5 comments about Night Train to Nashville.

1. I had never heard much of Tab Benoit until I attended the Jazz & Blues Festival in Sioux Falls this weekend. What an outstanding performer! His style of guitar playing & vocals is something to see and I can see why he is in demand at blues & jazz fests. WOW! If you ever get the chance to take in his show...please do so. I got to see him perform along with Joyce Cooling & Taj Mahal....It don't get any better then that!!!!



2. I could not believe I had never heard of this guy! Caught a cut off the new release from a radio stream out of Black Mountain, NC. He offers the true blues package... great band, great guitar playing and the voice. Great CD!



3. Great blues and R&B from a super guitar slinger with excellent backup and guests. A great listen.



4. This is a great live album. There are some great guests lending their talents. This would be a good album to check out if you haven't heard a lot of Tab Benoit's music, but are interested.



5. Tab Benoit once again proves why he is in such high demand at the blues shows that he plays all over the country. I have been a fan of tab since I was first introduced to his music back in 1998. I'm not really a fan of live albums but for those of you who have seen Tab live you know that its a good thing. This albums has all the heart and soul that tab pours into each and every one of his albums. I'm also glad to see that Lousianna Leroux also got be on this album as well. Listening to it makes me wait with anticipation for his next show at the Fargo Bluesfest this coming August. The choice of songs for this album creates a perfect flow for this album as well with the introductory Night Train to the soulful Darkness to the upbeat Lost in Your Lovin to the old school sounds of Stackolina which closes out the album. Overall I rate it right up there with the rest of his albums and a must have for any fan.

5 comments about Live Bootleg Series, Vol. 1.

1. This "album" is highly recommended! This is another must-have for any fan of Johnny Winter or blazing guitar playing. The band's music overcomes any shortcomings in the sound quality. (Volume 1 is a better recording, but volume 2 may have more innovative playing.) After all, these are live recordings, from an era before sophisticated remote music equipment. Don't let the warts spoil a fantastic musical experience. Sit back (if you can) and enjoy! The licks aren't as polished (occasionally) as his studio albums, but the improvisation is fantastic. This group puts out an amazing sound for three members.



2. I have been a huge fan of Johnny Winter since the early 70s and have seen him live more than a dozen times over the years. This album has some classic tunes done by Johnny before and the earlier versions are much better. Examples are Johnnie B Goode and Jumpin' Jack Flash from the live album "Johnny Winter Live And". Compare these versions and you will find out that JW was much hotter before he became a train wreck from drugs, etc. This album shows his gradual decline in his abilities, sad.



3. I got hooked on Johnny Winter when "Second Winter" was released back in high school. The only live album I have was the "Johnny Winter And" with Rick Derringer so this was a long-time treat for me. These three guys (I love Power Trios) sizzle like a RUTH CHRIS RIBEYE!!!! Highly recommended.



4. This CD recalls Johnny's best early stuff. Be prepared to experience Johnny with fresh ears, as the sound quality is vastly updated from the original recordings. It's not for everyone, but if you love the blues and hard driving rock done Johnny Winter's style, then you'd better get it. Some favorites are Johnny B. Goode, Help Me, and a red-hot cover of the Rolling Stones' Jumpin'Jack Flash.



5. I first got turned on to the master back in 9th grade(1978) with Captured Live. That thing got played on my turntable at least once a day for over a year. Ever since, I've purchased anything by him I could get my hands on, and have almost all of it. This new bootleg series is AWESOME, and I will buy all of these too. I've heard he's getting healthy again, and I'm hoping to see him for I guess the eighth time. Last time was a few years ago at the House of Blues in Orlando. Johnny was really out of it, and I took my girl out after three songs. I told her that's not Johnny Winter anymore, after telling her she was getting to see one of the hottest players of all time.(I've taken her to Jeff Beck twice, and lots of others, too long to mention) We're only friends these days, but just told her the other day Johnny is on the mend, and a reprise visit will be in order. Anyway, this disc is worth many times more than the price if you like Johnny, and for people who don't know him, you'll see Texas had Johnny long before Stevie Ray, and Johnny plays one mean slide. Long live Firebirds and my soul brother Johnny!!!!!A little Rock and Roll!!!!!!!!!!!! Stranger on this album is GREAT!!!!!!

