporated". He hired a couple hungry teenage musicians off the street to join him. Their names were Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts. After Jagger and Watts went on to start that little band we all know about, Baldry formed another band in 1965 called "Steampacket". He brought on board a couple more talented teenagers by the names of Rod Stewart and Jack Bruce. After those two left the band to go on to bigger things, Baldry began his search to start his third band called Bluesology. One day in 1967 Baldry walked into a little bar and noticed this 19 year old teenage piano player that was bringing down the house. Baldry knew he had to hire him, so he gave the kid a break and brought him on board. The kid's name was Reginald Dwight. He stayed with Baldry another year and moved on to a solo career, and changed his name to Elton John. And the rest is history. Or is it? You may wonder what all of this has to do with this new live album. Well, Baldry has hired yet another kid that I think is gonna be a star someday. He is Matt Taylor, who is the outstanding guitar player here. The band here is a trio of Baldry on vocals and acoustic guitar. Butch Coulter on harmonica. And Matt Taylor on electric and acoustic guitars and vocals. No bass or drums. You may think ugh, how good could this be? Don't be fooled by this stripped down little band.This is a killer trio with a big sound. The charismatic Baldry is the one who runs this show, but it's Matt Taylor who makes this whole thing work. This kid is just an outstanding guitar player. When Baldry let's him loose this kid dazzles with his elecrifying yet always in control guitar solos. He's really something special. And I've heard a lot of good guitar players. Not to be overlooked is Butch Coulter, who has been around Baldry for over 20 years. His harp rendetion of Moondance in Tajikistan, better known as Van Morrison's Moondance, is a dazzling display of jazz harmonica. Great stuff. Some favorites of mine on here are MORNING DEW, which is a great song in itself, and Baldry's gruffy vocals here are perfect for this song. Another classic song here is Tom Wait's BLUE VALENTINE. Baldry let's Matt Taylor sing here. And guess what, the kid can really sing! He's got the whole package. But the real topper here is the old Faces song FLYING, that closes the album. A beautiful song that's got some of the best guitar work by Taylor I've ever heard. Now I can see why my friend was excited about this. It's a very impressive album, and I've now become a new Long John Baldry fan. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

H.I.S.S.
Definitely the best local band the Twin Cities has probably ever seen. I feel extremely fortunate over several years to have witnessed the enormous talent this band has. Most live albums don't seem to do a band justice, but this one does. With the "die hard" fans taking part in some of the songs and an occasional glass breaking in the background, you feel like you're right there - I was. If you never got the opportunity to hear these guys, do yourself a favor and pick up this CD. You won't regret it.

Unbeatable blues bash LIVE at The Cabooze Bar in Mpls.
Bruce McCabe's vocals and piano drive this unforgettably fun blues band's live show recorded at The Cabooze Bar in Mpls. The beat will make you wanna dance in your living room. Charlie Bingham's guitar solos are the cleanest you'll ever hear. This CD will grow on you with every listen....be careful if you listen while driving down the freeway....'cause I know you'll be speeding before the first song is complete. This band was the #1 bar band in the Twin Cities from the late 80's until '96. They are currently sidelined by the fact that their leader Bruce McCabe is now the keyboardest and songwriter for young bluesman Jonny Lang. Jonny's latest album Wander This World features a few from Bruce, most notably Still Rainin' and First Impressions. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Simply the real thing, Omar truly is the man.
In the mid-80's I caught Omar and his Howlers at the Paramount in Seattle. This was before we were assimilated by California and now the east coast. In those days it wasn't real easy to get us fired up at a show, no matter the artist. Well, to a four fifths house Omar and the boy's showed little or no mercy. About half way through I was aware that I hadn't even sat down yet, looked around and people were litterally standing in their chairs, pumping their fists and giving reasonable facsimile's of a rebel yell. He/they blew the roof off of the joint and had us screaming for more. I was lucky enough to be able to hang out with him afterwords and discuss the awsome Austin scene including Miss Luanne Barton and Eric Johnson. What a cool guy. He even invited us to dinner. I've been looking for a cd with some of his older songs for at least 10 yrs, and finally, thank God, I found it. If you have not heard Hard Times in The Land OF Plenty and some of the others on this jewel, buy it. Now. If you've never seen the great one live, do so. As soon as possible. He is the real thing, not a pretty boy poser.

omar at his finest
I've seen Omar live in Chicago a number of times, and this album is the real deal. If you ever considered seeing him live, this is your primer. Not a bad performance in the bunch. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not Bad.
This is early Rod Piazza. He was young and full of energy. Here on this live set we see him burn through plenty of tracks a la Paul Butterfield. Although many people get tired of that kind of blues, you can't go wrong. It will always sound good. Rod also has a good band playing with him. One of whom is Larry Taylor on bass who played with John Mayall on the "Jazz Blues Fusion" and "USA Union" albums. If you are a true Piazza fan then you don't need convincing and if you want a good solid blues harp album, pick this up, it is tough stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Some good stuff, but this one is mostly for the dedicated
There is a lot of good stuff here, but the live portion of "Live The Life" in particular is plagued by some very mediocre fidelity.
It's not unbearable, not at all, but it does detract from the music, and there are a handful of pretty forgettable numbers here as well.

