Track Listing

1. Call It Stormy Monday
2. Old Times
3. Pride and Joy
4. Ask Me No Questions
5. Pep Talk
6. Blues at Sunrise
7. "Turn It Over"
8. Overall Junction
9. Match Box Blues
10. "Who Is Stevie?"
11. Don't Lie to Me

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35371 in Music
• Released on: 2003-09-30
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Hybrid SACD - DSD, Live, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Customer Reviews

Blues Masterpiece sounds great on SACD
This meeting of two blues masters took place in a Hamilton, Ontario Canada TV studio in late 1983, just after Vaughan had made his first splash as the guitarist on David Bowie's album Let's Dance. Stevie had idolized Albert King, and even lifted some of his licks. But on this night, the two stood side by side as blues masters, and the results were jaw-dropping. King was clearly leading this session, as all the songs (with the exception of Pride & Joy) were sung by King and were part of his usual repertoire. However, Vaughan was not simply a sideman here; his playing was electric and the interplay between the two guitarists is amazing. Blues at Sunrise, with Vaughan imitating Jimi Hendrix, Call It Stormy Monday, and Don't Lie to Me are just a few highlights.

The sound on this hybrid SACD is phenomenal. Both guitars are crisp, the vocals are clear, and the tight rhythm section is deep and warm. The SACD has a breathtaking presence that evelopes your listening area. This is another terrific George Horn mastering job.

Whether you are a fan of Vaughan, King, or just a fan of great blues guitar, this is a must own on SACD!

"Stevie Ray who...?"
Word has it that Albert "King" Nelson didn't know the man with whom his manager had arranged for him to play on the night of December 6, 1983.
29-year-old Stevie Ray Vaughan had released the succesful "Texas Flood" earlier that year, but the name Vaughan supposedly didn't ring a bell with Albert King.
He did recognize Stevie Ray, however, but King knew him as "Little Stevie", a kid from Texas who had attended numerous of his concerts, occationally even sitting in with him when he (King) passed through Austin.

At first, Stevie Ray Vaughan seems a little bit in awe of the legendary 60-year-old bluesman...it is almost two minutes into "Stormy Monday" before Vaughan's guitar can be heard for the first time. But once he gets going, the concert evolves into one of the one of the best jam sessions you'll ever hear.
Backed by Albert King's world-class touring band, the two guitarists lay down tight, muscular versions of some of King's best songs, as well as a blistering six-minute rendition of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pride And Joy", and a rollicking cover of Tampa Red's "Don't Lie To Me".
There is more great guitar playing here than most artists record in a liftetime, but the jamming never gets out of hand or trail off into meaningless shredding. "In Session" never evolves (devolves?) into a mere cutting contest. Instead the two musicians complement each other beautifully, somehow managing not to tread on each other's toes when soloing.

Bits of dialogue between King and Stevie Ray Vaughan has been preserved on this release, and the sound is excellent, crisp and clear. For fans of either guitarist, this album is more than just worth a listen, it is a record that sounds as fresh and exciting on each subsequent listen as does the first time through.

Blues that cut like a chainsaw
While Albert King never rose to the massive popularity of Stevie Ray Vaughan, as far as blues players go though, he was one of the more familiar to rock fans, thanks to his work being covered by Clapton and Hendrix ("Born Under A Bad Sign").
No modern guitarist was more influenced by King than Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose admiration and praise allowed him to share the stage in a Hamilton, Ontario TV studio right around the time of the release of Vaughan's "Texas Flood". This summit was long overdue, and is absolutely critical for Vaughan and King fans.
Mind you, there are many rehashes, repackagings and other posthumous releases of SRV, most of which are unforgivable, offering nothing new, only capitalizing on the myth and making a fortune off his memory.
"In Session", however, like "The Sky Is Crying", is one CD that does offer a fresh look at both masters.
King is still the star of this show, and his band provides the powerful backing music as the two titans trade off solo after solo, each careful to not overplay, but not hide behind their amps, either.
Vaughan sounds a lot like King, showing us the bedrock of his style. He was a little flashier, and could control feedback ala Hendrix, but when all is said and done, SRV was the best white blues player period. Brit players like Clapton and Page pale in comparison.
Prime cuts include "Pride And Joy" as handled by King's band, and it thumps and grinds mightily. "Overall Junction" is a King jam and indeed it does. Perhaps the best is "Matchbox Blues", with an absolutely wicked swing beat that allows both guitarists to soar, reaching blues nirvana over and over.
SRV fans will delight in this CD when he was probably at his greatest, and will come away King fans as well, after finding out who got this party started in the first place.