5 comments about Live at the Regal.

1. B.B. King-Live At The Regal *****
   
   Recorded live at the Regal in Chicago in 1964 this went on to become what is now widely considered the all time greatest live blues album. This is rightly deserved as this is in fact the greatest live blues album of all time.
   
   King's single note guitar lines are crisp as ever, and his vocals are beyond comparison. Aside from being obviously his best live recording, Live At The Regal is the best recording of King period. This is with out a doubt the best version of 'Sweet Little Angel' ever released. The essential version is more correct. 'Every Day I Have The Blues' and 'Its My Own Fault' are among some of the most inspired performances ever caught on tape. The albums closer 'Help The Poor' is just gut-wrenching. Pure bliss!
   
   This performance is pure electric. With every passing listen to Live At The Regal I still get chills all down my spine, and if you ask me that is the mark of a fantastic album after all these years and listens.



2. As a Memphis native, I have heard B.B. on many occasions. Never have I seen or hear him play with the same passion he did here in 1964. The quality of the recording is outstanding, with Lucille giving the center-stage on many occasions. The clarity and quality is amazing for a forty year old recording. This is the live B.B. King recording to buy. The Cook County Jail performance from 1971 is a close second, but the quality is not nearly as good.



3. recorded live at the regal theatre, chicago in 1964, this is generally considered b.b. king's best album, and deservedly so. this is simply one of the great urban blues albums of all-time. b.b.'s singing is as powerful and nuanced on this recording as it was ever to be, before or after. his guitar playing is at a peak of expressive beauty here, far more tasteful and beyond the technic, at this point, of what any rock and roll guitarist was yet capable of. yes, the rock and rollers would improve greatly in time, but this was 1964, and King was the undisputed guitar king. a fine horn section, it should be mentioned, also graces the album. the whole affair is magical. a great night in recording history.



4. BB King's Live at the Regal is a recording of a great show performed at the Regal Theater in Chicago in 1965. Considered among many, including myself, as his greatest album its a must for any blues collection. King is at the top of his form and you can hear it in his guitar playing. His band gives their all and, importantly, the song selections are magnificent.
   
   Its a great recording of a great performance. Its also a perfect introduction to the blues for neophytes as well. Highly recommended.



5. I can't believe the touch of B.B. King. I enjoy his playing immensely. I know this album gets buried in accolades. But I don't like it. The quality is poor and, differing from other's opinions, the crowd noise takes away from the music. B.B. said, in so many words, that Live at the Regal was far from his choice as his best recording. Typically, he said he wouldn't argue with success--and left it at that. There are so many good albums by B.B. You can't go wrong for $4.65 for the "Ultimate Collection". Sure it doesn't have them all--but it has quite a few of his great songs, including a few from Live at the Regal. I would steer clear of this selection. Or I'll send you mine for free!

5 comments about Grant Street.

1. It should be said that Sonny Landreth is blindingly fast on guitar. Yet, after trying to like this album for more than a week, I just do not. And the reason is that my ears detect no soul at all in his playing. I am reminded of several other virtuoso guitarists (Walter Trout and Johnny Winter most specifically) who make an awful lot of noise, but very little listenable music. I am also missing entirely the Blues aspect of this recording. It's rock-and-roll. A little more attention to melody and continuity, and less fret-finger acrobatics, would help a lot.



2. this is about as high energy as a trio could get. But it's a lot more than just noise: excellent guitar work, solid vocals. not dinner-time music. but if you want music that will blow the roof off your head, this could be it.



3. I caught Sonny on tour last year and thought he was great. Almost all the material from his performance is on this CD and it really showcases his music. I am really impressed with Sonny and his bandmates in concert and here on the CD. Sonny's voice has really improved over the years and is now a strength. Of course his guitar playing ranges from excellent to phenomenal as always. I think this CD really does catch Landreth at his best. Every fan should own this recording and it's a great place for any newcomers to Sonny's sound to start.



