Reviews (page 6 of 12)
“I asked my baby for a nickel… and she GAAAAVE me a $20 bill” I want what he has
Love the live elements. The screaming and the asides to the audience are a great addition. Highlights are the titular How Blue Can You Get? and You Upset Me Baby (I am upset about the fake out at the beginning). The first slow point being Worry, Worry is wild and it kicks right back up after. Good back to front.
Velvet dress, smokey bar, STRONG Martini that I am being so brave about and not wincing when I sip. Mans is waiting in the car until I'm done, I pull out another cigarette. He can wait.
I'm not a Blues person, but I do feel that the presentation and instrumentation on this recording, combined with the time it was made, push it above a 3 for me.
Funny that this was the first album to pop up as "How Blue Can You Get?" was a clue on Wednesday's Jeopardy game. Reminds me of the by the slice pizza place on the ISU campus with the pencil drawings of blues artists all over the walls. <3
So short! Worry worry worry sounds great for burlesque
B.B King’s music has so much passion and feeling behind every part of it. Usually would prefer studio recorded albums vs live audience albums, but for some reason it felt right to listen to this live
This was exciting to listen to, first half was brilliant and B.B.’s charisma shines through in his commentary and riffs. Second half waned but still the best blues album I’ve heard so far. Didn’t think live albums were good but the concert with the crowd and quips makes me feel there and enjoyed it more than a plain album performance.
Peaken av blues. Det er fullt band men de spiller bare samme bluesakkorder i loop. Melodien er ikke så viktig med det virker som om publikum kjenner igjen de ulike sangene. Det er texten og mest av alt følelsene som er viktig.
This album gets down to business. Everyone does their thing and it's great. It feels right at the moment where jazz and blues were morphing into psyche rock and jam band style.
This is another example of where an album being live is actually a benefit - the crowd getting in to it and the way the guitar is sonically front and center in the recording gives the album a lot more of a concert feeling. That's important for a genre that can get easily bogged down in everything sounding the same. The transitions between songs are all smooth and the rhythm section keeps the groove going from one to another without skipping a beat. One thing that helps this album a lot is that the tempo changes frequently enough from traditional bluesy sway to something a lot more exciting at least a few times. You can easily fall asleep listening to a lot of blues music, but this one keeps you going. The opener, Please Love Me, and Woke Up This Mornin' are all good examples. I dont' think I'd heard B.B. King singing at this early in his career before and he sounds totally different from his later work, probably because he hadn't drank and smoked enough to change his voice yet. I like both but this version is a lot more lively and suits the music on this particular recording way better than his later voice would. The guitar is impeccable of course because he's always been great. This was fun - also not too long, which is alway nice. Maybe the best blues album we've had so far.
I didn’t know much about B.B. King before this. The way the women are screaming on this album makes me feel like he’s a sex god. And I’m fully bought in. Sing it to me B.B.
Marvellous album by the King of the Blues.
Good live album that works. Engaging! 3.5/5
Good
This, by genre, is music that bores me but it's a) the best of its kind and b) a spendid soundtrack to cleaning some shit in Powerwash Simulator.
Album 1. Let's give it a listen and see how it it goes!
Some great blues!
The King of Blues in front of a crowd is a fun experience. Favorite Track: "How Blue Can You Get?"
Watched him in 04-06, great memories. Got to witness a legend. Just don’t listen to the blues like I use to.
Love the energy and fun this album captures from the live performance. Even though I'm not the biggest blues fan, this album is a blast to listen to. Even a pretty varied set and sound for a blues show. A great all around listen with smooth energy. Top tracks: Sweet Little Angel; It's My Own Fault; Worry, Worry
Masterful, classic, tight.
This would be good music to just Have On. The back half of this album was particularly enjoyable. I liked the audience’s response to certain moments; I don’t know that I’ve ever actually appreciated a live album in full, but there’s something interesting about being a secondary audience. I think this would get even better on subsequent listens. Listen #3: it does get even better. Maybe all albums will take a few listens?
imádom a közönséget a régi live albumokon!
Straight-to-the-point, a live album full of energy. A great introduction to one of the best guitar players of all time.
To learn that BB King has 15+ kids is no surprise after hearing this album. Baby making music ya’ll.
Wow. That would have been fun to see live.
Into it.
I love B.B. King. The medley of Sweet Little Angel to It’s My Own Fault to How Blue Can You Get is tremendous. Loses a star for monotony. That’s the thing about a genre built around playing the exact same chord progression on almost every song.
I like how the live recording creates a sense of being there. It sounds fun.
i’d love to join the throngs of loud whistling fans of bb king
Vibe
7/10. Fun stuff. I think the crowd threw me for a loop at times.
Kinda short for a live album but very very good 8/10
Favorite Track: Sweet Little Angel
Cool, very cool
Super good not my type of music though
Very enjoyable, positively surprised
The crowd makes me excited just hearing the intro to each song. Nice loose blues!
Regal is exactly the word for this album, as The King and his unbelievably hot band deliver a master class in electric blues. The way part of the setlist goes together as one piece, well connected by BB's compere narrations, really takes you along for the ride through just over half an hour of perfect horn stabs, sharp turnarounds, soulful vocals and that beautiful singing guitar. Love the explosions of noise from the crowd, there's some serious energy in that room! Favourite tracks: Sweet Little Angel, It's My Own Fault, Worry Worry, You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now
81/100.
Hell yeah
BB Chiang un dejavu di James Brown
No bullshit blues, performed in Chicago Nov 1964
Solid crowd, and a legend at the top of his game. King is the correct name for him here. 8/10
A nice blues album- had a ton of hits. I found myself enjoying it a lot.
When bb King sings the blues the ladies scream, but when I get my guitar out at the party I
Fun blues BB king sounds great the whole way through
I am not sure this is the best representation of BB King, but he did have to appear on this list at some point. A blues and music legend. I am glad he finally did make an appearance.
