| | Albert King Live Wire/Blues Power CD Albert King Discography of CDs
 (3 Customer Reviews)
Recorded live at the Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco. Originally released on Stax (2003).
By 1968, after years of regional success and low-profile gigging, Albert King had attained significant popularity among both blues and rock audiences. The 1967 release of his Stax debut BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN had achieved crossover success, and he was regularly sharing stages with the likes of Jimi Hendrix at Bill Graham's Fillmore auditorium in San Francisco. That venue is the setting for this live recording, which catches King at the height of his game, both vocally and as an axeman.
King throws a curveball with the opener, a boogaloo-tinged rendition of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man." "Blues Power," in its spoken, call-and-response interludes and King's stinging electric leads, testifies to the redemptive strength of the form. The high-energy overdrive of "Nightstomp," complete with slightly distorted amplification, seems suited to the young revelers one imagines in the audience that evening, and the deeply soulful "Blues at Sunrise" shows off some of King's best fretwork. All told, this is a stellar set from one of blues' most influential and appealing figures.
Solo performer: Albert King (vocals, guitar).
Personnel: Albert King (vocals, guitar); Al Jackson, Jr. (drums).
Liner Note Author: Jumpin' Gene Simmons.
Recording information: The Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA. Live Wire/Blues Power Music Albert King Live Wire/Blues Power Songs Live Wire/Blues Power Music Review Average Rating: (4.3 out of 5 stars)   It's A Great Album, But...........
This is the album that introduced Albert to the white rock scene in 1968, and it's a blast. King is clearly reveling in being embraced by the Fillmore Auditorium crowd, spurred on to great heights by their enthusiasm. But.....for the real Albert fans, (like me) the German import CD of this material (Stax SCD2441282, available from CD Universe), is a real treat. The sound quality is much improved over this CD, there are some new liner notes, and it's encased in the more convienient Diga-Pak. Skip this domestic release, and spend just a few dollars more for the import. Send me an e-mail for info on more great Albert King remastered CDs.
Submitted by jonsarra (Toledo, OH, USA)
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 RE: essential
I have been enjoying this album for forty years.
Albert could say more with one bent note, then all those unmelodic speed demons.
This is blues power!
And it is a bible of essential listening.
Submitted by LX Skye (Southern Utah) 
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For every fan of serious blues
This is perhaps one of Albert's best recordings and one of the best blues albums out there, not even to mention it was played live. "Live Wire/Blues Power" was recognized as a classic blues recording, and that is for a good reason. Albert sounds very much at home playing live at the Fillmore, and he delivers some of the best guitar work to be heard in blues. The whole record is a treat - there are no weak points. The sound quality on this release is not bad, but you can get a much-improved European 24-bit remastered version of this disc. Still, the material deserves nothing less than 5 stars, regardless of sound quality.
Submitted by denis.che (NJ, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 1 found this helpful. | Have you heard this album? |  |
Buy Live Wire/Blues Power CD Purchase Live Wire/Blues Power CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Albert King Wednesday Night In San Francisco CD (1990)
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Recorded in 1968, along with LIVE WIRE/BLUES POWER and Thursday NIGHT IN SAN FRANCISCO, this Albert King concert album shines the spotlight on a blues legend playing at the height of his powers. On this seven-song set at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium, the St. Louis-based guitarist truly gets his mojo working and schools the predominantly hippie crowd in the ways of the blues, offering up sinister, simmering takes on classics such as "I Get Evil" and "Born Under a Bad Sign." Although King is backed by a band on this date, the group is wise enough to stick to minimal accompaniment, allowing King's bold, ...
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