If you don't like B.B. King... this isn't thread you're looking for... move along now ... :nono:

Which of his myriad albums stand out for you?

Looking to add to my meager collection of B.B. King albums. I have:

EDIT:

Blues on the Bayou (CD) -- My current favorite. This is how I always imagined a BB King album should sound. More up to date sound I think. And fantastic playing and SQ. Laid back, but BB and crew put out some killer music on this one.

King Size (LP) -- This is my #2 favorite. you can tell this was released in the mid 70's. :D Also there are a couple of tunes that I don't think I'd call blues, but they are still good and -- their presence is more than outweighed by "Got my Mojo Workin" and "Muther Fuyer" This is probably the most fun BB King album I've run across.

His Best - The Electric B.B. King (4-Track) -- In my top 5. Great tunes, really intense. Sounds awesome on 4-track. Pretty sure this is my favorite version of Sweet 16 (maybe because it is the first one I heard).

Live at Cook County Jail (CD) -- In the top 5. BB kickin' some serious @$$ in da pokey. Esp "Every Day I have the Blues" and the solo on "How Blue Can You Get" Holy Crap! :yikes: I'm going to have to call that my favorite version of that song. This is one of the very few live albums I've ever liked. Although I kind of wished there was less talking and more playing. :)

Completely Well (LP) -- Just added it to my top 5. I'm not as fond of Live and Well, but Completely Well has everything I want in a BB King album but with a bit of 70's funkiness brewed in.

Why I Sing the Blues (CD) -- only listened a couple times but good so far...

The Best of B.B. King (CD) -- :sigh: :dunno: I got this hoping for a lot more... was really disappointed.

The Best of B.B. King (Millennium Collection) (CD) -- can't remember it :scratch2: This was an attempt to do better than the one above but I guess I'm more drawn in much more by his lesser known songs.

Live at the Apollo (CD) -- it's ok... but... too much talking on a couple tracks... for whatever reason it doesn't quite hit me with the energy that my top 5 have.

Thanks,
Michael

B.B. King- Blues on th Bayou

why i sing the blues. It's a classic

Riding With The King ~ An album with Eric Clapton, the DVDaudio version is outstanding.

Deuces Wild ~ An album where he's paired up on every tune with another artist everyone from Heavy D to Van Morrison, very fun album

Live at the Regal.

Live at the Regal seconded, sometimes billed as the best live blues album ever, it is a classic.
Indianola Mississippi Seeds is also good.

The Electric B.B. King - His Best

Live In Cook County Jail

Are two i enjoy.

Riding With The King ~ An album with Eric Clapton, the DVDaudio version is outstanding.


I'll 2nd that!

:thmbsp:

-Storm.

Take A Swing With Me - Originally released on Blue Horizon (UK).

The Blues: A Real Summit Meeting - MFSL release, BB + Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Gatemouth Brown, etc.

Singin' The Blues - Late 50s release on Crown.

Midnight Believer - One of those Half Speed Direct Disc things.

The BB King Story (Chapters I and II) - Both released in the late 60s by Blue Horizon (UK).

B.B. King 'Let the Good Times Roll". The music of Louis Jordan. A fantastic tribute to this influential musician who contributed to the foundation of both modern R&B a well as Rock & Roll. Just plain fun.

Also buy Live at the Apollo, with his blistering version of U2's When love Comes to Town. I'll also second Blues Summit, Blues on the Bayou, Live at the Regal, Deuces Wild, you can't go wrong with B.B.

I have to go with Live at Cook County Jail too.. I've got about 6 of his LP's and that one gets lots of play..

B.B. King was at the top of his form around 1969 so I would suggest Live And Well and Completely Well.

Wow... awesome! Thanks everybody for the great recommendations... time to go huntin' ! :D

The Electric B.B. King - His Best

Live In Cook County Jail

Are two i enjoy.

I love the part in Cook county where they thank the sheriff for the show and the inmates boo...

"Blues on the Bayou" is a pretty good newer LP, but "Completely Well" was the one that got me started. We played the grooves off my brother's copy back in the day. FWIW, it just happened to have a tune on it called ""The Thrill is Gone", but "so Excited" and "You're Mean" were a good time too.
"Live at the Regal" is a must have too, just because it's his iconic LP.

B.B. King 'Let the Good Times Roll". The music of Louis Jordan. A fantastic tribute to this influential musician who contributed to the foundation of both modern R&B a well as Rock & Roll. Just plain fun.

Also buy Live at the Apollo, with his blistering version of U2's When love Comes to Town. I'll also second Blues Summit, Blues on the Bayou, Live at the Regal, Deuces Wild, you can't go wrong with B.B.

BB didn't know much about U2 and was concerned when they first got in the studio. He told them that he didn't play rythym worth a damn. Then came the understatement of the century when Bono (I think) tolk BB that they had rythym "covered" with the Edge. :D

Live at the Regal.

I recommend "B.B. King sings Spirituals".
No Lucille. Just B.B. singing his heart out on old-time church music, should you like that music.
For music with Lucille, go for any of the compilation of tunes he recorded on the RPM, Crown and Kent labels. "Original Greatest Hits" on Virgin Records (1995) or "King of the Blues" on Ace (2003).
And "Blues is King" (MCA 1967), recorded live in a Chicago nightclub, equals "Live at the Regal" in performance.

All of them... :yes: :)

Scott

As no one else has said it Indianola Mississippi Seeds, BB King in London and Live at the Regal.

The version of "Sweet Little Angel" on thsi LP is my fave! :tresbon::music:

Live at the Regal.

Actually, the new album, One Kind Favor (2008) is excellent as well.

I bought a CD about 15 year ago that had Live at the Regal and Live at Cook County Jail together. Both are stellar, essential albums.

One record not to buy- Live Appearing at Ole Miss. A rarity- a bad BB King record.