I liked: - Blues instrumentation and arrangement - King's voice and guitar playing - The performance of the rhythm section, especially piano and drums - Audience interaction I didn't like: - Live recording Favorite Track: Worry, Worry
This captures an amazing time in music history. It is easy for me to personally dismiss the Blues as a stale and boring style of music, but this clearly shows the power, excitement and novelty of this music. Will definitely come back to this album.
I liked this, after a while its just all blues. Super good though.
his mom named him after the famous texan trio zz top
funky soul
Real tasty stuff
Stonking good, all the better for being live. I was familiar with You Upset Me Baby but adding a few more to my cooking playlist now!
Just a fun album. Everyone's here for the same reason, to let BB indulge himself in the blues, and he does so unapologetically.
Chill bluesy lounge vibes. I say vibes a lot…
Polished, powerful, and packed with personality, this is blues at its most irresistible. B.B. King’s solos preach and his vocals hit like truth bombs. Forget studio trickery—Live at the Regal is raw, unfiltered blues at its finest. It drops you into a smoky Chicago club, where King’s guitar wails, the crowd roars, and every note feels like an essential piece of music history. One listen, and you’ll be pulling a stank face before you know it. Spin it on repeat—it never loses its magic.
This thing has some serious energy to it.
another old live album, this one a blues album. this album is a lot more energetic than i thought it would be. it's certainly blues music, but compared to the other quiet and dreary sounds, king's performance adds a powerful soul inspiration to the genre. once again, i can't overstate how much i enjoy live albums, especially those that immerse you as if you were in the audience the day it was performed.
B.B. bent low and whispered in Lucille’s ear. “Lucille, my love… why do I play the blues when I’m a successful and beloved musician?” Lucille looked B.B. in the eye. “Blues is part of your soul. It will always be in you. You can make millions and be world-famous, but you can’t leave the blues behind. And you can’t leave me behind either. Now honey… play me.” And B.B. did.
Smooth like butter
It’s hard to knock B.B. King. They guy is a legend and the tone he pulls out of Lucille is unmistakable. That said, while I enjoyed the whole album, the first few songs kind of bled together for me. (Also, as much as I like B.B., he’s not my favorite King bluesman. Albert King doesn’t get enough credit.)
Having never listened to the Blues in my life. I like this. For me I guess this has come with age. Fun to listen to the way people used to speak to their live audiences!
Very interesting. Not something I'd usually hear. Very musical none the less. Loved the story telling and crowd control going on
Fun!
Love me some jazz, this is my second in a few days, and its great
This dudes got girls screaming in the recording Great voice, great energy, loved the falsetto and overall range of BB, this was a solid listen from a person who doesn't actively listen to blues or jazz equivalents.
Delicious blues from the man himself.
nice and fun
oh yeah
4-
I'm always pleasantly surprised by a lot of these soul/blues live albums from the 60s. I always go into them feeling daunted by this old people music, but always come out of them having really enjoyed it. You would think that I will eventually learn.
B. B. King and his records are just timless classics, Live At the Regal included. Early master of the guitar solos, this album is just as energetic as it gets. Very enjoyable.
The live feel of the album adds to the music, which is already pleasant.
Read that this is one of THE best live albums EVER in any genre. Definitely going to try to catch this whole album. Not a huge blues fan but I definitely enjoy it and respect it.
Compared to other great electric blues guitarists of the era, with either a leaning towards to the traditional acoustic blues greats (Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker) or the more uptempo rock and roll style (Buddy Guy), this album's prominent piano and horns parts giveit an extremely big band jazzy flair and the incredible vocals make it feel like a motown soul album. His playing feels generic now thanks to a billion blues dads, and it wasn't especially groundbreaking then in terms of the underlying theory or anything, but is such a perfectly realized version of it's genre - exquisite call and response phrasing and that brassy tone. You don't get a fundamental building block of lead guitar playing like pentatonic boxes named after you for no reason. If anything, he's an underrated singer though; he's really belting it out here - incredibly charismatic voice.
i spent my whole life being told that BB King was a revolutionary guitar player, so color me surprised when i finally get around to listening to his music, he spends much more time singing than soloing. this is moreso an album for saxophone freaks than it is for blues guitar freaks, and the sax work is (for the most part) good and not annoying. i just feel a little disappointed. i knew the name of BB King's guitar at age eight and you're telling me he isn't playing it the whole time? dang. however, what makes me think the album's more than just average is the genius idea to record the effect that King had on the audience, setting us in the crowd in the front row instead of recording from the stage. people are going insane whenever he sings and/or plays, and at times it feels like i'm actually there that November night in Chicago. the energy is, if you excuse my pun, electric. i feel like my lack of experience in the blues means i don't get as much from these songs as someone better versed in the genre does, but i still greatly appreciate the presence this has in the canon. although what the fuck are you talking about on "Worry, Worry", BB? what do you mean "she won't let you catch her next time"?
Live blues albums don't get much better than this. I'm going to dock a point for the crowd. Why must American audiences scream and holler all the time, what is wrong with listening to the music you've paid to see? 4/5.
Better listening in headphones than through a car or room speaker. Crowd noise sometimes got in the way of hearing the instruments and a little muddy in general but overall a good album and fun up beat blues that makes you smile
Не думал, что блюз может быть такой жизнерадостный и одновременно грустный. Прекрасный концерт. На роне с концертом Нирваны.
The King of the Blues! wahrhaftig ein begnadeter musiker, mit einem flair für das publikum. wer blues mag, der mag das album, und so bodenständig wie auf dieser platte wird er heute selten gespielt.
Cooles Live Album welches einem mitnimmt.
I like blues, though I'm not a massive B. B. King fan. That said this is a good live album, and unlike some other reviewers I think the audible responses of the audience add to the atmosphere of the recording. And King's guitar really sings.
I don't normally like live albums but this one isn't too bad. That's where he thrives, I assume. Add this one to the list of artists that Walk Hard parodied.
