Blues. It’s made for Sundays
I know this is being published on a Bank Holiday Monday but that’s pretty much the same as a Sunday. No one has work and everyones hungover. Huzzah.
Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan – In Session (1983)
‘Well, it’s just like old times…’
Forgiveness for the lateness of this post, attractive readers. I’ve been spending the last month finishing work for my MA (that’s masters, not mother).
Expect posting of weekly articles to resume, post-haste!
Unlike musical genres such as rock and pop, that are accompanied by plethoras of sub-genres and categories (‘alternative’, ’80s’, ‘Korean’ etc), for me the blues is a genre that needs to be only divided into two distinct categories; ‘old’ and ‘new’.
Sure, there’s many subdivisions within these (usually regarding location) (probably not ‘Korean’) but the titles of ‘new blues’ and ‘old blues’ each come with a host of instantly identifiable albums, players and imagery and some would argue to identify the point where the two styles really met…
OR IS IT?!
This brings us to one of my favourite blues albums ever recorded, one where the two styles of ‘old blues’ and ‘new blues’ literally did meet. And by styles I mean ‘players that represented these styles’ and by ‘literally’ I mean ‘literally’.
In December 1983, 60 year-old Albert King and 29 year-old Stevie Ray Vaughan met in a studio in Toronto to record songs for a live television special backed by a band of seasoned session musicians. The resulting recordings wouldn’t be released on audio format for another 16 years and it would take another 7 years on top of that for the CD to find it’s way into my chubby teenage hands.
Now I know I’ve yakked about albums by SRV before (and why shouldn’t I? he’s my second favourite blues guitar player, so shut up) but this was the first album of his that I ever heard and believe you me I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction.
Why do you ask? Well, first and foremost, the jaaaaaaams are kicked out within an inch of their lives. Few of these songs clock in under 7 minute mark making them essentially showcases for both players to execute every lick in their repertoire and though this could be considered hell by some musos, for me it’s blues wanking at it’s absolute finest.
Which brings us to the playing itself and I have absolutely no qualms in saying that Vaughan plays Lee under the table, to the point that it’s like Ralph Macchio waxing the living hell out of Mr Miyagi. Now I know this is somewhat unfair to compare the two, what with Lee being double Vaughan’s age but it gets to the point where it’s hard to ignore with Vaughan’s distinctively-muscular strat tone and ability to rip over the chord changes making him tower over Lee’s weak sounding Flying V and somewhat rusty chops.
But it’s not just music to enjoy here. The between-song banter shared by the two is nothing if not charming, and Lee’s stories about jamming with Hendrix and seeing a young Stevie Ray play years earlier are a delight to hear bringing a smile to the listener as well as the players.
This album is a forgotten gem within the realm of blues guitar and though it’s a shame we don’t hear more of SRV’s own material (Pride and Joy being his only original contribution) it’s still a delight t these classic blues tracks being played by two of the greats from widely different eras. Stick it in your ears and practice your ‘blues-face’.
SRV don’t like no Les Pauls.
Dyladvised 