4. Sonny Landreth has been kicking around for years and I've seen him as a member of John Hiatt & the Goners. My first exposure to him solo was at this years "Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival" outside of Chicago. After I got home that night, I immediately went onto Amazon.com and order his live CD "Grant Street". From the opening instrumental "Native Stepson" through the closing trck "Congo Square" this CD is filled with outstanding blues guitar playing and slide guitar playing as well. Other than being from Louisiana, I'm nt sure why he's classified as a country artist. This is pure bare bones Amrican power Blues. I like Sonny's voice too it blends wel with this style of music. He is backed by just a bass player and a drummer but the sound is full and brilliant. I will be purchasing more Sonny Landreth Cd's in the not too distant future.



5. There's not a guy who's heard this CD on my stereo or iPod who hasn't asked, "Who is that playing the guitar?" Yeah, no kidding, Sonny Landreth is da bomb, and Grant Street is a fantastic CD. Buy it if you enjoy superb guitar playing, you could not possibly be disappointed.Grant Street

5 comments about In Session.

1. As a huge chicago blues fan, and a even greater SRV fan, you truely get the best of both worlds. With the hundreds of blues cd, that I own, spanning from leadbelly to keb'mo, this cd holds a special place in my heart. This cd comes out just as SRV'S texas flood is released, and the rest they say is HISTORY. Every track on this cd ROCKS!!! A must for any true blues fan, and in my opinion, One of the top 5 cd for people new to the blues to start with. You will not be dissapointed, you will become an instant lover of the blues!



2. I've been known to find cooperative efforts between guitar masters to be less than fulfilling, likely due to the high expectations I have from seeing two such names on an album cover. This, however, is an exception. Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, mentor and protege, play the Hell outta these blues! And there's little doubt that they're having a great time doing so, playing some classic blues selections, with the notable appearance of Vaughan's own "Pride and Joy" and King's "Blues at Sunrise."
   
   All in all, it's a great, fun blues album, featuring two of the masters.



3. Dear God,
   
   When I die, please send me to the same place as these two. Albert King...in my opinion the greatest bluesman (combination of voice and guitar) in the past 50 years, is at or near his best in this collaborative effort. Stevie Ray, as always, is simply flawless. Some folks complained about the chitchat between tracks, but I thought that it was a nice addition.
   
   We might as well have deleted the E and S from the blues with the passing of these two. If you don't have this CD, your blues collection isn't complete.



4. This was one of the best blues CD's I've purchased in the past couple of years. I like the jam sessions on the old favorites like Pride and Joy, etc.



5. Stevie Ray & Albert King were a breed of musicians, that the world may never see again, & this recording is a little bit of history that no music connoisseur should miss hearing.

3 comments about Command Performance.

1. Pros - I first heard a few cuts off of this album on Sirius and was truly impressed with this collaberation of fantastic artists. They really turn it up and 'rock the joint'.
   
   Cons - The recording quality is lousy - plain and simple. There is so much distortion from the recording levels being set too high it really takes away from a great album. I hope mine is just a bad CD, but I don't think so. I did contact Delta Groove Productions and am awaiting their response.



2. I saw the show at BB King's in Manhattan about 2 months ago (before the official release of the disc). Grabbed one on the way out, and have been listening ever since. Been a fan of Tommy Castro and of course the incomparable Magic Dick for years (when are he and Peter Wolf gonna get together again !!). They are both in fine form. The ensemble cast is great, with guest Curtis Salgado ripping through a cover of the Jimmy Reed tune It Ain't Me. Great stuff throughout. Highly recommend this disc. From beginning to end--you will not be disapointed.



3. The Tommy Castro Band (with associates and friends) delivers a Stax/Volt Carribean vacation workshop on how to play the blues! This is a live powerhouse set from the best of the best including the mouth harp of J.Geils frontman "Magic Dick," the piano and sax stylings of the east coast "Girl in the Band" Deanna Bogart and the Chicago guitar bluesman Ronnie Baker Brooks who sounds like Otis Redding himself reincarnated on the soulful "See You Hurt No More."
   