Blues! I enjoyed it a lot, I think live albums from decades ago are so interesting to listen to and this one really captures the vibe in the room.
I was reading about this legendary 50’s, 60’s Hollywood club called el mocambo. You’d walk in through a hallway surrounded by exotic birds which spit you out to a small chromed out theater style dinning area. Apparently it was the definition of a “if only these walls could talk” establishment. This is the music I’d want to listen to if I was there. “How blue can you get”
Great album but one I need to be in the mood for.
Absolutely zero onramp, just BB King immediately kicking your ass 10 seconds in. It's worth noting that such a morbid topic as chronic depression in the hands of BB King can somehow form an electrifying opening track. We get to slow down a bit during Sweet Little Angel and It's My Own Fault, but without the energy of the first track I wouldn't appreciate the second two as much. Masterful live audience energy direction on display. One thing that surprised me is how well balanced this is between vocals, instruments and the crowd noise. So many live albums overindex on crowd noise, which is understandable especially for older recordings or when an artist isn't great live. Fortunately BB King absolutely shreds live so they were able to feature that prominently while still capturing the background intimacy of audience reactions and acoustics of The Regal. I've never studied the history/etymology of Diss Tracks but hearing this rendition of How Blue Can You Get has me considering that this may be a formative entry in diss lore. It is my first time listening to this, and much of my overall value system for albums stems from how often I think about an album or find myself reaching for it consistently. Hard to tell what the revisit future holds here, which makes rating it confounding. I will say the overall flow and cohesiveness of this album makes it ideal for throwing on during dinner entertaining, or post dinner digestif libations. Hard to tell if I'm prone to hyperbole amidst so much disaster and catastrophe because I want things to be better than they are as a salve, but I really dig this. Conversely, it's hard to tell if I am somewhat numb to greatness because of the ubiquity and ease of access to art in the internet era. Probably would rate this a 3.75 but rounding up to 4.
nice one mr. king
verr niiice
Frábært live albúm. Skemmtilegur hljóðfæraleikur, söngurinn óaðfinnanlegur og crowdið obvi að fíla þetta í tætlur. The real BB King. Ekki þessi íslenski BB Queef.
Un peu lisse comme blues, mais quand même un live de légende
Short, sweet, and seamless listening experience. It sounds pretty damn good for being recorded in 1965! I especially enjoy the front half of the album.
Pa baš dosta najs, slušala sam ovo prije, ali nisam cijeli album. Fina čil glazba za kišno popodne 👌🏻 4/5, 8/10.
8.5/10 Čisti uzitak je ovo bilo slusat od pocetka do kraja. Inace mislim da se za ovakve legende vise isplati cuti neki live, nego preslusavat best of ili kompilacije. Ovo je za muzej ili za poslati u svemir. Jos sam neki dan procitao onaj clanak o CEO-u koji tvrdi kako je dobro sto AI preuzima glazbeni prostor jer ljudi inace ne vole stvarati muziku. Ali nabijem to 300 puta jer kad ovo cujes sve opet ima smisla. Vise B.B. Kinga u zivotu!
Very good blues album. Great sound
Great album!
I like it, very bluesy (naturally) and flows very well. He's got a great voice and that guitar has crazy good tone. Fave song: how blue can you get Least fave song: help the poor Would I listen again: probably, it's good as a casual listen
An excellent and electric live performance by one of the greats!
Second Live album on here that I actually enjoyed.
A marvelous entertaining recording of a live performance, I think its ridiculously fun to hear crowd goers whistling and howling in excitement, the instruments are beautiful recorded.. I can hear the piano and drums on one side, can almost imagine where they were positioned... energetic and soothing, although it is interesting that this album is so short!
Awesome
These 60s live blues/soul/R&B performances are working for me. Overall this one's a really good and enjoyable performance, and some of the audience responses are pretty funny.
Just a solid classic live blues album.
All day. Love it.
good
Very bluesy.
Thought I was going to dislike it just because of its age. Ended up enjoying this, love blues music and it wasn’t too long, which some live albums are.
Cozy
I can see why John Mayer loved this album and listened to it all the time. To have music like this in the mid 60s did so much for almost every genre of banging guitars going forward. The birth of the transcendental guitarist solos and the combo of this music and psych rock going forward would change my life
This is the way to do a live show and a live album. Good transitions and continuous flow. Women screaming in the background losing their minds, and rightfully so. These guy knows how to sing. King of Blues is on point. Would've been crazy to actually see this live. Am I just going to rate all of these older albums 4 stars?? tbd.
He really lives up to his name
This was my introduction to B.B King. My first thought is that he really knows how to work the crowd, and I love hearing them react throughout the show. My favorite moment is in Worry Worry, when he sings for the first time around 2 and a quarter minutes in. Chills.
Excellent voice. You can tell from the audience's reactions that he had a magical presence on stage. The King of the Blues prevails.
Released in 1965. Genre of blues. 10 songs. 34 minutes. 1. Everyday I Have the Blues. It’s kinda crazy to realize you’re listening to the screaming crowd where a lot have probably passed on. 2. Sweet Little Angel. What’s to hate? The amazing instrumentals? His deep raspy wailing? He’s the king of blues for a reason. 3. It’s My Own Fault. The audio commentary adds to it, for sure, but I’ve never been a fan of live recordings. Live music, yes. 4. How Blue Can You Get? I went on a Google journey. This guy had like 15 kids claiming to be his and he funded most of them for school. Seems none of them can prove it though. Makes you wonder. 5. Please Love Me. Allegedly, in an effort to end the children’s fighting about who his kids really were, he challenged them to DNA test and none of them took it, but left no DNA testing instructions after his death. So naturally they all went after his estate. I say test them. If it’s true, it’s true. But somehow the 18 would dwindle, I’d think. 6. You Upset Me Baby. Maybe this one’s to the 18. Haha. 7. Worry, Worry. I originally meant to review the actual songs in this format, but this stream of conscious listening session is amusing me more. 8. Woke Up This Mornin’. Well not this morning exactly. 9. You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now. It’s the wailing, it gets me every time. 10. Help the Poor. And we have reached the end. Standing ovation. Just wish I had been there. Where’s my time travel device? I might need to add this album to my LP collection truth be told.