Still, serious Otis Spann-worshippers (and/or Muddy Waters-fans) will certainly want this disc in their collection. The seven live recordings which feature Otis Spann as part of the Muddy Waters Blues Band are the most interesting...Spann duets with Muddy on a six-minute "I Wanna Go Home", and sings two more numbers, including a soulful "Tin Pan Alley". And Muddy Waters himself performs the only live rendition of "I Live The Life I Love" that I'm aware of, as well as a great "Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had".
Two good solo performances are next, and the final two songs find Spann backing Johnny Young on the acoustic "Mean Old Train" and harpist Slim Willis on a swaggering "My Baby Left Me".

Otis Spann's finest musical legacy remains his work with the Muddy Waters Band, and the LPs "Otis Spann Is The Blues", "Walking The Blues", and "The Blues Never Die", and there is certainly better live Muddy Waters available as well. But serious fans will want this one as well.

A Rare Live Recording Of Otis Spann
This is actually a live recording, which makes it rare and unique.The sound quality is a little sketchy at the start of the CD, but something happens around the 3rd or 4th song and it seems fine from there.You have to keep in mind that this was recorded in the 60's.There is a killer version of Tin Pan Alley and Five Long Years on this CD that I think make it worth the purchase.But be aware that Muddy Waters and his band take over the 2nd half of the CD and then Otis ends up in the position of backup piano player.If you want Otis at his best, I would recommend Walkin' The Blues (the sound quality is excellent and has a few piano solo numbers), Bottom Of The Blues, and Best Of Vangaurd Years. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

****½. More great live Muddy
There is a lot of live Muddy Waters available (which is a good thing), and almost all of it is excellent. Some of it is even great, and this one is somewhere in between.
Well, no, that's not quite fair...this is great music, it's just not the best available live Muddy (that would be "Mojo - The Live Collection" and the sublime "Chicago 1979", and of course "Muddy Waters At Newport 1960"). But even second-rate live Muddy blows most other artists' best efforts out of the water.

Muddy Waters and his band are somewhat more subdued here than on most of his live releases, which may not be to everybody's liking, and the otherwise excellent Pinetop Perkins is perhaps not quite as inspired as on most other live discs (although he does shine on a handful of tracks). But there is a lot of great stuff here nonetheless, including the rarely heard "Lovin' Man", a fine, slow "County Jail" with some good slide playing, and tough rendtions of "Honey Bee", "Blow Wind Blow", and "Walking Thru The Park".

The mixing is strange at times - odd fader moves key up the wrong instruments - and literally everything is played in the same key (and it's not even E, it's G natural!). But the band is too good for little things like that to ruin the show - George "Mojo" Buford plays meaty harmonica fills, and drummer Willie Smith and second guitarist Louis Myers are superb. Too bad that Myers' solo on "Blow Wind Blow" is partly drowned out when the mixer decides to key in Muddy Waters' rhythm guitar instead.

The sound is really good, and the music is rock-solid, even if the key never varies. We've heard "Got My Mojo Working" and "Hoochie Coochie Man" live about a hundred times before, but there are also some relatively rare performances here, like the full-band treaments of "Walkin' Blues" and "Rollin' 'N' Tumblin'", and a seven-minute "Clouds In My Heart".

Not the place to start your Muddy Waters-collection, perhaps, but certainly a stop that you should make along the way. Great music superbly played by one of the best blues bands of all time.
4 1/2 stars.

This album shows you the blues master at his best
His previous experiance in Europe alowed Muddy Waters to see that he needed to tone down the volume on his amp. Europe wasn't crazy about his loud slide leads. So, in this concert, Muddy and his band sound almost like a jazz band. These are some awesome songs. Most songs last over five minutes -- packed full of slide and harmonica. This is one of the greatest albums ever. Muddy's old harmonica player took to the guitar in this concert. His mojo was workin' that night. Muddy plays most of his usual solos, and re-creates such songs as Honey Bee, and Hoochie Coochie Man. I love this album. ... Read more