Showing posts with label Stevie Ray Vaughan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stevie Ray Vaughan. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Albert King With Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Session (DeLuxe Edition) (2 CD)

Album: In Session (DeLuxe Edition)
Size: 152,1 + 117,1 MB
Time: 65:57 + 50:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999/2024
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

CD 1:
1. Introduction (0:26)
2. Born Under A Bad Sign (8:10)
3. Texas Flood (20:01)
4. Call It Stormy Monday (8:59)
5. Old Times (1:15)
6. Pride And Joy (6:00)
7. Ask Me No Questions (4:54)
8. Pep Talk (0:58)
9. Blues At Sunrise (15:09)

CD 2:
1. Turn It Over (0:50)
2. Overall Junction (8:04)
3. Match Box Blues (7:47)
4. Who Is Stevie? (0:44)
5. Don't Lie To Me (9:13)
6. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (23:22)
7. Outro (0:44)

Recorded live for television at CHCH-TV studios in Ontario, Canada, in 1983, this historic performance - supported by a world-class band featuring Tony Llorens (piano/organ), Gus Thornton (bass) and Michael Llorens (drums) - is the only known recording of King and Vaughan playing together. The Deluxe reissue includes the debut audio release of three tracks from the show, “Born Under a Bad Sign,” “Texas Flood” and “I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town.”

When Vaughan and King hit the stage in Ontario on December 6, 1983, Stevie Ray Vaughan was a rising star, while Albert King was entering a new phase of his career as a mentor. The duo’s relationship began a decade earlier in Vaughan’s hometown of Austin, TX, where, according to Billboard, King was playing a show and was hesitant about a “skinny white kid” joining him onstage. Vaughan’s brother, Jimmy Vaughan, recalled the fateful event: “When Stevie was 19, we were at Antone’s and Albert King was playing. Club owner Clifford Antone says to Albert, ‘You’ve got to let this kid play, because he’s amazing’.”

Jimmy Vaughan continues: “Now Albert had heard it all, but he got Stevie up there, and Stevie commenced doing Albert King licks. There was silence at first. Everyone stood there with their mouths open. They couldn’t believe it. But Albert loved it. He put his arm around him, and from then on it was Albert and Stevie. Everybody went, ‘Whew, that was scary.’ I would never have tried that, but you’ve got to admire the audacity.”

This kicked off one of the most exciting relationships in music. The concert recording captures a striking musical dialogue between the two, with Vaughan introducing King’s classic licks and expanding them in his one-of-a-kind style. By 1983, Vaughan was on track to become as respected in the blues world as King. In the AllMusic review of the original album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that Vaughan had “become the hot blues guitarist of the year thanks to his debut Texas Flood, as well as his work on David Bowie’s hit ‘Let’s Dance’.”

The Ontario performance has since become one of the most celebrated live shows in blues history. Erlewine continued, “Vaughan may have been the new news, but King was not suffering, either. He had a world-class supporting band and was playing as well as he ever had. In other words, the stage was set for a fiery, exciting concert and that’s exactly what they delivered.” This heralded and exceedingly rare collection is a defining statement that celebrates the prowess of these two blues giants. On In Session, Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan not only redefined the art of improvisational blues but also set a new standard for live music. /Blues Magazine

In Session (DeLuxe Edition) (2 CD) mc
In Session (DeLuxe Edition) (2 CD) gofile

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - The Complete Epic Recordings Collection

Size: 1.66 GB
Time: 10:27:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Texas Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Full

CD 01: In The Beginning 1980
01. In The Open (5:56)
02. Slide Thing (3:18)
03. They Call Me Guitar Hurricane (3:06)
04. All Your Love I Miss Loving (6:23)
05. Tin Pan Alley (7:40)
06. Love Struck Baby (2:56)
07. Tell Me (2:48)
08. Shake For Me (4:04)
09. Live Another Day (3:49)

CD 02: Live At Montreux 1982
01. Hide Away ( 3:18)
02. Rude Mood ( 4:54)
03. Pride And Joy ( 4:00)
04. Texas Flood (10:27)
05. Love Struck ( 2:53)
06. Dirty Pool ( 8:16)
07. Give Me Back My Wig ( 3:30)
08. Collins Shuffle ( 4:50)

CD 03: Live At Montreux 1985
01. Scuttle Buttin' ( 3:14)
02. Say What ( 4:44)
03. Ain't Gone And Give Up On Love ( 6:24)
04. Pride And Joy ( 5:09)
05. Mary Had A Little Lamb ( 4:27)
06. Tin Pan Alley (13:18)
07. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (10:50)
08. Texas Flood ( 7:37)
09. Life Without You ( 9:03)
10. Gone Home ( 3:53)
11. Couldn't Stand The Weather ( 7:28)

CD 04: Texas Flood 1983
01. Love Struck Baby (2:24)
02. Pride And Joy (3:40)
03. Texas Flood (5:22)
04. Tell Me (2:49)
05. Testify (3:23)
06. Rude Mood (4:40)
07. Mary Had A Little Lamb (2:47)
08. Dirty Pool (5:03)
09. I'm Cryin' (3:47)
10. Lenny (4:57)

CD 05: A Legend In The Making/Live At The El Mocambo 1983
01. Testify ( 3:27)
02. So Excited ( 4:08)
03. Voodoo Child (SLight Return) ( 6:44)
04. Pride And Joy ( 4:27)
05. Tell Me ( 3:04)
06. Mary Had A Little Lamb ( 3:15)
07. Texas Flood ( 9:49)
08. Love Struck Baby ( 2:46)
09. You'll Be Mine ( 4:12)
10. Hug You, Squeeze You ( 3:49)
11. Little Wing-Third Stone From The Sun (14:21)
12. Lenny ( 8:54)
13. Wham ( 3:31)
14. Rude Mood ( 3:56)

CD 06: Couldn't Stand The Weather 1984
01. Scuttle Buttin' (1:51)
02. Couldn't Stand The Weather (4:41)
03. The Things That I Used To Do (4:55)
04. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (8:00)
05. Cold Shot (4:01)
06. Tin Pan Alley (9:12)
07. Honey Bee (2:43)
08. Stang's Swang (2:45)

CD 07: Live At Carnegie Hall 1984
01. Introduction (2:09)
02. Scuttle Buttin' (2:43)
03. Testify (5:20)
04. Love Struck Baby (3:05)
05. Honey Bee (3:05)
06. Cold Shot (4:45)
07. Letter To My Girlfriend (3:08)
08. Dirty Pool (6:40)
09. Pride And Joy (4:48)
10. he Things That I Used To Do (5:26)
11. C.O.D. (5:32)
12. Iced Over (5:11)
13. Lenny (7:14)
14. Rude Mood (2:22)

CD 08: Soul To Soul 1985
01. Say What (5:23)
02. Lookin' Out The Window (2:47)
03. Look At Little Sister (3:07)
04. Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love (6:07)
05. Gone Home (3:06)
06. Change It (3:57)
07. You'll Be Mine (3:44)
08. Empty Arms (3:03)
09. Come On (Part III) (4:31)
10. Life Without You (4:18)

CD 09: Live Alive 1986
01. Say What (4:50)
02. Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love (6:24)
03. Pride And Joy (5:04)
04. Mary Had A Little Lamb (4:17)
05. Superstition (4:42)
06. I'm Leaving You (Commit A Crime) (5:34)
07. Cold Shot (5:40)
08. Wille The Wimp (4:40)
09. Look At Little Sister (4:14)
10. Texas Flood (6:29)
11. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (9:38)
12. Love Struck Baby (3:46)
13. Change It (5:03)
14. Life Without You (9:10)

CD 10: In Step 1989
01. The House Is Rockin' (2:24)
02. Crossfire (4:10)
03. Tightrope (4:40)
04. Let Me Love You Baby (2:43)
05. Leave My Girl Alone (4:16)
06. Travis Walk (2:20)
07. Wall Of Denial (5:36)
08. Scratch-N-Sniff (2:43)
09. Love Me Darlin' (3:21)
10. Riveria Paradise (8:49)

CD 11: Archives Vol. 1
01. Tin Pan Alley (7:39)
02. Empty Arms (3:29)
03. Come On (Part III) (4:34)
04. Look At Little Sister (2:47)
05. The Sky Is Crying (4:10)
06. Hide Away (4:04)
07. Give Me Back My Wig (4:07)
08. Boot Hill (2:22)
09. Wham (2:26)
10. Close To You (3:11)
11. Little Wing (6:48)
12. Stang's Swang (Alternate Take) (2:44)

CD 12: Archives Vol. 2
01. May I Have A Talk With You ( 5:50)
02. Boilermaker ( 5:13)
03. The Sky Is Crying ( 4:37)
04. Shake And Bake ( 2:52)
05. So Excited ( 3:31)
06. Slip Slidin' Slim ( 1:43)
07. Chitlins Con Carne ( 3:58)
08. Little Wing-Third Stone From The Sun (13:32)
09. Boot Hill ( 2:15)
10. Life By The Drop ( 2:27)

The Complete Epic Recordings Collection includes is a 12CD package that includes a first commercial release for the previously promo-only recording of the 1983 gig at Toronto’s El Mocambo club, as well as two discs of rare and hard-to-find archival tracks.

On April 26, 2014, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble among the artists to be inducted into the newly created Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, launched in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the PBS televised concert series. The Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction ceremony will air on PBS in October 2014.

Stephen Ray Vaughan was born in Dallas, Texas on October 3, 1954, the same year the Fender Stratocaster went into production. Stevie Ray picked up his first six-string at the age of 7, dropped out of high school in 1971 and moved to Austin in ’72, going on to become one of the most influential and electrifying blues guitarists ever. After honing his chops in a variety of bands throughout the ’70s, Stevie Ray formed his own group, SRV & Double Trouble, in 1978. Hellbent and intent on revitalizing the blues for contemporary audiences, Stevie Ray served as the power trio’s charismatic frontman and evangelical electric guitarist, driven and underscored by drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon.

Stevie Ray and Double Trouble’s reputation as a transcendent live experience gained considerable traction following a watershed performance at the Montreux International Jazz Festival in 1982 (included in The Complete Epic Recordings Collection). Recommended to the label by A&R giant John Hammond, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble recorded the band’s studio debut, Texas Flood, for Epic Records in 1983. Going on to achieve RIAA double platinum status, Texas Flood opened the gates for a flow of gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums for Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, an unprecedented achievement for any blues act.

Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990, following an awe-inspiring performance with Double Trouble and Eric Clapton at the Alpine Valley Resort in Wisconsin. Though his mainstream career lasted a mere seven years, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s enduring contribution to the blues can be heard in the work of younger players including John Mayer, Derek Trucks and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam.

Stevie Ray Vaughan was the recipient of numerous musical award, during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1983, readers of Guitar Player voted him as Best New Talent and Best Electric Blues Guitar Player. In 1984, the Blues Foundation named him Entertainer of the Year and Blues Instrumentalist of the Year, and in 1987 Performance Magazine honored him with Rhythm and Blues Act of the Year. Earning six Grammy Awards and ten Austin Music Awards, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2014. Rolling Stone ranked Vaughan as the twelfth greatest guitarist of all time.

The Complete Epic Recordings Collection Part 1
The Complete Epic Recordings Collection Part 2
The Complete Epic Recordings Collection Part 3
The Complete Epic Recordings Collection Part 4
The Complete Epic Recordings Collection Part 5

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Vaughan Brothers - Live In Amsterdam 1983 & 1987 (Bootleg)

Size: 179,9 MB
Time: 76:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Buddy Guy Shuffle ( 4:22)
02. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Voodoo Chile ( 7:52)
03. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Tell Me ( 3:10)
04. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Mary Had A Little Lamb ( 4:02)
05. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Texas Flood (11:27)
06. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Love Struck Baby ( 2:58)
07. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Little Wing ( 7:27)
08. Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds - True Love ( 3:49)
09. Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Runnin' Shoes ( 4:02)
10. Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds - You're Nothing But Fine ( 2:52)
11. Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Easy Baby ( 6:26)
12. Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Stand Back ( 3:42)
13. Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds - She's Tuff ( 8:53)
14. Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Rockin' Winter Wonderland ( 2:24)
15. Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Tell Me ( 3:15)

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, live at Paradiso, Amsterdam 1983
Jimmie Vaughan & The Fabulous Thunderbirds, live at Paradiso, Amsterdam 1987

Live In Amsterdam 1983 & 1987

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Robert Cray - The Redux Club, Dallas, Tx, January 21, 1987

Size: 177,1 MB
Time: 75:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. I Guess I Showed Her (3:48)
02. Still Around (4:38)
03. T-Bone Shuffle (6:28)
04. Right Next Door (Because Of Me) (4:57)
05. Smoking Gun (5:29)
06. More Than I Can Stand (4:36)
07. Bad Influence (3:57)
08. Playing In The Dirt (4:56)
09. Porch Light (6:23)
10. Foul Play (4:52)
11. Phone Booth (4:09)
12. False Accusations (5:40)
13. Cray Srv Jam (7:13)
14. Band Introduction (2:17)
15. New Blood (6:26)

Tin-eared critics have frequently damned him as a yuppie blues wannabe whose slickly soulful offerings bear scant resemblance to the real down-home item. In reality, Robert Cray is one of a precious few young blues-based artists with the talent and vision to successfully usher the idiom into the 21st century without resorting either to slavish imitation or simply playing rock while passing it off as blues. Just as importantly, his immensely popular records helped immeasurably in jump-starting the contemporary blues boom that still holds sway to this day. Blessed with a soulful voice that sometimes recalls '60s great O.V. Wright and a concise lead guitar approach that never wastes notes, Cray's rise to international fame was indeed a heartwarming one. For a guy whose 1980 debut album for Tomato, Who's Been Talkin', proved an instant cutout, his ascendancy was amazingly swift -- in 1986 his breakthrough Strong Persuader album for Mercury (containing "Smoking Gun") won him a Grammy and shot his asking price for a night's work skyward.

