In Session[DVD]

This was filmed in December, 1983 for an Ontario, Canada, TV station program. It's finally been released on DVD. The visual & sound quality is great. I'm not sure of the total running time, but it is a fairly, lengthly, session, concentrating on a young 29 year old Stevie Ray, with his Fender Stratocaster, Electric Guitar, Number 1, however during the session SRV rotates to playing one or two of his other guitars. The other "Session Player" is a mature 60 year old, experienced, professional blues guitarist & singer, Albert King, with his Gibson "Flying V", electric guitar (named "Lucy"). Stevie Ray does switch guitars a couple of times during the session. Stevie had a reputation about being rough on his guitars, kinda like Jerry Lee Lewis was with pianos. Stevie Ray is a right handed guitarist, Albert is a left handed guitarist. This is a great close up, and personal jam session, with the backing band, barely in sight. The main focus is on Stevie Ray & Albert King. Stevie was a young Texas Blues guitarist & singer. Albert was an original, Mississippi Delta Blues guitarist & singer. This session is like a tutorial session, where the older & wiser Albert, jams with Stevie, and gives him advice. The 2 blues guitarists are relaxed and "laid back", and Stevie shows great respect for his "tutor". Also, Albert shows great respect for Stevie Ray. There is no live audience. The music is fantastic!!! The musicians are as follows: Albert King - Electric guitar, vocals Stevie Ray Vaughan -Elecric guitar, vocals on "Texas Flood"/"Pride & Joy" Tony LLoren - piano, organ Gus Thorton - electric Bass Michael Lloren - drums The set list is as follows: Introduction "Born Under a Bad Sign" (An Albert King Classic) this is one of the best performances of the song, I've seen on a dvd. This includes vocals by Albert. "Texas Flood" (a Stevie Ray Classic), this is mostly jam music, with some vocals from Stevie Ray, its great electric blues guitar play. "Call it Stormy Monday" (an Albert Classic) includes Albert on vocals "Old Times" - this is a conversation between Albert and Stevie, recalling how Stevie Ray met Albert King back in 1973 in Austin, Texas, at Austin's Coliseum Club. Stevie was just 18 years old, and he was fasinated by Albert. Also, 2 years later Stevie Ray got to sit in on a session with Albert at Antone's in Austin. "Match Box Blues" - (An Albert Classic) with great electric guitar blues, including vocals by Albert. "Pep Talk" - Albert King gives Stevie Ray some advice & encouragement. "Don't Lie to Me" (Another Albert Classic) with great electric guitar blues & Albert on vocals. "Who is Stevie" - Another conversation between Albert as "tutor", and Stevie Ray as "student". "Pride and Joy" (A Stevie Ray Classic) more great electric, blues guitar play, with Stevie Ray on vocals. " I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" - (Another Albert Classic), with more great electric, blues guitar play & Albert on vocals. "Outro" - Credits, etc. This is certainly a great dvd to have for any blues, &/or blues rock lover. It was sad, that Stevie died in a helecopter crash in 1990, and then Albert died 2 years later in 1992. However, this dvd speaks volumes about the two legendary blues musicians. Also, with the dvd, you get some excellent liner notes giving the details of this event and some history on both blues artists. I highly recommend this for any blues, or blues rock fan. Thanks!!! ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO MY REVIEW: This information is primarily for those who have left comments about my review. P.S. Stevie Ray's Guitar Number 1 was a.k.a. "First Wife" based on page 85 of the Craig Hopkins book "Stevie Ray Vaughan, Day By Day, Night After Night, His Early Years". Some people believe that SRV's Number 1 Guitar picked up the nickmane "First Wife", based upon a joke that SRV supposively made. That was supposively based on a jokeingly statement that SRV made that "Number 1" was his first wife and "Lenny" was his second wife. However, I have not been able to establish this as a fact, based on authoritative sources, but it is very possible. The "official", "Lenny", also a Fender Stratocaster, had been re-worked, with a new brown body, with a white plastic shield, and a solid maple neck, which is light colored wood on all sides of the neck. SRV only played this guitar, when he recorded & performed the song "Lenny" & "Riviera Paradise", both very gentle songs. SRV was always very gentle when he would play the Guitar "officially" named "Lenny" as opposed to his otherwise "aggressive" style of guitar playing, when he play "Number 1". If you'd like to see the "original Lenny", Stevie plays it in the dvd "Live at the El Mocambo", when he performs the song "Lenny". My Sources: Books: "Stevie Ray Vaughan, Day By Day, Night After Night, His Early Years, 1954 - 1982", especially on Page 85. This book was written by SRV expert Craig Hopkins. Also, another reference book I used was the 2nd book written by Craig Hopkins "Stevie Ray Vaughan, Day by Day, Night After Night, His Final Years", especially on page 324. Also my other sources include the Book by Joe Nick Patoski & Bill Crawford, entited "Steive Ray Vaughan, Caught In The Crossfire". Another book is "Guitar World Presents Stevie Ray Vaughan In His Own Words", this book was based on interviews made by "Guitar World" directly with SRV, it was copyrighted in 1997. Plus, I've read many, many magazine articles regarding SRV's guitars.

