I'll Play the Blues for You [1972]

by Albert King

Overview

It's not as if Albert King hadn't tasted success in his first decade and a half as a performer, but his late-'60s/early-'70s recordings for Stax did win him a substantially larger audience. During those years, the label began earning significant clout amongst rock fans through events like Otis Redding's appearance at the Monterey International Pop Festival and a seemingly endless string of classic singles. When King signed to the label in 1966, he was immediately paired with the Stax session team Booker T. & the MG's. The results were impressive: "Crosscut Saw," "Laundromat Blues," and the singles collection Born Under a Bad Sign were all hits. Though 1972's I'll Play the Blues for You followed a slightly different formula, the combination of King, members of the legendary Bar-Kays, the Isaac Hayes Movement, and the sparkling Memphis Horns was hardly a risky endeavor. The result was a trim, funk-infused blues sound that provided ample space for King's oft-imitated guitar playing. King has always been more impressive as a soloist than a singer, and some of his vocal performances on I'll Play the Blues for You lack the intensity one might hope for. As usual, he more than compensates with a series of exquisite six-string workouts. The title track and "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" both stretch past seven minutes, while "I'll Be Doggone" and "Don't Burn Down the Bridge" (where King coaxes a crowd to "take it to the bridge," James Brown-style) break the five-minute barrier. Riding strutting lines by bassist James Alexander, King runs the gamut from tough, muscular playing to impassioned cries on his instrument, making I'll Play the Blues for You one of a handful of his great Stax sets. ~ Nathan Bush

Product Details

Release Date:	04/05/2011
Label:	UNIVERSAL MUSIC DISTRIBUTION
UPC:	0025218851312
Rank:	31216

Tracks

1. I'll Play the Blues for You
2. Little Brother (Make a Way)
3. Breaking Up Somebody's Home
4. High Cost of Loving
5. I'll Be Doggone
6. Answer to the Laundromat Blues
7. Don't Burn Down the Bridge ('Cuz You Might Wanna Come Back Across)
8. Angel of Mercy

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Albert King   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
The Memphis Horns   Guest Artist,Horn
Bar-Kays   Guest Artist,Rhythm

Technical Credits

William Brown   Engineer
Lewis Wells   Composer
Carl William Smith   Composer
Joe Tarantino   Mastering
Homer Banks   Composer
Johnny Moore   Composer
Jerry Beach   Composer
Warren "Pete" Moore   Composer
Al Jackson, Jr.   Composer
Albert King   Composer
Clifton William Smith   Composer
Carl Wells   Composer
Smokey Robinson   Composer
Marvin Tarplin   Composer
Raymond Jackson   Composer
Timothy Matthews   Composer
Hamlett   Composer
Tom Wheeler   Liner Notes
Ron Gordon   Original Cover Artwork
William "Billy" Brown   Engineer
J. Jones   Composer
Pete Moore   Composer
David Krieger   Art Direction
Larry Shaw   Creative Director
Marshall Jones   Composer
Jerry Marlon Beach   Composer
Allen Jones   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Sherwin Hamlett   Composer
Henry Bush   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Remixing