Albert King - Blues at Sunrise: Live at Montreux

Remastered reissue of 1973 album on the Stax label, live at Montreux Jazz Festival. 7 tracks. Album Description

You just can't beat live Albert King

You just can't beat live Albert King. He may not be the most technically competent guitar player that ever walked the earth, but his sound and his soul are unmatched. July 23, 2008

Blues at Sunrise: Live at Montreux

This is a very well done live recording. Both the material and the sound quality are top notch. The only thing I found missing was some additional material from the festival not on this CD. For that one must get the "Blues at Sunset" CD that contains the rest of the set as well as more excellent recordings from the Wattstax concert. February 26, 2006

Albert is god!

We must praise albert king for this masterpiece! His guitar is very powerful and wild in this live performance!!!!!! Blues at Sunrise is between his best works!!!!! November 27, 2005

simply stunnig

what you're holding in your hand is one of the very best live blues album ever. I own quite a few albert's album but this one has always found a special place in my heart. Both the setlist and the performances are wonderful and it has my favourite version of i'll play the blues for you. After he says "exscuse me" he unveils a terrific solo that gets you realize what blues power is all about, the interplays with the horns section is stunning and the voice, man, the voice...if you gotta get just one album by this master get this one, you wont be disappointed October 17, 2005

Albert King's Once Lost Concert!

This concert was released after the return of Stax Records in the 1980s as a part of Fantasy Records. The initial release was the lost tape of Albert recording with John Mayall and his Jazz-Fusion band in California. This was put out as the "Lost Session". After another look in the newly recovered Stax vault (no pun intended!)tapes this concert was found. Two tracks had been previously released on vinyl as "Live at Montreux". This CD has most of the remaining part of this July 1, 1973 Montreux concert. The balance of this set can be found on the follow up release "Blues At Sunset" (1993).

This set is really different. Albert has a great band (with a subdued horn section). He also has Donald Kinsey (of the Kinsey Report) on guitar, who like Jimmy King, he calls his "grandson" (he liked to do that). Albert's playing is heavy, full and forceful. He obviously plays the entire set on his neck pickup and produced a fat sound unlike that on any other King recording. This is very similar to the sound he gets on the 2004 DVD release "Albert King: Live in Sweden". The title track "Blues at Sunrise" is a reworking of one of his very first King Records recordings. He has done this tune many times but this version is really different sounding. It also shows King at the beginning of the 1970s until the 1990s when he got the reputation of being difficult to work with. He typically berates the sound man in the middle of the tune.

I saw him in Australia in 1990 and he stopped the concert in the middle of "Kansas City", only his second tune, and rearranged the speakers on stage while the audience waited twenty minutes. He continued to play until he felt the Bass player wasn't holding up his end and PULLED OUT HIS LEAD IN MID-SONG! Oh Albert!

The tunes are on this recording are great, as they always are at Montreux. The production is well done and edited. Highlights of the performance are the Ray Charles (RIP) tune "I Believe To My Soul". His solos in this tune are awesome, what phrasing! "Roadhouse Blues" is a great extended tune that really gives the feel of an Albert King concert. This tune was released as a self-titled cassette tape in the 1990s, now very rare. "Little Brother, Make A Way" is the most unique cut on this CD. It features the only other and only ever live version of this track from "I'll Play the Blues For You" which was his current LP available when this concert was recorded. It has Albert singing soulfully without the second voice track of the LP and doing a great guitar solo as well.

I would highly recommend this CD. It is different sounding than any other Albert King recording. This shows Albert at the height of his creative devlopment and influence on the Blues genre. Buy this one along with Live Wire, Blues Power", "Blues At Sunset", "Blues From The Road", "Live 69" and "Talking Blues". These CDs are all different and show Albert's style and tone at various stages of his long career. June 29, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...