In Session Deluxe

What can I possibly say about an album that tore me through so many mixed emotions? Elation, Astonishment, Joy, Wonder, Sorrow and Sadness. The later two from having seen both in concert, separately, and knowing they were both gone. Thanks to an Amazon suggestion they linked me to this set and I am deeply grateful. I thought it was a double CD then found out it had a DVD. Both were astounding, exhilarating, and a true joy to experience. My only criticism is that there is not a second CD of the DVD music, but I am making one for myself. An old master and the new kid on the block tore through these sets and both complimented and learned from each other. It was not until repeated viewings of the DVD that I confirmed my CD assumptions: Stevie played in a higher more clipped register, and Albert was a lower tone more classic blues influenced. This will eventually change during the DVD session. In the DVD "Texas Flood" is the extended set piece that will astound you with the virtuosity and flexibility of both. Stevie plays mostly on the lower neck and lower body for a more clipped tone. Albert is higher on the neck and plays at the top of the body. On one hand off Albert will adopt Stevie's style, then Stevie will do the same, You can see and feel the affection and appreciation both have for each other. Never do they try to out do the other, they blend into a compliment of styles like rarely seen before with two musicians with such widely varied techniques. Albert does vibrato with his hand and Stevie rocks the entire guitar. Stevie uses a pick and Albert is a finger picker. He even tells Stevie that he's "gotta show me to use that thing" in admiration of the style difference. Earlier he looks at Stevie with admiration and says; "Your pretty good...but your going to get better". Stevie seems to blush when Albert compliments him several times during the session. Stevie changes guitars a couple of times but Albert stays with his Flying V for the session. The bottom line is this is one of the best session albums, of any genera, that I have ever heard. I have had it barely four days and have played the CD 5 times and the DVD twice, the third session will be tonight. If you have not purchased this set yet, do it now. Buy it for your best friends, they will love you for it, especially if they are unfamiliar with these two astounding artists. I recommend you also pick up at least Albert Kings "Crosscut Saw", or any of his many albums, I have seven and want more. I currently have 13 SRV albums and hope they keep finding more tapes in the archives. Just a note about the "In Session" CD/DVD. Several years back STAX records did put out an "In Session" CD but it does not include the DVD, so buy this one for the complete audio and visual experience. Finally, this is what music is all about. You can take all your current batch of artificially produced and aurally enhanced "stars" and put them in the same box, regardless of styles, of sameness and repetition. If all you do is listen to MP3's on your earbuds, pass on this. This is real music, real emotion, meant to be played through an actual amplifier with real speakers reproducing the sound. In my case that would be a 400 watt Yamaha and four Polk stacks rattling my Den walls...now that is music. Enjoy!

Just watch this last night for the first time and it gave me chills. The hair on the back of my neck literally stood up while watching two of the blues greatest guitarist at the pinnacle of their powers play together with such joy. The DVD release is long over due. Like many people knowing that there is more material out there I would like to have seen a more complete release. The CD has three songs that are not on the DVD and the DVD has three songs not on the CD. Hopefully we will not have to wait another 11 years before double CD\DVD sets come out. Also, it would have been great if the film continued to roll at the very end when they are finished with their jam. Man what a release and at a great price. I have long said that SRV best release is actually an Albert King album In Sessions shows a young Stevie playing with restraint, but with great joy. Albert really puts in the effort and it was great to see him backing up Stevie on songs like 'Don't you lie to me'. Albert does a great job on the two Stevie tunes (Texas Flood and Pride and Joy). Albert is clearly holding court and Stevie is only too happy to be playing with his idol. The back up band is excellent and they are clearly enjoying the session as much as Stevie and Albert. It is great to see and hear Albert with a high quality back up band - this has not always been the case with Mr. King throughout his career. Speaking of high quality the sound and video quality is excellent. This is basically studio quality sound. Thank god this meeting was captured. Leave it to the Canadians to capture one of America's most significant cultural contributions. If you have only the CD - buy this right away. If you don't have either and are a blues fan - buy it right away. If you like good music - buy this right away. Let's hope they release the whole thing someday. Its an important piece of work that needs to see the light of day.

What a great cd with 2 of the best of the blues SRV and Albert King.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King (R.I.P to both), what else is there to say? Albert King, one of the original three "Kings" of the blues along with up and coming new master, at the time, Stevie Ray Vaughan. This album will turn even the biggest blues skeptic into a blues loving nut. Listen to the music created by these two while the master, Albert King, listens to now matured "little Stevie" Ray Vaughan during a live recording session taped in Canada back in 1983. Albert at times is astounded at what Stevie does with his guitar to the point that he pretty much just sits back and watches/listens in amazement. At one point during the recording you can listen to Albert passing the blues baton to Stevie saying "I'm about to give this thing up and turn it over to you". In effect saying I'm ready to retire, you got it now, take the blues to the next step and show em all whats its about. If you love screaming hot guitar solos and appreciate the blues, you have to add this to your library. If your not a blues fan and want to know what it's about, this is the one to get. It'll turn you on to some awesome blues jams and classics from Albert's Born under a bad sign to T Bone Walkers classic Stormy Monday (One of my personal favorites) and many in between. Sit back turn up the volume and jam out to this one folks, you will not be disappointed. Oh BTW get the DVD and you can actually see them during this jam session. A great buy indeed.

