Fine mix of live
Compared to other efforts, "Great Moments With B.B. King" is something of a lesser effort. The first half of the album is comprised of intimate, live club performances. The second half are studio tracks. If you love "ol' school" sounding blues then this is for you. Part of the ol' school trick comes from the mixing. Whether live or in the studio, these records are usually mixed to sound as if the drums and bass guitar are in the back of the stage/studio, followed by organ and/or rhythm guitar in the middle, with horns, lead guitar & vocals up front. This album sticks by the ol' school method faithfully and sounds better for doing so. The studio cuts are not as great as the small club performances; the first 5 live tracks are especially mindblowing. Maybe you've heard the King or Lucille sound better on other albums and you may be right, but the feeling is still overwhelming. This album is authentic, gritty blues from the King that would soon be replaced by the air-tight, blemish-free performances we now know (but love anyway).