While I don't typically enjoy live albums due to the cheering and stuff but I found this album to be very enjoyable.
• 4/5 • Great standards, great live performance • More swing/jazz in the arrangements than I was expecting (in a good way) • Would love to have seen that performance live
best of blues
my first proper live album for the 1001 project. the decision to include live recordings on this list might be a bit contentious, but I think a lot of the live albums I've seen in the list as I've skimmed the pages of the actual book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, many of the picks made by the team of writers that assembled the list are sensible ones. in particular, there's a focus on live jazz and blues recordings which, to me, aren't too much different from jazz and blues albums recorded in studio. whether they're in a studio or in front of a crowd of people, jazz and blues artists are going to play more or less the same stuff in the same way. and B.B. King can play some stuff! the spontaneity King and his band play the blues with is readily apparent. he would often start a tune without his bandmates knowing what it would be or what key it would be played in, and it takes a lot of skill to be able to follow along with that kind of leadership. their performances, especially during King's solo spots, are filled with the same kind of vivacity and interaction I usually expect from jazz musicians! the best part about this album, in my view, is that you can tell King has the crowd in the palm of his hand, both while singing and playing the hell out of his guitar. moving a whole crowd to scream and cheer for you with just a single phrase is a level of control I can't imagine being able to exert over an audience! my only complaint is that I wish this was another half hour longer. strong 7/10.
Bro is depressed! Loved it!
Production is really nice and the performance is excellent. A very solid album.
Thinking about Whiplash. Makes me want to be at a cool jazz club with a fancy cocktail. HIs voice, damn.
It’s on the Mount Rushmore of live albums.
Good album. I enjoy the genre and this was a great embodiment of it. Not much else to say about this one but I liked it.
Great live album with not one bad performance. It does begin to blend together during the middle section, but it picks up again as the end approaches.
See why he is a king
I’m not usually one for live albums but this is good. Love his voice and for me the audience noises add to it. Want to give it 3.5 because it is all a bit samey but I’m feeling generous this morning
I am listening to this 60 years and one day after it was recorded! This is older than any live concert I’ve listened to, and I don’t always enjoy live albums (I feel a bit left out) but I liked this. It has a warmth to it, and it allowed me to connect more to music and the people involved in it. I think modern blues music has a reputation of being boring, technical, and overwrought, but this doesn’t feel that way. It’s working musicians playing for working people. The singing is clear and powerful, not strained or affected. The solos are talented but not gratuitous. There’s a good energy and this was a delight to listen to.
Just classic BB King. Easy to listen to, plenty enjoyable. 4.5 for me
Incredibly breezy and exciting live album that serves as a small snapshot into King's genuis on the guitar and as a performer
Solid and quick
Albums like this are why I do it.
I really enjoyed this - calling BB King talented is not a hot take but I had never really listened to it before. His voice really pulls you in an this was a fun listen
This was great and led to enjoyable album radio on the Spotify
very good very blues
This is an endearing album that highlights “the king of the blues”. It all sounds so standard, but that is probably because he is the standard bearer. The crowd is INTO it. The back and forth between them and King characterize this album. I felt like I was there. And I had a great time.
An amazing performance, scattered with soothing talking segments and just the right amount of bluesy finesse. You can tell the audience were loving it.
I'm not hugely into blues, but this was great (if a touch repetitive). Will listen again.
Live albums are tricky to get right - there needs to be the right balance between the music and the between songs banter with the crowd. Fortunately this album hits all the right notes with a great atmosphere and phenomenal musicianship from the king of the blues himself. This still feels fresh, despite being recorded 60 years ago (and harking back to even earlier songs called out as “Real, real oldies!”). Not sure about his relationship advice though!
Nice blues album, pretty decent live record. I'm always questioning the existence of live album or compilation in this list, but there is a nice energy to this live and it's worth it.
This is probably as good as the blues gets for me. I like the big band sound and there's plenty of variety even though it all sticks to the blues theme. King's guitar solos are cool as well.
Energetic performances from this Blues Master! Recording production is relatively good considering the older technology and live setting.
Solid live album from the blues King.
Very good - you can loosely smell the atmosphere in the room!
'Goeie muziek jongens!' zoals mijn pa zou zeggen. Geen genre ligt zo aangenaam in het gehoor en is tegelijkertijd zo voorspelbaar. Er staat zowaar een nummer op met de letterlijke titel 'Woke up this morning'. Zo'n plaat moet het dus niet van de originaliteit hebben maar van de improvisatie en de intensiteit van de uitvoering. Maar B.B. doet dit misschien toch iets teveel op de automatische piloot. Er zijn wat tempowisselingen, een paar goeie solo's, maar er is weinig waarbij ik opveer. Leuk dus, maar ik ga er niet van stuiteren.
Vrij toegankelijk prima uitgevoerd blues-optreden. Niet zo heel veel over op te merken. Het mist wellicht iets extra's. Maar niets mis mee.
Ik vind live-albums altijd een beetje apart om op te nemen in een lijst. Want waarom wel live-albums, maar geen compilaties? Ergens is een live-album altijd een compilatie. Dus het voelt een beetje als valsspelen. Maar ja, als er een onvervalst potje bluesrock van koning BB voorbij komt, dan ga ik daar niet teveel over zeuren. Het zijn de typische jankende gitaren van BB, maar ook veel toeters en bellen en een zenuwachtige drummer af en toe. Het is allemaal niet hemelschokkend, eerder vergeetbaar, maar wel stukken beter dan Frank Zappa en kornuiten.
Good old blues. Nice and clean. A must listen for blues lovers.
Voice gave me chills!
Good blues. I can get behind this. Four stars.
Say, this guy's pretty good! "How Blue Can You Get?" is a lot of fun. And it's all good listening.
God, I would have loved to attend this show! B.B., his band and his audience are all connecting with each other on a molecular level.
A very endearing performance, it really holds your attention. Great guitar playing and singing. Some of the best blues out there. High 4.
Didn't realize he could sing like that 3.5
Unbelievable that this is the first time I listened to an entire BB record. And daaaaaaammmnnn.
I don't usually like live albums, but this was pretty good.
Live Blues yeah
One of the great live blues albums, of which the King has a few!
This is a lively recording of B B King in his prime, his guitar virtuosity lighting up a collection of blues and RnB numbers. The only downside is that overfamiliarity with his songs makes it harder to hear this album with fresh ears.
Great guitar work and he has a great voice. One of the better live albums I’ve heard in a while
Ya like jazz?
Favorite Track: How Blue Can You Get?
An awesomely good album. BB King was definitely trying to edge towards James Brown style showmanship and orchestration, but there's plenty blues and blues guitar in there as well. Very enjoyable.
Good album
Good stuff!!
4 stars
Damn. I saw BB in like 2001 but to hear him in his prime… Now I know why he got the hype he got.
This album is really fun. The performance is very tight and the band is clearly well rehearsed & familiar with each other. His song are like a conversation with the crowd broken up by amazing guitar bits. He tells a story throughout the show, and the crowd are absolutely loving it. There seems to either be an intermission in the middle, or its two different concerts? "How Blue Can You Get" has awesome saxophone and powerful vocals. "Please Love Me" has some of the most fun instrumentation on the album. I was moving my whole body listening to this one. "Worry Worry" has some of the most iconic vocals. I've heard quite a few live tracks of this song before. He does the "Ladies if you've got a man..." bit on more than one recording. I liked this album a lot, it's a great length and has great energy. I didn't love it as much as other live albums we've heard but it was great. 8/10
Another crazy live album from one of the greats. At times, the music is so good it feels like a studio recording. Everything about it is awesome.
Great Blues Album a bit showy but sounds great and high energy.
Nice instrumentals but lyrics a little weird
Makes me long for an alternate timeline where I didn't suck ass in jazz band and kept on good graces with Mr. Shipe. won't you help the poor?
3/4 stars, was good
Was quite surprised to hear BB King’s voice sound so good hitting high notes. Would have loved to hear him sing higher, gentler songs. Most of these songs sound similar. Band was tight as a drum.
Lovely blues album, calming but also groovey. Would listen again. Should listen closer to the lyrics given when it was made.
4 out of 5. This album makes the blues sound like a party and I would have loved to see these performances at least once, and King's guitar solos were gold.
Ah, The King of the Blues. I admittedly have not been exposed too much to B.B. King, so perhaps a live album is a good launching point. Blues music tends to sound same-y as a whole, but I think it thrives in a live setting. This is a pretty clean live production and King exudes a ton of charm throughout, energizing the patrons of the Regal Theater with his guitar and banter. Makes you wish you could slip back in time for one night to take in this legendary performance firsthand.
This is a very palatable live blues album. Really nice to listen to, great songs, amazing singing and instrumentation. A great album to listen to in the evening or when working. My main gripe with it is that it doesn't feel like a very cohearent live album. I think BB King gets 'introduced to stage' on a couple of different songs, which makes it feel like they have just taken songs from a few different recordings and smashed them together rather than the feel of a continuous concert. It's short at 35 minutes; I would feel shortchanged if I'd paid for a physical copy. But overall this is 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.
Not my personal style but can see the influence on music, very groovy. Amazing voice. None of the songs like extremely stuck out to me.
nice sound, not a lot to say but its great!
Schwacher erster Song, danach ganz chillige Musik zum nebenbei hören
Gute Atmosphäre, sehr gut live gespielt.
made the creamiest mac and cheese i've had in my entire life while listening to this i fw this more than i thought i would
Great stuff.
Slick, professionally played blues music. Compared to other albums we've gotten recently, it's not as energetic as LIVE AT LEEDS or LIVE AT THE APOLLO, or as jammy as LIVE/DEAD, or even as wild as CHEAP THRILLS (for all that album's "recorded in a studio"-ness). B.B.'s a consumate showman, and he can play the **hell** out of his guitar, even if he never lets himself get **that** out of control. Still, it's an album I've enjoyed a number of times before, and it's one I know I'll enjoy again. (Although, I'll also remark: crazy that this is here and not the Cook County Jail one. I know this one is regularly cited as a performance primer, and that's probably why it was here, but, man, that whole "performing in front of a prison crowd"t hing adds so much, you don't even... Jus' a bit of a shame is all. Seriously, check that album out if you dig this—or, like, AT FOLSOM PRISON, I guess.)
Great album from a younger BB King I saw live twice but later in his career. I'm always glad to hear my favorite tune (The Thrill is Gone) on any of his albums.
Damn this guy brings a show
I don’t like live albums but I do love the blues.
like it
Wish I could have been there.
Forgot to make notes for this before the weekend but think I really liked it. I’ll be generous.
D'habitude, jsuis pas un fan des albums live (surtout dans cette liste), mais cet album a réussi à capturer l'énergie et la frénésie de la foule et des musiciens, ce qui rajoute beaucoup à l'esprit folk du Blues
Can't argue with this really.
Big Blues King
So good!
Pretty decent live album. Hard to go wrong with live blues - long live the King! (Rip)
Probably the best example of Blues I've heard. Enjoyable listen.
Perfect for what it is—a live blues album. Initially, I thought B.B. King was overrated, but after learning to play some of his riffs, I realized their brilliance. Though not complex, they are perfectly crafted and have been imitated countless times. His guitar sound is incredible. The only reason I’m not giving this a 5/5 is that the album can feel repetitive, with the songs following a similar format and the lyrics revolving around the same themes. However, that's more of a critique of blues music in general.