Cray was born on August 1, 1953 in Columbus, Georgia. An Army brat who grew up all over the country before his folks settled in Tacoma, Washington in 1968, Cray listened intently to soul and rock before becoming immersed in the blues (in particular, the icy Telecaster of Albert Collins, who played at Cray's high school graduation). Cray formed his first band with longtime bassist Richard Cousins in 1974 . They soon hooked up with Collins as his backup unit before breaking out on their own. The cinematic set caught a brief glimpse of Cray (even if they weren't aware of it) when he anonymously played the bassist of the frat party band Otis Day & the Knights in National Lampoon's Animal House. Cray's Tomato set, also featuring the harp of Curtis Salgado, was an excellent beginning, but it was the guitarist's 1983 set for HighTone, Bad Influence, that really showed just how full of talent Cray was. Another HighTone set, False Accusations, preceded the emergence of the Grammy-winning 1985 guitar summit meeting album Showdown! for Alligator, which found the relative newcomer more than holding his own alongside Collins and Texan Johnny Copeland. Strong Persuader earned two Grammys in two years and made Cray a familiar face even on video-driven MTV.

Unlike many of his peers, Cray continued to experiment within his two presiding genres, blues and soul, on sets for Mercury such as Midnight Stroll in 1990, I Was Warned in 1992, and Shame + a Sin in 1993. After switching to Rykodisc in the late '90s, Cray released Take Your Shoes Off in 1999 and Shoulda Been Home in 2001, proving that the "bluenatics" (as he amusedly labels his purist detractors) have nothing to fear and plenty to anticipate from this innovative, laudably accessible guitarist. Touring regularly with the likes of Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan, Cray stayed active in the studio as well, signing with Sanctuary Records and releasing Time Will Tell in 2003, Twenty in 2005, a pair of live albums, Live from Across the Pond in 2006 and Live at the BBC in 2008, and This Time, which was issued by Vanguard Records a year later.

Cray released his third live album in four years, Cookin' in Mobile, in 2010. The material featured on the album was taken from a single performance at the Saenger Theatre in Mobile, Alabama in February of that year. The Kevin Shirley-produced Nothin But Love, a solid outing featuring narrative songs that circled around the trials and tribulations of love, appeared in 2012. Nearly two years later, he announced the details of In My Soul, his 17th album with the Robert Cray Band. Released in the spring of 2014, In My Soul saw Cray reuniting with producer Steve Jordan, who had previously helmed Take Your Shoes Off, and settling into a deep, soulful groove. In My Soul topped Billboard's blues chart, and on its supporting tour Cray gave a celebratory 40th anniversary concert that was recorded and released in 2015 as 4 Nights and 40 Years Live. In 2016, he worked once again with producer Jordan on an album recorded with the Hi Rhythm Section in the label's old studio in Memphis. Aptly titled Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm, the album appeared in April 2017. ~ Bill Dahl & Al Campbell

The Redux Club, Dallas, Tx, January 21, 1987

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Various Artists - Big Blues Extravaganza!

Year: 1998
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:33
Size: 155,3 MB
Styles: Blues
Scans: Full

1. Albert Collins - Travelin' South (4:39)
2. Lightnin' Hopkins - Rock Me Baby (3:48)
3. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Love Struck Baby (3:02)
4. Jimmie Vaughan & The Tilt-A-Whirl Band - Six Strings Down (4:16)
5. Lavelle White - I've Never Found A Man To Love (3:35)
6. Keb' Mo' - Tell Everybody I Know (3:31)
7. Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - Born In Louisiana (4:20)
8. Dr. John - Since I Fell For You (4:36)
9. Buddy Guy - Mary Had A Little Lamb (5:30)
10. Taj Mahal - Queen Bee (5:49)
11. Neville Brothers - Yellow Moon (6:14)
12. Rory Block - Big Road Blues (2:15)
13. W.C. Clark - Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away (5:31)
14. B.B. King - Night Life (6:17)
15. Delbert McClinton - Leap Of Faith (4:03)

As the third volume of Columbia's Austin City Limits series, this one shines the spotlight on the cornucopia of blues treasures from the show's rich history. The big tickets here include Lightnin' Hopkins' lion-in-winter performance of "Rock Me Baby" (complete with screeching wah-wah pedal), Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Love Struck Baby," his brother Jimmie's tribute to him on "Six Strings Down," Albert Collins' "Travelin' South," and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's "Born in Louisiana." Performances from Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo', B.B. King, W.C. Clark, the Neville Brothers, Miss Lavelle White, Dr. John, Rory Block, and Delbert McClinton complete this excellent package. /Cub Koda, AllMusic

Big Blues Extravaganza! mc
Big Blues Extravaganza! zippy

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - In Step

Year: 1989
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:11
Size: 95,2 MB
Styles: Electric blues, rocking blues
Scans: Full

1. The House Is Rockin' (2:24)
2. Crossfire (4:11)
3. Tightrope (4:41)
4. Let Me Love You Baby (2:44)
5. Leave My Girl Alone (4:16)
6. Travis Walk (2:20)
7. Wall Of Denial (5:37)
8. Scratch-N-Sniff (2:43)
9. Love Me Darlin' (3:21)
10. Riviera Paradise (8:51)

Stevie Ray Vaughan had always been a phenomenal guitarist, but prior to In Step, his songwriting was hit or miss. Even when he wrote a classic modern blues song, it was firmly within the genre's conventions; only on Soul to Soul's exquisite soul-blues "Life Without You" did he attempt to stretch the boundaries of the form. As it turns out, that was the keynote for In Step, an album where Vaughan found his own songwriting voice, blending blues, soul, and rock in unique ways, and writing with startling emotional honesty.

Yes, there are a few covers, all well chosen, but the heart of the album rests in the songs he co-wrote with Doyle Bramhall, the man who penned the Soul to Soul highlight "Change It". Bramhall proved to be an ideal collaborator for Vaughan; tunes like the terse "Tightrope" and the dense "Wall of Denial" feel so intensely personal, it's hard to believe that they weren't the product of just one man. Yet the lighter numbers - the dynamite boogie "The House Is Rockin'" and the breakneck blues of "Scratch-n-Sniff" - are just as effective as songs.