   The best of the blues is the "Shuffle" beat and Castro regulars Scot Sutherland-bass and Chris Sandoval on percussion are simply "smokin" throughout the entire CD particularly on the CD's best number "I Feel That Old Feeling Coming On."
   
   Deanna Bogart is a real treasure as she nails the piano and then fills in with a "FAT" Tenor Sax on the closing number "Sea Cruise" with the added attraction of Louisiana swamp keyboardist Marcia Ball and Castro stalwarts, Trumpeteer Tom Poole and sax phenom Keith Crossan. The CD also features San Fran sideman Mike Emerson on the Hammond B-3.
   
   This is one terrific CD featuring the blazing guitar and vocals of the best of the new generation of bluesmen Tommy Castro...six minutes of "If I had a Nickel" just wasn't enough.
   
   Five stars for the CD and two more stars for Ronnie Baker Brooks when he opines the nasty "She's Nineteen Years Old!"
   
   My next vacation will be aboard the Rhythm and Blues Cruise!

5 comments about The Turning Point.

1. Great classic Mayall. It's wonderfull to be able to hear this album on demand once again. If you like Mayall and this genre', this CD is a must.



2. The band on this CD is great. I saw them live when they toured promoting this CD. My problem with this recording is that Mayall is an especially lame vocalist. I also agree with the reviewer who said that the lyrics were weak. Mayall has a great ear for talent, its too bad the didn't use that ear to hire a vocalist. In spite of the lyrics, I like most of the songs; although, "Room to Move" is all flash and no substance. It's showy and fun (especially live), but the harp playing is really nothing to write home about and the song is just a recycled "Tequila" riff played over and over again.



3. When this album came out I bought it and promptly wore it out!!! This is most excellent music. Mayall was fortunate to hook up with these musicians. They forged an album of blues & jazz for a lazy afternoon on the front porch sipping iced tea and relaxing.After finding this music had been re-issued on CD I am in the process of wearing it out....



4. I defy you to remain in your seat when you listen to this remastered masterwork.
   Mayall's genius was fully apparent during the concert that became this album.



5. I bought this album when albums were albums...i.e. in the vinyl record days. I've purchased a total of three copies, since I've worn out them years later (though I prefer the warmth of vinyl). That said, I'm glad this disc is still in print.
   
   There's not a bad tune in the lot. Probably my favorites are 'I'm going to fight for you J.B.' and 'California'.
   
   This is a CD that is fresh and innovative and listenable decades later. I play it often, and it never fails to please with its ballads and its up-tempo 'Room to Move'. Some call this a jazz album, but I think it's more bluesy than jazz.
   
   Also fun is Mayall's introduction of the band to the audience. Also fun is his reaction to the audience pleading with him to continue playing, followed by 'Room to Move'.
   
   Highly recommended. Really, a must have.

3 comments about Live at the BBC.

1. This is a MUCH better CD than Across the Pond. Both CDs capture Cray's sound very accurately, but his sound in the late 80s was richer and much more energetic than in 2006. While both CDs might be nice to have, this one is the "must have."



2. Robert Cray has always been a blues player that is not mentioned often.
   In my opinion he is one of the best blues/jazz guitar players going today.
   Having seen Robert Cray in concert 3 times now and twice opening for Eric Clapton, this is how I remember hearing him in 1987, when he had just released Strong Persuader.
   That particular night I actually enjoyed Cray more than Clapton himself.
   This is how I remember him sounding, except for there was no brass backing him up.
   It is the only time I have EVER seen an opening act for a superstar get a standing ovation and an encore. Most of the time opening acts get booed offstage.
   Crays' guitar sound has always been clean and he does not use "Woman Tone" like Clapton, Buddy Guy and others.
   The music on this CD is the finest of his career, so you get to hear him play his best songs live.
   Highlights include: Foul Play, The Forecast calls for Pain, Right next door because of Me and Smoking Gun.
   This in my mind is a much better live recording than his recent live CD, Across the Pond.
   If you like Robert Cray or if you just like blues, you need to give this a listen..................