Never gets old. BB King is a triple threat - entertaining emcee, amazing singer and fantastic guitar player. Fun time going through this again. You hear the influence on any modern blues guys
Three sad grunge albums followed up by the BLUES, talk about kicking a man while he’s down. BB brings so much emotion into simple his vocal melodies and guitar licks. It’s My Own Faul stands out but it’s a short album that has few dull moments. Fun to hear the interplay with the crowd and think about this being performed live in Chicago. Extra points for some really helpful advice to not go upside your woman on the head.
It was very good, if a little... well samey if I'm honest
Omg I thought I was gonna hate this wow so so sick How blue can you get 🙀🙀🙀🙀
Pas mal
I used to get surprised when so many of the jazz/blues albums of the tour were live versions, but legends like BB King show how important it is for this genre for it to feel like a 'personal' experience where both the artist and the crowd react along
Very intimate and giving a real feel of true blues, a real showcase of an icon
The swagger. The swing. The horns. That ferocious voice.
He sure does have the blues, I hope things turn around for him!
Really captures the live atmosphere of a great blues gig by one of the legends of the genre 4*
Leuk al die live albums
Liked this a lot - jazzy, toe tapping
Great blues album
Live at the Regal I wasn’t hopeful when the first track started, the jazzy and jauntily inane horns give it a 70s chat show feel. However the run of Sweet Little Angel, It’s My Own Fault and How Blue Can You Get the is truly superb. I’ve never really listened to much B.B. King so I didn’t really realise he had such an incredible singing voice, especially when you compare it to his very vaguely Kermit-esque speaking voice. I’m not as keen on Please Love Me and You Upset Me Baby. I don’t find that particular kind of uptempo jazz rhythm particularly satisfying, it feels a bit lightweight and doesn’t have the feel of the slower, blusier tracks, like the excellent Worry, Worry. Woke Up This Mornin’s freneticism works slightly better than Please Love Me and You Upset Me Baby, but it still has a bit too much of that TV jazz flavour. You Done Lost Your Good Thing is good, if not quite at the same level of the other slower tracks. I really liked the slight Caribbean feel on Help the Poor, it’s a great contrast to the rest of the tracks, with a very nice rhythmic slipperiness. Obviously his guitar playing is great, and his tone really is very lovely - smooth and warm like warmed up and smooth with no crunchy bits peanut butter, and when the songs are good they are truly excellent. He’s also clearly a great entertainer, and is brilliant with the crowd. However there are a few songs that don’t quite work for me, particularly on the second side, losing that sense of drama that the slower less jazz inflected songs create. It’s still a very good live album though and shows off his voice and playing superbly. It’s probably somewhere between a 3 and 4, it probably doesn’t have a huge amount of replayability, but that 3 song run on the first side really is superb, it is a fun listen and a kid of landmark blues album. It really is 3.5, but I’ll tip it over to 4 for the guitar playing and voice. 🤴🤴🤴🤴 Playlist submission: It’s My Own Fault
Listening after a day in the sun with Grandma Every day I have the blues - I like this a lot ! Added to my 1001 albums playlist Sweet little angel - this is good and vibey It's my own fault - this man has a niiiice voice How blue can you get - the transitions are So Good, so seamless Please love me - yeahh!! You upset me baby - post-interval song? This one is chiller than the others Worry, worry - Also very chill. I think I prefer the more upbeat ones! The second half of this song is cool, but was that... Misogyny ? Woke up this mornin - not much to say about this one! You done lost your good thing now - again, not much to say! Was good but not my fave Help the poor - the intro is fun, kinda samba-y? Another one for the playlist! Enjoyed this! V glad I listened to it
would've loved to have been in a that room, immaculate energy and vibes
Love a live album! You can really feel the energy of the crowd and the band feeding off of it.
B.B. King is like one of those musicians that is totally ubiquitous but whose music ive never heard in my life.. it was more rock than i expected and really fun!
Now this is a live album.
Ja, weer een live album, maar wel echt een goed live album. B.B. King heeft niet voor niks de achternaam King. Dit album doet me er aan herinneren dat ik meer blues moet luisteren. Heerlijk album. Ruw, puur en een beetje 'vuil', maar dan op de goeie manier. 4.2*
now this is a live album that does make you say it would probably be so awesome to hear this live
It’s My Own Fault I haven’t listened to this before now.
Pretty fantastic live album. 4.4.
This bangs pretty hard.
4.6 great stuff
Heel chill
Most of the live albums on this 1001 have been really iconic, but this one kind of was a bit underwhelming. I did like to hear the younger BB so it did a good job in capturing that. I had been introduced to BB when he was about twice as old as he was in this recording, so it's fair to say he sounds quite a bit different. For a prolific musician like Mr King I think there are probably a dozen better albums. None of this is to say this album was bad by any means, it has a great vibe and aura captured as a time capsule. Favorite track "How Blue can you get" 3.5/5
This is blues music at its finest.
Almost too snappy music for a blues album.
Lots of trumpets, good listen, solid blues, 7.5/10
To be in the audience and experience this album live would be incredible. "How blue can tou get" was an absolute stand out. BB is a true blues master.
Blues, YES!
Very solid for a live album. 4/5
Quintessential album by one of the most recognizable artists in the genre. BB King does some very “pop” sounding interpretations of his favorites, and everyone sounds like they’re having a good time. Killer guitar solos from a unique stylist, and his voice is in peak form.
I'll never say no to some B. B. King
Fantastic guitar player. Can hear the influence he had on players later on
Really good album. Super entertaining. BB was a blues guitar master.
This is sooooo insane. I love the crowd noise in this too! It really adds to it overall. Some amazing tracks on here! Overall such a fun listen and B.B. King is a blues icon
Classic blues album.
Wooooohoooo!!!!