Of course, he didn't need words to make effective music: "Travis Walk" is a blistering instrumental, complete with intricate fingerpicking reminiscent of the great country guitarist Merle Travis, while the shimmering "Riviera Paradise" is every bit as lyrical and lovely as his previous charmer, "Lenny". The magnificent thing about In Step is how it's fully realized, presenting every facet of Vaughan's musical personality, yet it still soars with a sense of discovery. It's a bittersweet triumph, given Vaughan's tragic death a little over a year after its release, yet it's a triumph all the same. /Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic

In Step mc
In Step zippy

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

A.C. Reed - 2 albums: I'm In The Wrong Business! / Chicago Blues Session Vol 14

Album: I'm In The Wrong Business!
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:47
Size: 118.6 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 1987
Art: Front

[4:29] 1. I'm In The Wrong Business
[4:05] 2. I Can't Go On This Way
[4:27] 3. Fast Food Annie
[5:34] 4. This Little Voice
[3:15] 5. My Buddy Buddy Friends
[4:30] 6. She's Fine
[3:08] 7. These Blues Is Killing Me
[2:57] 8. Miami Strut
[3:36] 9. The Things I Want You To Do
[4:25] 10. Don't Drive Drunk
[3:19] 11. Hard Times
[4:05] 12. Going To New York
[3:52] 13. Moving Out Of The Ghetto

Backing Vocals – Miranda Louise, Vicki Hardy; Bass – Douglas Watson, Nate Applewhite; Drums, Backing Vocals – Casey Jones; Guitar – Maurice John Vaughn, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Ray Vaughan; Tenor Saxophone, Vocals, Producer – A.C. Reed. Recorded at Riverside Sound Studios, Austin, Texas.

Solid, soulful blues, often with humorous, self-deprecating lyrics, comes from the well-respected vocalist, tenor player, composer, and veteran of the bands of Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Magic Sam, and Son Seals. Reed has been called "the definitive Chicago blues sax player." This album features Reed's band, with guests Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Ray Vaughan. ~Niles J. Franz

I'm In The Wrong Business! mc
I'm In The Wrong Business! zippy

Album: A.C. Reed, Big Wheeler - Chicago Blues Session Vol 14
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:29
Size: 95.0 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 1989/2015
Art: Front

[3:31] 1. I Ain't Doin' Too Bad
[4:59] 2. I Got The Blues
[3:55] 3. I'm A Jealous Man
[5:16] 4. Good Lover
[3:28] 5. Last Time Around
[3:01] 6. Crazy 'bout You Baby
[4:01] 7. Honey, Where You Goin'
[7:38] 8. Last Night
[5:35] 9. What's On Your Mind

To hear tenor saxist A.C. Reed bemoan his fate on-stage, one might glean the impression that he truly detests his job. But it's a tongue-in-cheek complaint -- Reed's raspy, gutbucket blowing and laid-back vocals belie any sense of boredom. Sax-blowing blues bandleaders are scarce as hen's teeth in Chicago; other than Eddie Shaw, Reed's about all there is. Born in Missouri, young Aaron Corthen (whether he's related to blues legend Jimmy Reed remains hazy, but his laconic vocal drawl certainly mirrors his namesake) grew up in downstate Illinois. A big-band fan, he loved the sound of Paul Bascomb's horn on an obscure Erskine Hawkins 78 he heard tracking on a tavern jukebox so much that he was inspired to pick up a sax himself. Arriving in Chicago during the war years, he picked up steady gigs with Earl Hooker and Willie Mabon before the '40s were over. In 1956, he joined forces with ex-Ike Turner cohort Dennis "Long Man" Binder, gigging across the southwest for an extended period. Reed became a valuable session player for producer Mel London's Age and Chief labels during the early '60s; in addition to playing on sides by Lillian Offitt, Ricky Allen, and Hooker, he cut a locally popular 1961 single of his own for Age, "This Little Voice." More gems for Age -- "Come on Home," "Mean Cop," "I Stay Mad" -- followed. He cut 45s for USA in 1963 ("I'd Rather Fight Than Switch"), Cool ("My Baby Is Fine," a tune he's recut countless times since) and Nike ("Talkin' 'Bout My Friends") in 1966, and "Things I Want You to Do" in 1969 for T.D.S. Reed joined Buddy Guy's band in 1967, visiting Africa with the mercurial guitarist in 1969 and, after harpist Junior Wells teamed with Guy, touring as opening act for the Rolling Stones in 1970. He left the employ of Guy and Wells for good in 1977, only to hook up with Alligator acts Son Seals, and then the Master of the Telecaster, Albert Collins. Reed appeared on Collins' first five icy Alligator LPs, including the seminal Ice Pickin'. During his tenure with Collins, Reed's solo career began to reignite, with four cuts on the second batch of Alligator's Living Chicago Blues anthologies in 1980 and two subsequent LPs of his own, 1982's Take These Blues and Shove 'Em! (on Ice Cube Records, a logo co-owned by Reed and drummer Casey Jones) and I'm in the Wrong Business! five years later for Alligator (with cameos by Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Ray Vaughan). Until his death from cancer in February of 2004, Reed remained an active force on the Chicago circuit with his band the Spark Plugs (get it? AC spark plugs? Sure you do!). ~ bio by Bill Dahl

Chicago Blues Session Vol 14 mc
Chicago Blues Session Vol 14 zippy

Monday, October 24, 2016

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Ripley’s Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA. Oct 20th ‘83 (Remastered)

Size: 135,6 MB
Time: 58:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Texas Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Testify (Remastered) (Live) ( 4:14)
02. So Excited (Remastered) (Live) ( 4:18)
03. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (Remastered) (Live) ( 7:44)
04. Pride And Joy (Remastered) (Live) ( 4:57)
05. Texas Flood (Remastered) (Live) (10:00)
06. Love Struck Baby (Remastered) (Live) ( 3:08)
07. Mary Had A Little Lamb (Remastered) (Live) ( 3:00)
08. Tin Pan Alley (Remastered) (Live) ( 8:13)
09. Little Wing (Remastered) (Live) ( 7:49)
10. Third Stone From The Sun (Remastered) (Live) ( 4:39)

Personnel: Chris Layton - drums; Tommy Shannon - bass; Stevie Ray Vaughan - guitar, vocals

Like many before him, at a root level, Stevie Ray Vaughan was influenced by the likes of Albert King, Otis Rush, Albert Collins and Buddy Guy. What Vaughan dared to do differently and ultimately better than any blues guitarist before or since, was to channel the raw intensity of Johnny Winter and fuse it with the dexterity and expressiveness of Jimi Hendrix. The fact that he did it so well and managed to bring his own stylistic sensibilities into such a heavy brew is why he deservedly remains near the top of the guitar pantheon to this day. What we have here, straight off the King Biscuit Flower Hour multi-track mixdown masters, is the bulk of one of his most legendary early performances, recorded at Philadelphia's Ripley's Music Hall. Touring to promote his debut album, Texas Flood, these recordings capture a powerful performance, when Vaughn and his band, Double Trouble, were truly establishing their reputation.

Naturally, there is a heavy emphasis on his first album material, which is welcome, as it featured many of Vaughan's finest songs. He doesn't bother using his vocal chords until the set is well underway, preferring to let his guitar do the talking on the first two numbers. On both the set opening "Testify" and "So Excited" (unreleased at the time) which follows, the group is simply blazing with energy, with Vaughan incorporating simultaneous lead and rhythm parts in his trademark manner. After this warm-up exercise, Vaughan sinks his teeth into Jimi Hendrix's classic "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)." This is an absolutely scorching performance, with Vaughan seemingly channeling Hendrix himself, raising the intensity level up a serious notch or two.

The next four songs highlight the bulk of his debut album material, including his first hit, "Pride And Joy," a hot rendition of Buddy Guy's bluesy nursery rhyme adaptation, "Mary Had A Little Lamb," and the album opening rocker, "Love Struck Baby." However, it is the magnificent title track, "Texas Flood," an example of classic slow blues writing, that may be the highlight of this entire set. Here Vaughan truly bares his soul and over the course of the next ten minutes, his passion is on full display. Everything that distinguished him as a true original is right here, from the thick sound of his heavy gauge strings (tuned down a halfstep) to his extreme stringbending technique and tonal control. Much the same can be said about the early rendition of "Tin Pan Alley" featured, which allows Vaughan to again flex his pure blues muscles later in the show.

This incandescent set concludes with an additional tribute to Jimi Hendrix, beginning with a sublime take on "Little Wing," which then soars directly into "Third Stone From The Sun." The former is beautifully explored, while the latter is a prime example of guitar abuse at its finest. This is one of those rare times when the word incendiary truly applies.

All in all, this recording stands favorably against anything Vaughan ever released, and it's not difficult to understand why Eric Clapton found himself "in the presence of greatness" upon hearing Stevie Ray Vaughn play.

Ripley’s Music Hall

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Happy New Year Blues

Year: 2016
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:50
Size: 170,7 MB
Styles: Electric blues, blues-rock
Scans: Full

1. Lookin' Out The Window (4:42)
2. Look At Little Sister (5:00)
3. Mary Had A Little Lamb (9:27)
4. Superstition (4:35)
5. Willie The Wimp (6:12)
6. Cold Shot (7:20)
7. Couldn't Stand The Weather (7:03)
8. Life Without You (12:13)
9. Happy New Year Blues (3:52)
10. Rude Mood (6:06)
11. Oreo Cookie Blues (With Lonnie Mack) (7:15)

By late 1986, Stevie Ray Vaughan had been through rehab in London and, according to all reports, was feeling like a new man. His dependency problems, which had haunted him right through his career, were he felt, now behind him and he was intent on two things; getting back to playing the blues and helping others overcome their own, similar problems. He achieved the former with ease and passion - this was, after all, what the master guitarist existed to do. The latter did not come so naturally, but SRV made commendable effort in his oft-witnessed stage announcements, advising and guiding his audience members, sharing the wisdom he had garnered in going through the hell he had suffered.

The concert featured on this CD is taken from an FM radio broadcast, transmitted live from the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, on New Year's Eve 1986, was clearly a dynamic event. Stevie and Double Trouble perform with gusto and flare, whilst the audience are wild with ecstasy. Joining Vaughan on stage after the new year kicks in is none other than guitar legend Lonnie Mack, and the two bluesmen bounce off each other beautifully for a magical rendition of Mack's Oreo Cookie Blues, which ends this extraordinary performance and readies Stevie Ray to enter what, tragically, would become the final, albeit majestic, era of his career - and sadly his life. /Amazon

Happy New Year Blues mc
Happy New Year Blues zippy

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Albert King With Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Session


Released: 1983
Size: 146.7 MB
Time: 63:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Full

1. Call It Stormy Monday [ 9:05]
2. Old Times [ 1:11]
3. Pride And Joy [ 5:45]
4. Ask Me No Questions [ 5:29]
5. Pep Talk [ 0:31]
6. Blues At Sunrise [15:22]
7. Turn It Over [ 0:43]
8. Overall Junction [ 8:13]
9. Match Box Blues [ 7:51]
10. Who Is Stevie [ 0:39]
11. Don't Lie To Me [ 8:56]

Recorded in December 1983, In Session captures an in-concert jam between Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, the latter of whom had become the hot blues guitarist of the year thanks to his debut Texas Flood, as well as his work on David Bowie's hit Let's Dance. Vaughan may have been the new news, but King was not suffering, either. He had a world-class supporting band and was playing as well as he ever had. In other words, the stage was set for a fiery, exciting concert and that's exactly what they delivered. Vaughan was clearly influenced by King -- there are King licks all over his first two recorded efforts, and it was an influence that stayed with him to the end -- and he was unafraid to go toe-to-toe with his idol. King must have been impressed, since In Session never devolves into a mere cutting contest. Instead, each musicians spurs the other to greater heights. For aficionados of either guitarist, that means the album isn't just worth a listen -- it means that it's a record that sounds as exciting on each subsequent listen as does the first time through.


In Session


Friday, October 16, 2015

B.B. King & Friends - A Night Of Blistering Blues

Year: 2005
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:59
Size: 128,8 MB
Styles: Blues
Scans: Full

1. Why I Sing The Blues (Intro) (6:21)
2. Please Send Me Someone To Love (5:10)
3. The Thrill Is Gone (7:00)
4. I'd Rather Go Blind (6:03)
5. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby (4:17)
6. The Sky Is Crying (6:28)
7. Something's Got A Hold On Me (3:52)
8. In The Midnight Hour (4:10)
9. Ain't Nobody's Business (4:46)
10. Let The Good Times Roll (3:21)
11. Take My Hand, Precious Lord (3:34)
12. Closing (0:50)

It's an all-star blues extravaganza as legendary guitarist B.B. King brings a whole host of popular performers to the stage for a magical night of music captured live at the Ebony Showcase Theater, Los Angeles, on April 15, 1987. In addition to such classics as "The Thrill Is Gone" and "In the Midnight Hour", King is joined by such talented contemporaries as Paul Butterfield, Eric Clapton, Etta James, Dr. John, Phil Collins, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Billy Ocean, Gladys Knight and Chaka Kahn in performing nine more songs including "Ain't Nobody's Business", "The Sky Is Crying," and "Let the Good Times Roll".

A Night Of Blistering Blues mc
A Night Of Blistering Blues zippy

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Atlanta Sunset / North Of The Great Divide

Album: Atlanta Sunset: The Georgia Broadcast 1986
Size: 158,4 MB
Time: 67:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Lookin' Out The Window ( 4:09)
02. Look At Little Sister ( 4:13)
03. Mary Had A Little Lamb ( 8:36)
04. Superstition ( 4:26)
05. Willie The Wimp ( 5:08)
06. Cold Shot ( 6:27)
07. Couldn't Stand The Weather ( 7:10)
08. Life Without You (11:28)
09. Happy New Year's Blues ( 3:28)
10. Rude Mood ( 3:05)
11. Oreo Cookie Blues ( 6:47)
12. Wham ( 2:39)

