B. B. King

INCLUDES 2 BONUS TRACKS

This quintessential collector’s edition includes King’s sensational album, "I Love You So", which was issued by the United Artists label and remained unavailable on vinyl for a long time. 1959 proved a year of recovery for King following a devastating accident with his tour bus the previous year. King had just relocated from Memphis to California and on this album he is heard in peak form. He is backed by a well-arranged horn section influenced by the big bands of Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Duke Ellington. Stylistically, the compositions consist of mature, string-laden ballads alongside straight R&B shuffles. The more jazz-oriented numbers are the jump blues “I’ve Got Papers on You, Baby,” and the ballad “The Fool.” “Sweet Thing,” “We Can’t Make It,” and “The Woman I Love” embrace the slow-burning, guitar-oriented blues for which King is best known. Shades of gospel are heard on “Come by Here,” while “I Love You So” fuses doo-wop with urban blues.

The album’s sessions were recorded in California using the accompaniment of a small orchestra. It features Johnny Board (tenor saxophone), Lawrence Burdine (alto saxophone), Kenny Sands (trumpet), Ralph Hamilton (bass), Millard Lee (piano), and Ted Curry (drums), King’s stinging guitar and powerful voice come across beautifully. These ten tracks had been previously compiled on the LP B.B. King Wails, released by the Crown label in 1959, but with the A and B sides reversed.

This Vinyl Lovers collector’s LP also includes 2 bonus tracks: the fabulous “3 O’clock Stomp” and “Trouble in Mind” (which were recorded in 1962 with Maxwell Davis and his orchestra).

PERSONNEL:

B.B. KING, vocals and guitar,
plus:

Johnny Board (tenor saxophone*
Lawrence Burdine (alto saxophone)
Kenny Sands (trumpet)
Ralph Hamilton (bass)
Millard Lee (piano)
Ted Curry (drums)

Recorded in Los Angeles, California, 1959.

BONUS TRACKS: “3 O ‘Clock Stomp” and “Trouble in Mind”:

Maxwell Davis (ts), William Green, Jewell Grant (as), Floyd Turnham (bas), Ralph
Hamilton (b), Lloyd Glenn (p), Jesse Sailes (d). Unknown trumpet players.
Recorded in Los Angeles, California, 1962.

SIDE A:

01. I LOVE YOU SO
02. THE WOMAN I LOVE
03. WE CAN’T MAKE IT
04. TREAT ME RIGHT
05. TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
06. 3 O’CLOCK STOMP (aka POONTWANGIE) (*)

SIDE B:

01. SWEET THING
02. I’VE GOT PAPERS ON YOU, BABY
03. TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY
04. COME BY HERE
05. THE FOOL
06. TROUBLE IN MIND (*)

(*) BONUS TRACKS