This is great! So much energy throughout, and I love how the music carries across all of the tracks even while he's speaking/interacting with the crowd. Spotify has a slight pause between each one, but I'm sure on Vinyl it's very smooth and continuous. The backing band is impressively tight, and there wasn't a single song that felt out of place.
Good live blues from B.B.
What a great album. How Blue Can You Get is fantastic.
King of Blues. Nice live album overall.
Brews. Blues. And bruises.
That guitar tone is insane! For someone to be blessed with that and amazing voice is unfair. I’ve been down hearted baby! I struggle with rating live albums but this is just too dang good.
This was fun. B.B. being B.B. and the crowd loving it. Not sure I’d call this a historically great album, but still enjoyable. 3.5/5
Quite nice to listen to
Solid
That was actually really good and I do understand why so many people think it is one of the greatest live recordings of all time. But imo it’s not the greatest. Sorry B.B.!
I didn't expect a live album to be so interactive! With other live albums, I hated the clapping at the end of each song. But with this one the crowd feels like a part of the performance which makes it really enjoyable. Loved the music, of course but as a live album it's probably my #1 from this journey.
Great stuff. BB kills it.
Never considered myself much of a blues fan, bit this was a great album. Really liked the crowd sounds/interaction.
Blues music is great and BB is one of the masters. Haven’t heard enough of his discography to say if this is a true highlight for him but it’s a great album. The emotive vocals, sparse but effective guitar, and an electric crowd all are awesome. First four tracks + help the poor are my favs. Definitely get the complaint that it’s too samey sounding though, especially on side b.
remarkable
One of the better live albums I've been given so far. B.B. King is obviously great, it's not a mind blowing album, but I enjoyed listening to it.
This is very good for a live album. The crowd is a bit distracting but it's fine. B.B. King does a good job here. "Live at The Regal" is one of the few live albums on this list. The album slows down near the end. I'll give it 4 stars.
Such a great player
A lot more fun than I anticipated. I found myself clapping along. Live seems to be his place
Such an incredible documentation of music history. Not only does B.B. King and his band play flawlessly for the entire performance but the audience that B.B. commands is just as much a part of the show. The recording perfectly captures all of these electric elements and puts you in the middle of it all. I’ve seen some pretty impressive blues bands perform at small clubs and festivals before and I feel like this album really defines what those bands were chasing. As for B.B. King studio albums I love Indianola Mississippi Seeds and Completely Well but this may be on my short list of favorite live albums.
I don't think I've ever heard B.B. King's voice sound so young! Happy to hear him in his prime! Of course, the guitar playing on here is legendary. I can hit individual notes on a guitar, but it takes a certain kind of magic to make it move and sing so effortlessly. You can hear a direct transmission from his muse to your ears with no interference in between. A live album doesn't have the benefit of multiple takes and changing instrumentation. Before keyboards and laptops, you heard the same sounds at differing volumes song after song. B.B.'s got a full band behind him, and it never gets monotonous. I love the banter, and I love how they move between songs without stopping at times. Though technically "the blues," the jazz improvisation going on in the background on the slower songs is glorious and in-the-moment. "How blue can you get? The answer's right here in my heart." Mic drop. This isn't just well-performed playing and singing, but a performance in banter, audience interaction, and stage presence. You feel you're there and part of it. Though this is the blues, there's nothing but good vibes here.
I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would. I didn't think I would dislike it, but in mind straight blues is a bit more of a limited rule bound genre, but I think BB maybe opened some doors for me on this album. I did not grow up listening to blues music and I think maybe to some degree, Blues, like Zydeco or maybe Bluegrass music is something that has strong cultural elements that are grown up with. First off his backing band is absolutely killer. Some of the songs sound a bit more like jazz. My favorites were Please Love Me, You Upset Me and Help the Poor. I liked the shuffle style that the drummer played on some of the songs. A bit more on me not listening to blues growing up and a little about offshoots of music rooting back to Africa. The music I initially grew up on was Calypso, which originated in Trinidad. Other offshoots of Calypso are Kaiso, Chutney, Soca, and Extempo. The Christmas music of Trinidad is Parang and there's also Soca Parang. This stuff is specific to Trinidad as Reggae, Ska and Dancehall Reggae originate in Jamaica. Same region....very different dialect and style. Think American English vs Scottish English. Here are other types of music coming from other Caribbean countries: Kompa, Zouk, Reggaeton, Merengue, Son, Mambo, Salsa, and throw in Samba and Bossa Nova even though those come from further south in Brazil....all distinct sounds and styles and at times languages all with roots going back to Africa. All this to say that even though Blues has a different history, feel, cadence, dialect, note selection, structure and instrumentation to it, there was still a familiarity to me like old school calypso. The story telling aspect, the double meaning (the angel opens up her wings for him?...maybe this is why BB had 15 kids ?), the banter with the crowd, are all aspects that can be found in old school calypso tents in the 1930s and 40s, and to some degree today.....even though the sadness and downtrodden feel is not really there in Calypso. So BB's approach to blues really made my mind wonder back to the roots what types of music came out of Africa and slavery. Blues is a type of music that cannot really be faked, it's something that is lived and strongly related to. I am fascinated by the ease with which BB improvised solos on his guitar and made all the standard vocal riffs and runs when he sang. He seemed effortless. U2 is one of my top 10 bands and they did a song with BB called 'When Love Comes To Town'....though I think U2 did a decent job, but were a bit forced.....in that song you really get to hear the difference between guys that are fans of Blues music (U2), and a guy that IS and has LIVED it......BB.
Most of my exposure the B.B. King has been limited to the later portion of his life, where he'd be brought on stage to perform the same several standards. So, this served as a great primer as to why he was so important and vital to music in his time.
Insanely good - not just the guitar playing, of which BB is an obvious master, but his vocals also carry such feeling, which the crowd so obviously responds to. Just an amazing listen all around.