"Atlanta, GA 31/12/86"
1986 was a critical year in the short life of Stevie Ray Vaughan. After struggling to gain any real exposure outside of Texas during the first decade of his career, in the early 1980s the young guitar virtuoso and his recently formed power trio, Double Trouble, caught the attention of powerful music industry players who would propel their musical career forward. By the release of the band's debut album, Texas Flood, in 1983, it was clear that Vaughan not only had the songs, the virtuosity and the charisma to become a global sensation, but also had the potential to revitalize the Blues genre itself. Three years on, however, things looked very different. Despite recruiting keyboardist Reese Wynans into the band to give their sound more depth, Vaughan's third LP, Soul to Soul, was greeted with less enthusiasm than its predecessors. Unknown to the public at the time, behind the scenes the guitarist's life was spiraling out of control - not only was he contending with an unrelenting work schedule, he was also struggling in a failing marriage and his drug and alcohol intake had become unmanageable. The death of his father, Jim, in August 1986 proved a major loss, and after collapsing in Germany, by late September the guitarist entered rehab. This performance comes from the 1986 New Year's Eve concert of Stevie's Live Alive Tour, his first run of shows since checking out of rehab in mid-November. Broadcast live on local station WRFG, it finds both Vaughan and band mate Tommy Shannon 10 weeks into recovery (in the encore Stevie introduces himself to the audience at Atlanta's Fox Theatre as 'Mr. Clean'). This new sobriety can be heard in the bristling energy of the show, the nuanced technique and precision that was absent from the band's performances earlier in the year finally returning and even enhanced by their clear-headedness. For the last two numbers, Vaughan's great hero Lonnie Mack sits in with the band, closing with a performance of his 1963 hit instrumental Wham! - the first record ever purchased by a then nine-year old Stevie Ray Vaughan. It's a fitting end to a remarkable concert.

Atlanta Sunset

Album: North Of The Great Divide: The Seattle Broadcast 1986 (Feat. Bonnie Raitt)
Size: 180,4 MB
Time: 77:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Scuttle Buttin' (2:32)
02. Say What (5:13)
03. Lookin' Out The Window (2:10)
04. Look At Little Sister (3:18)
05. Ain't Gonna Give Up On Love (8:01)
06. Change (4:42)
07. You'll Be Mine (4:48)
08. Empty Arms (2:40)
09. Come On (4:56)
10. Cold Shot (6:16)
11. Couldn't Stand The Weather (6:33)
12. Life Without You (8:52)
13. Pride And Joy (5:11)
14. Texas Flood (8:24)
15. Testify (3:40)

By the mid-eighties Stevie Ray Vaughan s star was in the ascendant. His rise to national prominence had included an initial appearance on David Bowie s Let s Dance , followed by a top forty debut album, an even more successful sophomore effort and a host of Grammy nominations, as well as an award for Best Traditional Blues Record. It was a steep rise in which the young guitarist definitively reinvigorated Texas blues and established a reputation of the first rank. 1985 s Soul to Soul saw Stevie take a considerable, though artistically brave, risk in reconstituting his band, Double Trouble. The move was controversial; Vaughan s career had been built as the leader of a blues power trio and die-hard fans were divided on a more expansive sound and a digression from straight blues. This performance, live from the Bumbershoot Arts Festival in Seattle and originally broadcast by local radio station KISW captures Stevie Ray Vaughan in the month that Soul to Soul was released. It is a fascinating document of a key turning point in his career, at the height of his fame before the addictions took over, and about to unveil a landmark album with a new sound. Here, together with classic material from his early repertoire, Stevie performs almost all of Soul to Soul for an expectant audience. He is joined on stage by the peerless blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt in what is a unique, unmissable concert from the quintessential Double Trouble era.

North Of The Great Divide

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Rude Mood (Live Radio Broadcast)

Size: 184,1 MB
Time: 79:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Texas Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Scuttle Buttin' ( 3:16)
02. Say What ( 5:20)
03. Lookin' Out The Window ( 4:45)
04. Look At Little Sister ( 5:01)
05. Mary Had A Little Lamb ( 5:55)
06. Ain't Gone 'n' Give Up On Love ( 9:03)
07. Superstition ( 5:07)
08. Cold Shot ( 6:09)
09. Couldn't Stand The Weather ( 8:07)
10. Life Without You (13:59)
11. Come On (Part III) ( 5:06)
12. Love Struck Baby ( 2:57)
13. Rude Mood ( 4:28)

With his astonishingly accomplished guitar playing, Stevie Ray Vaughan ignited the blues revival of the '80s. Vaughan drew equally from bluesmen like Albert King, Otis Rush, and Muddy Waters and rock & roll players like Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Mack, as well as the stray jazz guitarist like Kenny Burrell, developing a uniquely eclectic and fiery style that sounded like no other guitarist, regardless of genre. Vaughan bridged the gap between blues and rock like no other artist had since the late '60s. For the next seven years, Stevie Ray was the leading light in American blues, consistently selling out concerts while his albums regularly went gold. His tragic death in 1990 only emphasized his influence in blues and American rock & roll.

Born and raised in Dallas, Vaughan began playing guitar as a child, inspired by older brother Jimmie. When he was in junior high school, he began playing in a number of garage bands, which occasionally landed gigs in local nightclubs. By the time he was 17, he had dropped out of high school to concentrate on playing music. Vaughan's first real band was the Cobras, who played clubs and bars in Austin during the mid-'70s. Following that group's demise, he formed Triple Threat in 1975. Triple Threat also featured bassist Jackie Newhouse, drummer Chris Layton, and vocalist Lou Ann Barton. After a few years of playing Texas bars and clubs, Barton left the band in 1978. The group decided to continue performing under the name Double Trouble, which was inspired by the Otis Rush song of the same name; Vaughan became the band's lead singer.

For the next few years, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played the Austin area, becoming one of the most popular bands in Texas. In 1982, the band played the Montreux Festival and their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. After Double Trouble's performance, Bowie asked Vaughan to play on his forthcoming album, while Browne offered the group free recording time at his Los Angeles studio, Downtown; both offers were accepted. Stevie Ray laid down the lead guitar tracks for what became Bowie's Let's Dance album in late 1982. Shortly afterward, John Hammond, Sr. landed Vaughan and Double Trouble a record contract with Epic, and the band recorded its debut album in less than a week at Downtown.

Vaughan's debut album, Texas Flood, was released in the summer of 1983, a few months after Bowie's Let's Dance appeared. On its own, Let's Dance earned Vaughan quite a bit of attention, but Texas Flood was a blockbuster blues success; receiving positive reviews in both blues and rock publications, reaching number 38 on the charts, and crossing over to album rock radio stations. Bowie offered Vaughan the lead guitarist role for his 1983 stadium tour, but he turned him down, preferring to play with Double Trouble. Vaughan and Double Trouble set off on a successful tour and quickly recorded their second album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, which was released in May of 1984. The album was more successful than its predecessor, reaching number 31 on the charts; by the end of 1985, the album went gold. Double Trouble added keyboardist Reese Wynans in 1985, before they recorded their third album, Soul to Soul. The record was released in August 1985 and was also quite successful, reaching number 34 on the charts.

Although his professional career was soaring, Vaughan was sinking deep into alcoholism and drug addiction. Despite his declining health, Vaughan continued to push himself, releasing the double live album Live Alive in October of 1986 and launching an extensive American tour in early 1987. Following the tour, Vaughan checked into a rehabilitation clinic. The guitarist's time in rehab was kept fairly quiet, and for the next year Stevie Ray and Double Trouble were fairly inactive. Vaughan performed a number of concerts in 1988, including a headlining gig at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and wrote his fourth album. The resulting record, In Step, appeared in June of 1989 and became his most successful album, peaking at number 33 on the charts, earning a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Recording, and going gold just over six months after its release.