This long awaited and overdue gem is just fantastic. This set filmed in Ontario, Canada in 1983 has been a Holy Grail of King and SRV fans for years and years. It was filmed for a regional audience (like Austin City Limits) and we are so lucky to have it. I have had a Japanese version from the VHS tape for a long time and it is the show as taped off the air- but it does also have King at Montreux in 1973 which is also rare. The picture and sound are both ok. Well regarding the show and the controversial "set list", the first two songs are almost a half hour long, that should say everything. The band is Albert's San Francisco based Fantasy Records outfit which he used and toured with during this time, the Llorens' brothers and Gus Thornton. Albert also toured Europe about this time with Little Milton's dancing horn players and the great Johnnie Johnson on keyboards, and Gus Thornton was also with him too, that show is also great. The sound quality on this DVD is very good. The performances last for an hour and 27 minutes and it's straight music, no shots of the control room dancing as in the show. This is no nonsense Blues music which you will enjoy. To me the only drawback is that this happened during the time of King's phaser pedal period (about mid 1970s until the mid 1980s- a good example is the LP "New Orleans Heat"). This does impact on the sound but his style is still the same. He also goes out of tune a bit in the second half especially in "Don't Lie To Me" and "Pride and Joy" but that's ok, we love anything we can get on Albert, read my reviews since 2003. I am saying this because in the other DVDs available, with poorer sound, you really can't hear it that much, this remastering is great and so is the CD (I bought BOTH the regular and deluxe editions- what a bargain!). The picture quality is amazing, to me anyway. Parts of the session look like they're filmed in HD. So how can you go wrong, complete tunes (not as in the original show), better sound and clear (for its age) picture. It also contains all the chat between these two men, more than on the CD. My favorite is Albert (the thumb player) asking Stevie to "teach me how to use a pick", that is priceless. This is the release of the decade for Albert King fans. What next, his Fillmore concerts, Japan Blues Festivals TV which was filmed, the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in about 1968, the Europe tour in Germany, his performance with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra ("Personal Manager") and likewise in Japan of the same tune, I am sure there is more out there. The rare "Final Concert" in Baden-Baden once available through Japan of Albert six months before he died is filmed in HD and shows a frail old 69 year old playing his final Pink Lucy (now at the Stax Museum in Memphis). I had the pleasure, as a life long fan of Albert, to travel to Memphis in April this year. I drove across to Arkansas and visited Albert's grave site. It was lonely, Albert is buried slightly away from the rest at the northeast corner of the cemetary. I remembered meeting him twice, once in New York as a boy and in 1990 when he came to Australia, I remember him as a kind, interesting person who smiled a lot. This is the man I see in this DVD. Albert's grave was lonely, some of the bricks on its border were broken and had turned over. It was quite sad. Perhaps this is the DVD to get Albert King and SRV some of the recognition they, and the most American of all music, the Blues, deserves.

I have listened to music seriously for thirty years. This is the coolest thing I have listened to or watched. There is no ego here . No one is trying do out do anyone , no one is "dueling" anyone. It's just student and mentor together. Stevie ray Vaughn is about 30 in this and Albert King is about 60. So, SRV looks to Albert with respect like a father in this. You can see the way SRV looks at Albert when he talks. You can also see the way Albert talks to SRV like a son telling him advise. My favorite part of the whole DVD is Albert cheering and clapping SRV on during the Texas Flood solo. Both this guys do not play a solo ..they feel every note . If you are a Blues guitar player you need this to study . Study the phrasing , the way they use feeling and emotion in every note. You also notice both use the Minor Pentatonic a lot. I watched one song where SRV mainly stays in the first two pentatonic boxes . I only say that because it seem cool to make fun or dismiss the Pentatonic scales. I listen to this every week sometimes just the same song over and over like " Don't lie to me" .You will also notice the aggressive way SRV and Albert King play. They both break a couple high e strings . Albert talks about "tearing his finger up" from the two step bends. These guys loved Blues and playing guitar more than money or fame or being cool . Things people in music a lot of times let take over .

Una sessione da favola 2 mostri a confronto in una sala prove sembra di essere lì !!!! SOLO PER INTENDITORI

SRVもAlbert Kingも大好きなので、飛びついて買いました。 他の方の評価とは少し異なり、Albert Kingの方が少し緊張気味かなとも感じました。 いずれにしても、この２人のセッションが聞けるなんて夢の様です。

I have only recently discovered Vaughan. Being a afficionado of guitar music, I have a liking for such notable musicians as Bonamassa, Clapton, Gary Moore, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmstein, to name but several. I guess the blues as a style has the edge. Now this made for TV concert, of Vaughan with a captivating performance by Albert King, is 100% brilliant. The chemistry between the 2 is palpable. The artistry beyond reproach. I enjoyed every single second. You really get in to it. It is superb. The quality of the audio and video is excellent too. One of the best performances I have seen. Go get it!

Muy buen video y mejor blues de Albert King

SRV (un des meilleurs guitariste qui ai existé) et Albert King forment un duo improbable. Un virtuose et un instinctif. C'est génial.