Here and There: The Uncollected B.B. King

Performer: B.B. King
Artist: Willie Nelson; Robbie Robertson; Albert Collins; Arthur Adams; Gary Burton; GRP All-Star Big Band; Jimmy Smith; Ramsey Lewis
Producer: Derek O'Brien; Freddy Fletcher; Gary Burton; George Butler; Grover Washington, Jr.; Jim Gaines; Jon Tiven; Marcel East; Michael Abene; Pat Metheny; Robbie Robertson; Arthur Adams; Vernon Reid; Andy McKaie (Compilation)
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Arthur Adams (vocals, guitar); Albert Collins, Coco Montoya, John Scofield, Michael Hill, Jon Tiven, Sally Tiven, Neil Hubbard, John Porter (guitar); Bob Berg (tenor saxophone); Grover Washington, Tom Scott (saxophone); Arturo Sandoval, Randy Brecker (trumpet); Paul Shaffer (piano, organ); Robbie Robertson, Ramsey Lewis, Chris Stainton (piano); Jimmy Smith (organ); Paul Griffith (keyboards); Gary Burton (vibraphone); Will Lee (bass, percussion); Neal Stubenhaus, John Patitucci, Wilbur Bascomb, Pino Palladino, Gerald Veasley (bass); Jack DeJohnette, Dave Weckl, Jim Keltner, William Calhoun, Andy Newmark (drums); Lisa Fisher, Cindy Mizell (background vocals). Includes liner notes by Bill Dahl. Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (Universal Mastering West, Hollywood, California). Personnel: B.B. King (vocals, guitar); Arthur Adams , Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar); Derek O'Brien, Cal David, John Porter, Jon Tiven, Michael Hill, Neil Hubbard, Richard Lee Steacker, Sally Tiven, John Scofield (guitar); Eric Marienthal, Ernie Watts, Jo Smith, Grover Washington, Jr., Jeff Robbins, Keith Crossan, Nelson Rangell, Tom Scott, Bob Mintzer (saxophone); Bob Berg (tenor saxophone); Chuck Findley, Tom Poole, Randy Brecker, Steve Howard, Arturo Sandoval (trumpet); Paul Shaffer, Riley Osbourne (piano, organ); Chris Stainton, Ramsey Lewis, Robbie Robertson (piano); Ernest Williamson (organ); Hense Powell, James K. Lloyd , Paul Griffin (keyboards); Brad Cole (synthesizer); Gary Burton (vibraphone); Pino Palladino (bass guitar); Dave Weckl, Andy Newark, George Rains, Darryl Washington, William Calhoun, Jack DeJohnette, Jim Keltner, Marty Binder (drums); Will Lee (percussion); Lisa Fisher (background vocals). Liner Note Author: Bill Dahl. Recording information: Austin, TX (1987-2000); Iving, TX (1987-2000); London, England (1987-2000); Los Angeles, CA (1987-2000); Memphis (1987-2000); New York, NY (1987-2000). Photographers: Michael Wilson ; Kevin Westenberg; Cesar Vera. Ever since John Lee Hooker's The Healer, the record industry favored teaming up veteran artists with hot-shot contemporary artists, or at least pairing that veteran with another veteran of equal stature. Of course, duet albums were not rare prior to that -- B.B. King, for example, often recorded with Bobby "Blue" Bland, and teaming hot acts has been standard since the beginning of the business -- but the calculated superstar duets albums proliferated, along with tribute albums, and reliable artists like B.B. King started to appear on tons of albums. Hip-O's 2001 compilation Here & There: The Uncollected B.B. King gathers up 11 of these performances (several, it should be noted, are for records now owned by Universal), and while this is hardly complete (although it does have a couple of items for collectors -- the previously unreleased "Yes Man" and the unavailable-in-the-States "All You Ever Give Me is the Blues," both from a Vernon Ried and Jon Tiven-produced session; they're the best things here, by the way, the hardest-driving cuts here), it is enough to let you know that these performances aren't worth seeking out. B.B. is professional as always and he turns in professional, deliberately classy performances that are fine, but just not that interesting. It will fill in some holes in a B.B. King collection, but the kind of fan that collects the best of B.B. will sleep easy without this in their collection. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The great Memphis guitarist and singer B.B. King has been the most high-profile figure in blues since the 1960s, ever since his LIVE AT THE REGAL album established him as a superstar. King has collaborated successfully with everyone from Bobby Bland to U2, but he made his name as a soulful, enthusiastic bandleader. His beloved Gibson ES-345 guitar, "Lucille," is the source of King's trademark sound--percussive attack, dramatic string-bending, and spare lead lines with a vocal-like quality.

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