BB King has released a lot of live albums and a few of them are the greatest live blues albums ever released. whats your favorite live album by BB King?

Live at The Regal comes to mind of course, as it is probably the most famous one and it is great indeed, although BB himself says that he never understood why this particular one became his ultimate live album, that he felt like he gave a good concert that night, but far from his best.

I don't know too many of his live albums, I have a couple of concerts on DVDs and the Live In Africa DVD is also great.

Can I cheat and say How Blue Can You Get ? It is a compilation of his live recordings.

However, I also like Together For The First Time and Together Again with Bobby Bland.

The 1st live from him I lestened to was Live at San Quentin
Not the best. Great sounding, but with some bad song choices

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tomcasagranda
Can I cheat and say How Blue Can You Get ? It is a compilation of his live recordings.

.

never heard of that. looked it up and its out of print and costly

I bought it about 7 years' ago from HMV of all places. This was back in the time when their top priority was music, and they had a decent blues section, with knowledgeable staff.

I already had Live @ The Regal and the two concerts with Bobby Bland, but knew there were some other live recordings kicking around, so obtained it, and still enjoy it to this day.

I don't know what the new one is like, with Ronnie, Derek Trucks, and Susan Tedeschi, and may give it a go some time. I also understand that Cook County Jail is a good one, but Ole Mississippi isn't.

Live at Cook County Jail is wonderful. Worth it for the intro to" How Blue Can You Get" alone.

I had to import it from the States when I bought the vinyl in the early 80s.

The soundboard boots of Filmore '71 are also superb IMHO.

sc uk

The first, and only one I have, Live at Cook County Jail! Fantastic!

Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!

I'm gonna go with my obvious choice,Live at the Regal

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tomcasagranda
I don't know what the new one is like, with Ronnie, Derek Trucks, and Susan Tedeschi, and may give it a go some time.

Ugh...not an easy watch for me. It's like an hour of people switching off meandering solos every which way..no real direction or purpose. It may be great for those who just want to see these fine players up there but considering the scope of the venue...the "watching them play like they were in their living room" is really off balanced. It's not a productive concert, is what I'm saying. A few of BB's recent DVD's have just been really tough to watch. His last best is BB King Live By Request...even that gets a little sidetracked with Jeff Beck. He doesn't swerve too far from the proceedings so it's pallatable. But this Royal Albert hall DVD...I really, really wanted to love..but I was just waiting for it to end. Would love to ready anyone else's review of it...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-05-14 20:38 by Justin.

Which ever you go for make sure it's got 'thrill is Gone' on it.

The thing is I adore BB's music: Ronnie can be very good: Derek and Susan are also excellent, but I am a little worried about this album. Why BB hasn't gone back into the studio to do another One Kind Favour album, I just don't understand ?

I saw Derek Trucks at a really small venue, the Islington Apollo, when he was touring Songlines, and I loved his improvisational skills. I also enjoy Susan Tedeschi's material.

Mick Hucknall does nothing for me though, but that's a matter of opinion.

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tomcasagranda
The thing is I adore BB's music: Ronnie can be very good: Derek and Susan are also excellent, but I am a little worried about this album. Why BB hasn't gone back into the studio to do another One Kind Favour album, I just don't understand ?

I saw Derek Trucks at a really small venue, the Islington Apollo, when he was touring Songlines, and I loved his improvisational skills. I also enjoy Susan Tedeschi's material.

Mick Hucknall does nothing for me though, but that's a matter of opinion.

Mick is onstage the whole time but only sings maybe three lines the entire time. BB is apparently terrible with remembering names so he simply refers to him as "Simply Red." I would imagine listening to this recording would be more enjoyable than watching the DVD performance.

Justin,

I will buy it, but I am also contemplating some Michael Nyman classical music.

my favorite is also cook county jail

How Blue Can You Get is a compilation but it's superb, it's the one to get if you're only to buy one set.

"Cook County Jail", "Live in Japan" and "Blues is King" are great and highly recommended.

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slowhand
How Blue Can You Get is a compilation but it's superb, it's the one to get if you're only to buy one set.

"Cook County Jail", "Live in Japan" and "Blues is King" are great and highly recommended.

i don't own "live in japan" or "live at san quentin", do you recommend those? i have pretty much every other live album he's released other than "how blue can you get"

I love his segment on the Get Yer Ya Yas out Boxset.

htttp://www.last.fm/user/rocknrollcola

Great live albums by BB King are

Live at Cook County Jail
Live in Japan
New York 1978 (KBFH)
B.B. King and Sons... live
Montreux 1993

I do not particularly like Live at the Regal because the songs are very short and do not give BB any space to improvise. And I would never buy any recordings from past 2001 because even if he was still good in concert (where his voice does not matter so much) his voice crackles and it is no more a real pleasure to listen to him on record.
There is a DVD from Atlantic City which is also excellent but I forgot what it was called.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-05-15 16:35 by saltoftheearth.

I will go with B.B. King live at the Regal. Could be one of the greatest live albums
of all time. Why? I think the way it was mixed and the crowd, it's just so amazing.
I don't think their are any kids in the crowd, but people that have had a lot of
ups and downs. Also, a sleeper B.B.King of the Blues 1989, way over produced but
check out " Can't get enough of your Love" Stevie Nicks sings backup.

I think Live In Japan is fantastic!

Listen to Niji Baby on that record: It's a great song. Has a great build up, with soft and loud soloplaying by mr. King.

Also Live And Well is a nice live album. Although first half of the record is liverecording, second half is studiorecording.

The Best of BB King. Followed by the the Very Best of BB King!!

For me it's quite simple: B.B.King & Bobby Bland - Together agian live

The only (official) live B.B. King stuff that I have is Live At The Regal, Live at Cook County Jail, Live In Japan, and the Ya Ya's stuff. I think that's it anyway. On DVD, I've got Live In Africa '74 and the Blues Session dvd with Clapton and SRV and Albert King and all kinds of other guests.

I think Live at the Regal is a must have for any blues fan. It's certainly an iconic recording. I love that version of "It's My Own Fault". They're all really good with the exception of the Blues Session dvd, which isn't bad at all, but it's more of a novelty. It was probably recorded for a television special with all those special guests and all. It's not really a B.B. King concert in that sense.

Live In Japan may be the most energetic of all of them. The crowd's really into it on that one.

"Riding with the King" together with Eric Clapton

Anyone who has heard guess who from live in Cannes would not need to ask this question. One of the best performances by any artist ever.