In the spring of 1990, Stevie Ray recorded an album with his brother Jimmie, which was scheduled for release in the fall of the year. In the late summer of 1990, Vaughan and Double Trouble set out on an American headlining tour. On August 26, 1990, their East Troy, WI, gig concluded with an encore jam featuring guitarists Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, and Robert Cray. After the concert, Stevie Ray boarded a helicopter bound for Chicago. Minutes after its 12:30 a.m. takeoff, the helicopter crashed, killing Vaughan and the other four passengers. He was only 35 years old.

Family Style, Stevie Ray's duet album with Jimmie, appeared in October and entered the charts at number seven. Family Style began a series of posthumous releases that were as popular as the albums Vaughan released during his lifetime. The Sky Is Crying, a collection of studio outtakes compiled by Jimmie, was released in October of 1991; it entered the charts at number ten and went platinum three months after its release. In the Beginning, a recording of a Double Trouble concert in 1980, was released in the fall of 1992 and the compilation Greatest Hits was released in 1995. In 1999, Vaughan's original albums were remastered and reissued, with The Real Deal: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 also appearing that year. 2000 saw the release of the four-disc box SRV, which concentrated heavily on outtakes, live performances, and rarities. ~by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rude Mood

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Bumbershoot Arts Festival 1985 (Live)

Size: 180,3 MB
Time: 77:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Texas Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Scuttle Buttin (Live) (2:32)
02. Say What (Live) (5:14)
03. Lookin' Out The Window (Live) (2:11)
04. Look At Little Sister (Live) (3:17)
05. Ain't Gonna Give Up On Love (Live) (8:00)
06. Change It (Live) (4:43)
07. You'll Be Mine (Live) (4:47)
08. Empty Arms (Live) (2:41)
09. Come On (Live) (4:56)
10. Cold Shot (Live) (6:16)
11. Couldn't Stand The Weather (Live) (6:33)
12. Life Without You (Live) (8:52)
13. Pride And Joy (Live) (5:11)
14. Texas Flood (With Bonnie Raitt) (Live) (8:24)
15. Testify (With Bonnie Raitt) (Live) (3:38)

Having played the dives and clubs of his native Texas since the early 1970s, it was his appearance, with backing band Double Trouble, at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival's blues night that changed his fortunes. In addition to playing a blistering set, Vaughan met David Bowie in Montreux, who invited the blues-man to feature on his next album Let's Dance - due out in early 1983. Vaughan performed some astonishing guitar on the record, which went on to be Bowie's best seller, but SRV pulled out of the album's promotional Serious Moonlight tour weeks before it was due to begin. In March 1985, recording for Double Trouble's third studio album, Soul to Soul, began at the Dallas Sound Lab. As the sessions progressed, Vaughan became increasingly frustrated with his own lack of inspiration and was allowed a relaxed pace of recording, which contributed to a lack of focus due to excesses in alcohol and other drugs. Soul to Soul was released on 30th September, 1985, and peaked at number 34 and remained on the Billboard 200 through mid-1986, eventually certified gold. It was shortly before the release date that the year's Bumbershoot Festival took place. SRV performed on the evening of 1st September, and despite the difficulties prevalent during its recording, 9of the 10 tracks from Soul To Soul were played, alongside another 7 songs from earlier albums, cover versions and - at the time - unreleased rarities. Many of his problems with abuse would continue to haunt Stevie Ray across at least another year following the release of Soul To Soul, when, after a near death experience, he booked into a London Clinic for rehab - but the sheer power and intensity of the album is almost certainly best illustrated in this live rendition - indeed for many of those who are familiar with this recording, these are generally the preferred versions of the album's marvellous songs.

Bumbershoot Arts Festival 1985

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble : Texas Flood / Couldn't Stand the Weather / Soul To Soul

Album: Texas Flood
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Source: LL (from CD)
Released: 1983
Styles: Bluesrock
Time: 38:51
Size: 89,8 MB
Covers: Full

(2:23) 1. Love Struck Baby
(3:40) 2. Pride and Joy
(5:21) 3. Texas Flood
(2:49) 4. Tell Me
(3:25) 5. Testify
(4:40) 6. Rude Mood
(2:47) 7. Mary Had a Little Lamb
(5:02) 8. Dirty Pool
(3:42) 9. I'm Cryin'
(4:57) 10. Lenny

It's hard to overestimate the impact Stevie Ray Vaughan's debut, Texas Flood, had upon its release in 1983. At that point, blues was no longer hip, the way it was in the '60s. Texas Flood changed all that, climbing into the Top 40 and spending over half a year on the charts, which was practically unheard of for a blues recording. Vaughan became a genuine star and, in doing so, sparked a revitalization of the blues. This was a monumental impact, but his critics claimed that, no matter how prodigious Vaughan's instrumental talents were, he didn't forge a distinctive voice; instead, he wore his influences on his sleeve, whether it was Albert King's pinched yet muscular soloing or Larry Davis' emotive singing. There's a certain element of truth in that, but that was sort of the point of Texas Flood. Vaughan didn't hide his influences; he celebrated them, pumping fresh blood into a familiar genre. When Vaughan and Double Trouble cut the album over the course of three days in 1982, he had already played his set lists countless times; he knew how to turn this material inside out or goose it up for maximum impact. The album is paced like a club show, kicking off with Vaughan's two best self-penned songs, "Love Struck Baby" and "Pride and Joy," then settling into a pair of covers, the slow-burning title track and an exciting reading of Howlin' Wolf's "Tell Me," before building to the climax of "Dirty Pool" and "I'm Crying." Vaughan caps the entire thing with "Lenny," a lyrical, jazzy tribute to his wife. It becomes clear that Vaughan's true achievement was finding something personal and emotional by fusing different elements of his idols. Sometimes the borrowing was overt, and other times subtle, but it all blended together into a style that recalled the past while seizing the excitement and essence of the present. -- Allmusic.