A live album that isn't two hours! This is fun - BB is a legend.
good
From the 70s onward, blues has tended to be associated with low-skill, low-energy music for boring members of the Silent Generation. This album, as with some of the best music of the 50s and 60s, blows that idea out of the water. This is what true blues sounds like. Powerful, soulful vocals, a swung rhythm that can flip between mourning and upbeat, a walking bassline, and some jazzy, involved percussion. Plus, of course, we have B.B. King's excellent guitar playing. Despite its relative obscurity for this list (at least in terms of Spotify listens), I don't see how Live At The Regal could get any less than a 4. It does have its flaws, though. Being a live album, and one that seems quite improvised at that, the tracks differ in mood but not in instrumentation or key. Seriously, it really feels like all of these are in the same key, making for poor album flow. I have the same problem with albums like Led Zeppelin's debut, where the two consecutive blues numbers on side 1 are in the same key, greatly decreasing how memorable one of them (You Shook Me) is. The same problem occurs here, particularly on side 2. Still, music like this makes my soul move. And not all music can do that. 4/5 Key tracks: Every Day I Have The Blues, Sweet Little Angel, How Blue Can You Get, Help The Poor
It's another classic live blues album from one of the masters, and this time it's B.B. King at the Regal Theater in Chicago circa 1964. The show was pretty good, where the crowd got into it, and King himself had some nice banter in between songs. There are only a few nitpicks I had. I might be missing the context of a show intermission, but B.B. King was introduced again at the start of side two with "You Upset Me Baby." Also, the closing number "Help the Poor" wasn't as big of an ending as I would have liked. Still, I can see why this is considered a classic blues staple. Check it out.
Solid
This isn't bad for a live album, in fact it is kind of fun to hear everyone losing their minds over each song. I do wonder if the tracks would sound better in a studio recording, but they're not bad at all. Favorite track: "How Blue Can You Get?"
Good, energetic blues.
Absolutely explosive. Love this vibe, not a lot to criticise. 8.5/10
This list of records reminds me that live blues is really fun, especially when it's done by masters like BB King.
There were less guitar work outs than I was expecting, but the ones there were are fantastic. I think it might actually have been better served by being longer, which is not a criticism I often have. Is there a deluxe edition somewhere out there?
Lovely love album by the King. Loved hearing the audience reactions. A great blues record. 4/5 Will listen again
C'est toujours bon ça.
A great line album that paints a vivid picture of a sixties blues joint where the King is playing!
Hail to the King, baby. Wish I had better words for describing my feelings towards the music, but I simply love blues and there's no better blues than B.B. King's.
This was fun, impressive for so much charisma to carry through on a live performance. 3.5/5
Absolutely fantastic
Every Day - 4 Sweet Little Angel - 4 It's My Own Fault - 4 How Blue Can You Get - 4 Please Love Me - 4 You Upset Me Baby - 4 Worry, Worry - 4 Woke Up This Mornin - 4 You Done Lost - 4 Help the Poor - 4 Not my daily taste, but I genuinely appreciate blues. Very good.
06/10/24 S Tier—————————5 A Tier—————————4 Everyday I Have The Blues Sweet Little Angel You Upset Me Baby B Tier—————————3 It’s My Own Fault How Blue Can You Get Worry Worry C Tier—————————2 D Tier—————————1
Cool blues and great lyrics. Classic.
Incredible album, great find, love the live atmosphere. Will be adding this to a playlist
Really good stuff from the king
The engagement makes you feel like you're actually there. I can imagine it: an enigmatic man and his comrades put you in a lighthearted trance of an evening. A fun atmosphere, the beautiful instrumentation is only complemented by the passionate singing and witty remarks. This will probably never be my favourite kind of music but it sure was entertaining.
He was cookin The band was cookin Even the crowd was cookin They made a sizzlin dish 🤌
Bom demais
Although it almost feels like cheating to have a live album that largely consists of an artist's range of singles, it's still a great album and showcase for B. B. King. ("Cheating" only in the sense from what I can tell of the collection's "rules" for inclusion, although I'm guessing that the fact that most of B. B. King's discography consists of singles gives him a bit of a pass anyway.) I'm also really impressed at the quality of the recording, as you really get a feel for the audience and the instruments, which must have been a tough accomplishment in the mid-1960s. It sounds like a fun concert, and I'm guessing the band enjoyed it almost as much as the appreciative audience. A fun tribute to an iconic musician and artist.
was lowkey bipolar, but i love the more jazzy blues, and the sound of the live audience. my fav song was “how blue can you get?” the conversation with the sax was 🤌🏼
I'm just astonished how his live sound and his recorded sound are so close to each other. What I didn't realize is that girls were losing it over him like they did the Beatles. Beware that this album does have lots of teenage girl screaming
Great artist and album
BB King is absolutely a major figure in the Blues, but in a way, he stands so high in the genre, he's apart from it. This is a solid performance with an enthusiastic crowd. I have been lucky enough to see BB King twice before he died, and I don't consider myself a big fan of the Blues. BB King, however, is a consummate entertainer, a brilliant guitarist, and an empassioned vocalist. The band is right there along side him, right in the pocket. Great live album, and I don't like live albums.
blues goodness. one of the best ever
This makes me want to find the closest blues/jazz club to go listen to some good live music. BB knocks it out of the park here with this live performance.
8.5/10
Fun listen. I've never been overly impressed by BB King's chops but he's been extraordinarily influential to those who I am impressed by.
This is really good fun, the live recording really gives it some edge and even more energy than it has already. Blues can sometimes get a bit slow and a bit languid, but this is the opposite of that, and I really like it. Comfortable 4/5.
Smooth as can be, the King walks us through a great short set of the Blues. I enjoy how casual it is with some of the songs being linked by stories and letting the band keep playing as BB spoke directly to the audience. His voice hasn't aged much here and that makes it sound a bit odd to me, but still all of the same emotion and pride you'd expect from the man
Blues typ sykt digg