3. I purchased Cray's 2 cd "Live From Across The Pond" and while I liked it, I didn't like the pacing of the music. Just when he works the crowd up he does a few slow ones in a row. I've seen him 2 times in the past 18 months and felt his live set suffered the same problem. This "Live At The BBC" really kicks butt! I also remember seeing these tours and loving them. Pacing and song selection is great and The Memphis Horns add a great punch to the songs. Cray and the band are simply on fire. I've always been a big fan of Cray's and finally there is a good, live CD out of him. Well worth checking out.

5 comments about Live in Cook County Jail.

1. great fun.takes you into the hall ,the booing of the sheriff and judge sets the tone for a fun gig.foot tapping and air guitar.



2. B. B. King is more than a talented musician and songwriter, he is a phenomenal entertainer as well. He works a crowd like few others with his obvious love for people and his devotion to giving his best. This album captures BB as he is best, live and in action. He does not need light shows or other props to sell his work, he just plays and sings with a style and an infectious joy that few entertainers can match. One of his best albums.



3. Fans often call B.B. King the king of the blues guitar, but if B.B. were only a brilliant guitarist he wouldn't be a household name for decades. B.B. King is also a powerful singer, a terrific interpreter of others' material, an effective bandleader and - most importantly - a thoroughly professional entertainer. You can experience all B.B. King's sides on the "Cook County Jail" CD.
   
   Virtually every cut on the CD is a powerhouse. Although the Cook County Jail setting might lead one to expect that B.B. King would play up the outlaw aspects of the blues (the way that Johnny Cash did with his prison LPs), B.B. takes the opposite approach. He delivers a well-rehearsed and utterly professional show. It must have seemed a revelation to rock fans, as most blues-rock concerts at the time were notoriously sloppy affairs. But it's what we expect from B.B. King. He may define himself as a bluesman, but B.B. applied many lessons learned from tight jazz combos.
   
   For the uninitiated, the strong performances of B.B. King's best-known hits "Sweet Sixteen" and the "Thrill is Gone" will be the selling points, but every track has its delights. For me, the strongest moment comes with "How Blue Can You Get?" Here, we clearly get to experience how B.B. King is able to feed off the energy of a responsive audience, to the point where the inmates are practically bandmembers. When we hear their laughter and applause, we know that B.B. King has won over one of the most difficult audiences to please. Every solo on the CD is well-constructed, and at no time does B.B. allow himself to become self-indulgent.
   
   The CD's short running time is the only deficit. While appropriate for an early 1970s LP, this is one short concert by modern CD standards. It would be nice to see this CD reissued with material cut from the original release (as is the usual trend for live album reissues), but there is no denying this is one of the very few live albums worth revisiting again and again. It belongs in the collection of anyone who truly loves post-war blues.



4. This CD captures the very essence of what makes Blues Boy King the King of the Blues. The power of BB's music thunders througout the CD. This album has the best rendition of "The Thrill is Gone" I have ever heard, and I've heard just about all the versions he has done over the years. You can almost see him crooning to the microphone with his eyes closed, and Lucille gives this song so much more with her solo at the end. If anything buy this CD for the "The Thrill is Gone"; as soon as you get it turn it up, sit down and close your eyes...



5. I don't get it.
   I had high hopes for this CD. Every review I've read, including the editorial review here at Amazon, has been jubilant, and "Live In Cook County Jail" is certainly not a bad record, but it's not great either, and at times it's barely even good.
   
   I have an awful lot of blues albums, and I like to think that I know good blues when I hear it, but I just can't figure out what it is that people find so appealing about this recording.
   Sure, King does a very good rendition of his trademark "The Thrill Is Gone" and plays excellent guitar on a great reading of "How Blue Can You Get", but "Every Day I Have The Blues" is marred by bland vocals and horrible drumming (easily the most annoying ever heard on a blues record!).
   
   As for the rest of the seven songs, "Worry, Worry" trails off into long, sometimes tedious improvisations and is badly mixed. The first half of the medley "3 O'Clock Blues / Darlin' You Know I Love You" is pretty good, but "Darlin' You Know I Love You" is more jazz ballad than blues, and while I enjoy a good jazz ballad, I don't expect to find them on blues records. Besides, this one is not really that good either.
   
