When Albert Cummings recorded this live album at the historic Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA, the audience was so enthralled and supportive they became part of the performance in a way that's rarely heard. Albert and h... more »is band responded with a blistering set of great originals and killer covers of Zeppelin, Little Feat and Muddy Waters tunes. With producer Jim Gaines at the controls and Albert's incredible display of guitar virtuosity and deep emotion this is one live performance that is bound to become a blues rock classic.« less
When Albert Cummings recorded this live album at the historic Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA, the audience was so enthralled and supportive they became part of the performance in a way that's rarely heard. Albert and his band responded with a blistering set of great originals and killer covers of Zeppelin, Little Feat and Muddy Waters tunes. With producer Jim Gaines at the controls and Albert's incredible display of guitar virtuosity and deep emotion this is one live performance that is bound to become a blues rock classic.
CD Reviews
RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "IF YOU'RE HESITATING BEFORE BUY
Rick Shaq Goldstein | Danville, Ca, USA | 01/27/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am an electric blues and blue/rock fanatic. I spend at least 25% of my free time researching electric blues. I read the few BLUES magazines available... and am always investigating on Amazon. I had this CD pop up as a recommended buy to me based on my buying history a couple of months ago... and after I listened to the 30 second minuscule samples on Amazon... I wasn't impressed enough to buy it. But a lesson learned... is that a 30 second sample... especially with electric blues... is worthless. The artist can't even tune his strings in 30 seconds. Then one day while I was brushing my teeth I had XM Bluesville on my TV... and I heard a long... great... string bending... blues song... and I turned around and saw that it was Albert Cummings' "FEEL SO GOOD". I don't know about you... but one of my 3 or 4 main criteria's when it comes to electric blues... is the length of songs. I then went back to Amazon to see the song lengths (not all Amazon products have that listed)... and 6 out of the 11 songs were over 5-minutes-30 seconds long... and three songs were over 7-minutes long. Of course this is no guarantee that they would be good... but to me... that is a better signal... than a 30 second sound bite. Well... I then ordered this CD... and to say I'm thrilled is an absolute understatement. This is a tremendous electric-blues-rock live performance. Albert bends the strings like SRV and his 8-minute-39-second medley "HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN/DIXIE CHICKEN" is a classic. And I must add that this song is the first live performance... that I've heard... where the part where the crowd joins in... has to make you smile. "BARRELHOUSE BLUES" is a 7-minute-19-second string-bending demonstration of what the blues are all about.
I could describe other songs in similar detail... and also add that Albert wrote six of the songs himself... which always makes me enjoy the music more... because I figure the artist feels the words more... when they're his words. The reason I entitled this review in the way I did... was because once I got this CD... I was so mad at myself for holding off with my buying decision... I wanted to take the time to help someone else speed up their decision... and not miss out on even a few days... let alone a few weeks... of joy... like I did. *YOU-WILL-NOT-BE-DISAPPOINTED*
"
White Blues Guitar Can Be Good
Arthur Shuey | Wilmington, NC USA | 09/25/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"There are white blues guitarists trying to sound authentic(black) and there are white blues guitarists working from the foundation laid by the (white) blues rock power trios of the late `60s and early `70s(basically, Cream to 10 Years After). None of these guitarists are going to hell for their musical direction and preference. Albert Cummings happens to be of the latter general grouping.
He's been on the road and recording for some time and never put out a record this reviewer would call "bad." He chooses good material and still, from the sounds of Feels So Good, feels so good about challenging himself to excel on every song, phrase and lick.
What makes him fairly unique among the white power trio front man blues rock axmen is that he does songs and shows for the audience. Most of these guys, these days, are out to amuse themselves, to see how long they can delude themselves into thinking they're not repeating any phrases during that 192-bar solo. Albert Cummings, for all his love of fast, screaming electric guitar, loves to entertain and give his audience a great show just as much.
Is this release any better than his previous work on this or other labels? It's as good. One can't really say much more than that. He's a praise-worthy, purchase-worthy, look-for-him-on-tour-worthy guy.
"
One of the best live CDs ever!
Roy a/k/a BluesMan | Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin | 11/06/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One of the best live albums by far I've ever heard! Eleven total songs of pure Albert Cummings on guitar and vocals, Dan Broad on bass and Aaron Scapin on drums. Does it get any better than this? Hardly! From the great cover songs to Albert's originals, this CD is a must buy for anyone that loves Blues/Rock music. And something Albert told me not long ago in Chicago, was that he had been sick the entire week before this show with strep throat. Once taking the stage all the sickness went away and Albert went on stage and just wowed this audience. But that's nothing new for Albert and Band, they do that night after night!"
The blues makes me feel so good...
James Prial | San Francisco, CA USA | 10/23/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"and if you like electric guitar blues, played with passion, and like the reviewer before me commented on, played for the audience, this is a good choice. I saw Albert live in San Jose, in a tiny bar (great setting to hear this kind of music), and this disc captures his live act very well.
A bit of history, I first heard AC on XM Radio, and was so blown away I went right out and bought the album. It was "True to Yourself". Pick anyone of his records, you can't go wrong. Good singer too."