B.B. KING
Live In Japan (MCA)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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When this album was ready for release in 1971, B.B. King was already riding the charts with his famous Live At Cook County Jail record, and a live session featuring the players from his London sessions with Ringo Starr, Peter Green, Klaus Voormann and others, was on the schedule. Little wonder, then that his US label wasn't particularly excited about putting out yet another B.B. King concert title.

Little wonder, but still a terrible shame, because King's first tour of Japan was a tremendous success, and it was documented by a double LP of tremendous music. That double LP was a Japan only release, though, and while bits of it have trickled out on compilations over the years, this is the first US release of Live In Japan. This one ranks with the great B.B. King live albums, Live At The Regal and the Cook County Jail set. There are B.B. King classics, rarely heard material like Leon Russell's Hummingbird and some smoking jams by B.B. and band for the appreciative Japanese audience. B.B. King was enjoying his greatest commercial success at the time of this recording, and his playing was at a peak level.

While today B.B. King is an elder statesman, lauded by just about everyone for just about every note he plays, in '71 he had finally worked his way to the pinnacle of the blues pile and he played every note as if to demand his right to be there and his intention to stay there. This album is a powerful argument that he was right.

Track List: Every Day I Have The Blues * How Blue Can You Get? * Eyesight To The Blind * Niji Baby * You're Still My Woman * Chains And Things * Sweet Sixteen * Hummingbird * Darlin' You Know I Love You * Japanese Boogie * Jamming At Sankei Hall * The Thrill Is Gone * Hikari #88

© 1999 - Shaun Dale