Roadhouse Blues

Personnel: Albert King (vocals, guitar).
Recording information: Fantasy Studios, Berkeley (01/1984); Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (01/1984); Montreux Jazz Festival (01/1984); Stax Studios, Memphis (01/1984); Fantasy Studios, Berkeley (07/01/1973); Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (07/01/1973); Montreux Jazz Festival (07/01/1973); Stax Studios, Memphis (07/01/1973); Fantasy Studios, Berkeley (07/1972); Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (07/1972); Montreux Jazz Festival (07/1972); Stax Studios, Memphis (07/1972); Fantasy Studios, Berkeley (07/1974); Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (07/1974); Montreux Jazz Festival (07/1974); Stax Studios, Memphis (07/1974); Fantasy Studios, Berkeley (1972); Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (1972); Montreux Jazz Festival (1972); Stax Studios, Memphis (1972).
Photographer: Joseph A. Rosen.
A 1991 collection of Albert King's recordings for Stax, Roadhouse Blues doesn't quite live up to its title, as it isn't down and dirty like the blues played at an out-of-the-way juke joint. Instead, this is slick, funky soul-blues that emphasizes the blues somewhat but certainly has a bit of the slick, keyboard-and-horn-fueled funkiness of the '70s. There are a couple of oddities here -- a version of "Killing Floor" that has a vocal, a live version of "Match Box Blues" from Wattstax -- but this is best thought of as a nice sampler of Albert King's somewhat unheard and definitely underrated early-'70s work. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine