Aural Fixations

BB KING
The Ultimate Collection
(Geffen)
BB King has been releasing records since 1948, so no single CD collection could possibly be definitive. Considering the sheer length of the man's career, each decade would require its own box set. But The Ultimate Collection is no half-assed midline compilation either.

The hits are well represented. "Three O'Clock Blues," from 1951, finds a young King pacing the floor while he wonders where his baby's gone. His voice is plaintive and his guitar playing is acrobatic, not quite as lyrical as it would become. "How Blue Can You Get?" is a concert favorite still, a full-band rave-up in which he sings, "I gave you seven children, and now you wanna give 'em back!"

"Sweet Little Angel" is taken from Live at the Regal, arguably the best live blues album, period. At that point (1965) the man was already a seasoned road veteran, and he had the audience right where he wanted them. During the fluid first notes of the solo the audience screams like they'd just seen a Beatle. "The Thrill is Gone" makes its obligatory appearance, as does "When Love Comes to Town," his duet with U2. King has actually been doing a greatly rearranged version of the latter in his live show for over a decade, but the original holds up well.

Some good choices of lesser-known songs are included as well. "Chains and Things" is a brooding inner-city interplay between BB's guitar strings and a strings of the orchestral variety; it should have been as big as "The Thrill is Gone." And "There Must Be a Better World Somewhere" is a Doc Pomus/Dr. John song from King's Grammy-winning album of the same name. Shamefully it's out of print, so having the title cut here is welcome indeed.

The Ultimate Collection is an excellent starting place for anyone interested in discovering the music of BB King. Then you'll need Live at the Regal, Live in Cook County Jail, Blues on the Bayou, Blues Summit, Indianola Mississippi Seeds… Brian Briscoe [buy it]