Disco imperdibile 2 tra i migliori chitarristi blues si incontrano in studio di registrazione e ascoltatelo

今は亡き二人の共演、これでもかと弾きまくるSRV.。 それを頼もしい笑顔で弾くアルバートキング。 買って良かったです。

Lange schon kursierten im Web Ausschnitte dieser Session, z.B.: bei Youtube in beklagenswerter Bild- und Tonqualität, so dass zu ahnen war, es befinde sich ein noch nicht geborgener Schatz in einem Archiv eines TV-Studios... und richtig, nach nur 27 Jahren wurde dann doch noch die Fernsehaufzeichnung der Bluessession mit einem damals 60jährigem Albert King und einem erst 29jährigen Stevie Ray Vaughan veröffentlicht, zusammen mit der schon lange im Handel befindlichen Audio-Auskopplung gleichen Namens. Für wen könnte diese Deluxe-Session interessant sein? Stevie Fans? Albert Fans? Bluesenthusiasten? Besitzer der Audio-CD? Vorab: Natürlich für jede der genannten Gruppen. Im folgenden versuche ich zu klären, warum. Stevie Fans erleben hier einen Stevie Ray Vaughan, der seinem Vorbild Tribut zollt und mit größtmöglicher musikalischer Empathie Alberts Gitarrenläufe wiederspiegelt und eigenständig ausbaut, ohne jemals zu viele Töne zu spielen. Ohne Übertreibung kann man sagen, sein Gitarrenspiel drückt Respekt, Bewunderung, sogar Zuneigung aus, ohne jede Servilität und bleibt immer wunderbar entspannt. Auch stimmlich ist er gut in Form, was er bei seinem "Pride and Joy" und "Texas Flood" zeigt. Ansonsten enthält dieses Set eher Bluesstandards oder Titel, die Markenzeichen von Albert King sind. Für Albert Fans ist diese DVD sowieso ein Pflichtkauf, da es schlicht viel zu wenig von Albert King zu sehen gibt und diese anderen Veröffentlichungen eher als belanglos bis verunglückt zu bezeichnen sind (speziell: Albert King live in Sweden), aber das Internet verheißt noch weitere potentiell interessante Veröffentlichungen in den nächsten Dekaden. Bei der vorliegenden Aufnahme jedoch handelt es sich schlicht um die bisher schönste Aufnahme, die auf DVD zu haben ist. Stimmlich ist Albert King in gewohnter Hochform. Wie immer klingt seine Stimme samtig und souverän, er singt sich mühelos durch die Bluesstandards. Sein Gitarrenspiel, was er ebenfalls auf gewohnt hohem Niveau präsentiert, erreicht aber im Verlauf dieser Session einen Höhepunkt. Er tritt in echten musikalischen Dialog mit seinem ebenfalls hochkarätingen Sessionpartner, was insofern eine Besonderheit ist, da Albert als eher knurriger Einzelkämpfer bekannt war. Hier aber taut er aufgrund, der ihm entgegenschlagenden Bewunderung und Sympathie von Stevie relativ schnell auf uns es ist ein Vergnügen, Zeuge zu sein, wie beide sich ihre Lieblingsgitarrenphrasen zuwerfen und hochinspiriert aufgreifen. So ist diese Session sehr Gitarrensolohaltig ausgefallen, was bei der gebotenen Qualität definitiv kein Kritikpunkt ist. Für Bluesenthusiasten ist diese Aufnahme ebenfalls ein Pflichtkauf, da hier zwei unverzichtbare Gitarrenmeister, begleitet von einer kleinen und feinfühlig agierenden Rhytmusgruppe, zusammen beinahe mehr als ihre individuelle Bestleistung liefern. Auch Besitzer der Audio-CD kommen keinesfalls um diese Anschaffung herum: es gibt auf beiden Datenträgern Titel, die auf dem jeweils anderen fehlen, Bild und Tonqualität sind ebenfalls für eine Fernsehproduktion hochwertig, wenngleich der Ton nur in Stereo daherkommt. Für mich ist es aber ein besonder Genuss den Umgang beider Musiker miteinander zu erleben. Auf der einen Seite Stevies geradlinige Sympahie und Bewunderung für Albert und auf der anderen Seite die angesichts dieser uneingeschränkten Sympathie schwindenden Altherrenknurrigkeit, die aber dennoch in den kurzen Gesprächen mitunter aufblitzt. Die unaufdringliche Kameraarbeit unterstützt die intime Atmosphäre des Konzerts, auch hier wurde alles richtig gemacht. Ich habe mich selten so über eine Blues-DVD gefreut, wie über diese, die zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt zum dritten Mal bei mir läuft, hätte mir aber im Booklet gerne noch Informationen über Titellängen und Tonformate der DVD gwünscht. Fazit: Jeder, der Musik gerne sieht und zumindest ein Öhrchen für den Blues hat, sollte sich diese endlich erschienene DVD/CD-Kombination ins passende Laufwerk schieben. Für mich ein echter Jahrzehntkauf.

I have this album on 200g audiophile double vinyl and it absolutely blew me away in terms of the recording quality, the synergy between the artists and the quality of the music. I wanted the CD for occasions when I don't have access to my record player or for easier listening sessions. The CD version cannot quite approach the sheer dynamics and naturalness of the vinyl but remains an absolutely superb listen with great clarity and soaring dynamics. It really does sound like the performers are right before you through a good 2 channel system. Anyone who loves blues guitar really must try this and anyone who isn't sure should also try it....you may just get hooked. To my mind it showcases 2 masters of the art in a rare performance together, each giving it their all but without ever trying to outdo the other or steal the show.

Qué gran disco!, la edición especial con DVD es aun mejor. Para amantes del blues, para amantes de extraordinarios guitarristas, en fin, un disco que no te cansas de escuchar. Además el precio que pagué fue menor que el disco que no incluye el DVD, qué más puedo pedir?, Uno de mis guitarristas favoritos, disco edición especial, importado, a precio excelente, realmente una compra sin ningún pero.-