Texas Flood

Album: Couldn't Stand the Weather
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Source: LL (from CD)
Released: 1984
Styles: Bluesrock
Time: 38:10
Size: 88,0 MB
Covers: Full

(1:51) 1. Scuttle Buttin'
(4:41) 2. Couldn't Stand the Weather
(4:55) 3. The Things (That) I Used to Do
(8:01) 4. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
(4:01) 5. Cold Shot
(9:11) 6. Tin Pan Alley
(2:42) 7. Honey Bee
(2:46) 8. Stang's Swang

Stevie Ray Vaughan's second album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, pretty much did everything a second album should do: it confirmed that the acclaimed debut was no fluke, while matching, if not bettering, the sales of its predecessor, thereby cementing Vaughan's status as a giant of modern blues. So why does it feel like a letdown? Perhaps because it simply offers more of the same, all the while relying heavily on covers. Of the eight songs, half are covers, while two of his four originals are instrumentals -- not necessarily a bad thing, but it gives the impression that Vaughan threw the album together in a rush, even if he didn't. Nevertheless, Couldn't Stand the Weather feels a bit like a holding pattern, since there's no elaboration on Double Trouble's core sound and no great strides forward, whether it's in Vaughan's songwriting or musicianship. Still, as holding patterns go, it's a pretty enjoyable one, since Vaughan and Double Trouble play spiritedly throughout the record. With its swaggering, stuttering riff, the title track ranks as one of Vaughan's classics, and thanks to a nuanced vocal, he makes W.C. Clark's "Cold Shot" his own. The instrumentals -- the breakneck Lonnie Mack-styled "Scuttle Buttin'" and "Stang's Swang," another effective demonstration of Vaughan's jazz inclinations -- work well, even if the original shuffle "Honey Bee" fails to make much of an impression and the cover of "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" is too reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix's original. So, there aren't many weaknesses on the record, aside from the suspicion that Vaughan didn't really push himself as hard as he could have, and the feeling that if he had, he would have come up with something a bit stronger. -- Allmusic.

Couldn't Stand the Weather

Album: Soul To Soul
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Source: LL (from CD)
Released: 1985
Styles: Bluesrock
Time: 40:07
Size: 92,8 MB
Covers: Full

(5:23) 1. Say What!
(2:47) 2. Lookin' Out the Window
(3:07) 3. Look at Little Sister
(6:07) 4. Ain't Gone 'N' Give up on Love
(3:05) 5. Gone Home
(3:57) 6. Change It
(3:44) 7. You'll Be Mine
(3:02) 8. Empty Arms
(4:31) 9. Come On (Part Iii)
(4:18) 10. Life Without You

By adding two members to Double Trouble, keyboardist Reese Wynans and saxophonist Joe Sublett, Stevie Ray Vaughan indicated he wanted to add soul and R&B inflections to his basic blues sound, and Soul to Soul does exactly that. It's still a modern blues album, yet it has a wider sonic palette, finding Vaughan fusing a variety of blues, rock, and R&B styles. Most of this is done through covers -- notably Hank Ballard's "Look at Little Sister," the exquisitely jazzy "Gone Home," and Doyle Bramhall's impassioned soul-blues "Change It" -- but Vaughan's songwriting occasionally follows suit, as well. Even if only the tortured blues wailer "Ain't Gone 'n' Give Up on Love" entered his acknowledged canon, he throws in some delightful soul-funk touches on "Say What!," the instrumental wah-wah workout that kicks off the album, and the Curtis Mayfield-inspired closer, "Life Without You," captures Vaughan at his best as a composer and performer. It's such a seductive number -- such a full realization of his soul-blues ambitions -- that the rest of the album pales in comparison. In fact, for all of its positive attributes, Soul to Soul winds up being less than the sum of its parts, and it's hard to pinpoint an exact reason why. Perhaps it was because Vaughan was on the verge of a horrible battle with substance abuse at the time of recording or perhaps it just has that unevenness inherent in transitional albums. Still, he has good taste in covers, his originals are sturdy, and there's not a bad performance here, so Soul to Soul winds up enjoyable in spite of its flaws, and it clearly points the way to his 1989 masterpiece, In Step. -- Allmusic.

Soul to Soul

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Vaughan Brothers - Family Style

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Source: LL (from CD)
Released: 1990
Styles: Blues
Time: 40:48
Size: 94,5 MB
Covers: Full

(4:43) 1. Hard to Be
(3:50) 2. White Boots
(2:52) 3. D/FW
(4:22) 4. Good Texan
(3:42) 5. Hillbillies from Outerspace
(3:15) 6. Long Way from Home
(4:57) 7. Tick Tock
(3:28) 8. Telephone Song
(4:29) 9. Baboom/Mama Said
(5:05) 10. Brothers

With slick production from Nile Rodgers and employing neither guitarist's band (Double Trouble nor the Fabulous Thunderbirds), this is bluesy, but far from purist. Jimmie makes his vocal debut on "White Boots" and "Good Texan," and the brothers blur the lines between their expected guitar styles -- Stevie sometimes going for a less sustainy twang, Jimmie moving into Albert King territory. When standard blues is the order of the day (the slow instro "Brothers"), the key word is "standard" -- bordering on run-of-the-mill. Instrumentals "D/FW" and "Hillbillies from Outer Space" fare better -- offering ZZ Top crunch and Santo & Johnny steel, respectively. -- Allmusic.
Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990, just as the first single from this CD, the beautiful Motown/soul-inspired workout "Tick Tock," was about to climb the charts and make the blues-rock hero an international superstar. Thankfully, he was able to make this delightful and laid-back album with his brother. For Jimmie and Stevie Ray, it was a kind of spiritual reunion. Jimmie had followed Stevie down the path to sobriety. These New York City sessions were a spirited celebration intended to mark the beginning of their musical partnership. While some tunes sound like the result of mere jamming, "Telephone Song" is one of Stevie's best numbers: an elegant blues shout with screaming guitar breaks. And Jimmie's B-3 organ-like textures on steel guitar astound. -- Ted Drozdowski.

Family Style

Monday, August 10, 2015

Stevie Vaughan and Double Trouble - In the Beginning

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Source: LL (from CD)
Released: 1980/1992
Styles: Bluesrock
Time: 40:06
Size: 92,9 MB
Covers: Full

(5:57) 1. In the Open
(3:18) 2. Slide Thing
(3:06) 3. They Call Me Guitar Hurricane
(6:23) 4. All Your Love (I Miss Loving)
(7:41) 5. Tin Pan Alley
(2:56) 6. Love Struck Baby
(2:48) 7. Tell Me
(4:04) 8. Shake for Me
(3:49) 9. Live Another Day

This 1980 live broadcast from Austin, TX captures a young Stevie Vaughan (he had yet to become Stevie Ray) blasting the hometown crowd with a style that was already very well-formed. With Chris Layton on drums and bassist Jackie Newhouse, his basic sound was already in place, albeit still in need of some polishing. Taken from the surviving two-track master, Vaughan's guitar is raw and in your face every note of the way. His takes on Freddie King's "In the Open" and the lengthy "Tin Pan Alley" are the real highlights here. Fans of this mercurial guitarist will want to add this one to the collection. -- Allmusic.
A young guitar wizard on a warm spring night, Aprils Fools Day, in the small packed Austin Steamboat 1874 club, recorded for a local radio show. Those who were present will never forget. Initially a quintet, this three-piece line-up was only months old after the departure of Lou Ann Barton and Johnny Reno, but Stevie felt confident enough. The hour-long radioshow without commercial interruptions was recorded both on multi-track and two-track. When no one claimed the multi-track master a few weeks after show, it was erased and recycled! Radio program maker Wyane Bell kept the two-track reel for over a dozen of years in his personal library. Legend tells that John Hammond Jr gave a tape of the performance to his father, legendary talent scout John Hammond. He liked a lot what he heared and Hammond eventually scored Stevie Vaughan a deal with Epic Records. This is where legend began.

In the Beginning