   King does a good job with "Sweet Sixteen", but the album winds down with a closing number, "Please Accept My Love", which doesn't feel like it belongs on a blues album...there's more pop than blues to it.
   All in all, there is some good and some bad on this album, and quite a lot in between. King's playing on "How Blue Can You Get" and "The Thrill Is Gone" rivals anything he's ever done, but those two songs by themselves are not enough to make this a great album.

5 comments about Live at Carnegie Hall.

1. Live At Carnegie Hall was recorded on October 4, 1984 (one day after Stevie's thirtieth birthday), and is a highlight of Stevie's early days with his band, Double Trouble. There are also guest appearances by John Hammond, Jimmie Vaughan, Dr. John, vocalist Angela Strehli (who sings an enthusiastic lead vocal on C.O.D.), and the Roomful Of Blues horn section. The performance is an intimate, but rousing, blues celebration of Stevie's birthday. At the end of the night, Stevie says, "Thank you very much for making this my best birthday ever...forever!". Musically, you couldn't ask for better. The sound and production are smart, and the performances are clean and inspired (that's an understatement on some of the songs!). The absolute best recording ever of Cold Shot is here, Testifyin' sounds great, and Lenny is simply AMAZING. It really makes you wonder why Stevie doesn't get even more recognition as a guitar god than he already has. Things That I Used To Do and Dirty Pool are both jaw-dropping, Stevie at his blues guitar best. Pride And Joy and Iced Over both sound as good as ever and the horn section adds to the sound instead of hampering it, and it gives the songs new life. More than just really good blues, Live At Carnegie Hall is an intimate documentary of a very special night in the life of Sevie Ray Vaughan, his friends, and his family. There's a lot of love, warmth, and personality on this one, and some really fine electric guitar fueled blues music, too.



2. Of all his CD's, this feautures some of Stevie's best playing, and it's LIVE! The acoustics of Carnegie Hall add tremendous depth to his soulful playing here, and he just rips and rips away without holding anything back. As an added bonus, this was right near the end of his career when he had his head on straight and his chops were peaking. You are really missing out if your collection doesn't include this one.



3. There is such history in this venue, and for Stevie to play there it was quite an extraordinary event. The recording is fabulous in your face guitar,
   like they had the mic inside his cabinets, protected by a noise gate. Great, great live performance here.



4. Live at Carnegie Hall is a must-have for the diehard SRV fan who wants to get a taste of the guitar master's live perfomance electricity. I purchased his Live Alive CD prior to this one and was somewhat disappointed (Live Alive was recorded at the depths of SRV's drug and alcohol addiction and lacked the luster and originality of his previous works).
   
   This, however, was a real treat. His torrential solo on Dirty Pool and collaboration with his brother, Jimmie, on Things that I Used to Do were flawlessly executed and super-charged. I am always amazed at how he could bend and twist notes in ways unheard of, but these two songs were absolutely mind-boggling.
   
   The second half of the CD, where SRV adds the Room Full of Blues horns and Dr. John on keyboards, was a pleasant surprise. Initially, I was skeptical, thinking it would be like "gilding the lilly, but it's a great R&B sound that every SRV fan should experience. In addition, Angela Strehli was outstanding on her fiery vocal on C.O.D.
   
   The only issue that prevented me from giving this a five-star rating, is the muddy sound on the first two or three songs (Carnegie Hall was originally designed for acoustic performances). Don't let this stop you from adding this one to your collection, though.



5. SRV and friends play up a storm. Herein are arguably the definitive recorded versions of "Cold Shot", "Pride and Joy" and "Things That I Used To Do". The horns really add warmth to the sound, but Stevie Ray is front and center. Eric Clapton has said he was in awe of Stevie Ray Vaughan for his flow; the way solos just poured out of him, and there are some blazing examples on this recording.
   Yes, the man was a great guitar play, an absolute master of the form, but something that is rarely mentioned is that his singing was as emotive as his playing. He was in great voice on this night too.