 "Great audio, great performance, horrible edits" | 2008-08-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3R2LSG1IXGMA6 |
So they finally went back and remastered the muddy audio on this classic album! The new sound is fantastic -- clear as a bell. Sadly, while the audio was being cleaned up, no one bothered to clean up the very, very sloppy edits (especially in the second half), such as when the second intro of B.B. (why two separate intros, anyway?) gets abruptly chopped off and goes right into a song that from the background crowd noise came at some other point in the show. If you're going to do a live album, the tracks should at least create the illusion of a live show, especially in this digital era when fade-outs and fade-ins are no longer used, and audience applause can be smoothly edited in to create seamless transitions!
The performance is powerful and this is definitely a 5-star recording that has been royally botched by sloppy and oh-so-obvious edits. In addition, many remasters go back and add in some bonus tracks. If no original source material survives (which may be the case 42 years after this performance!), then something from the era is added as a bonus and the CD is fleshed out to anywhere from 60 to 79 minutes long. Not here. You get the original 35 minutes. No more. No less.
Anyone who's seen what Legacy is doing with classic LPs (adding more to the original CD, plus a second CD of extra material) by Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, The Who, etc., surely have some idea how this great LP could have been updated for the 21st century. What we get is clearer audio, and nothing else. What a disappointment! |
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 "Live At The Regal" | 2008-04-07 |
| - Reviewed By mortonsguitar |
B.B. King-Live At The Regal *****
Recorded live at the Regal in Chicago in 1964 this went on to become what is now widely considered the all time greatest live blues album. This is rightly deserved as this is in fact the greatest live blues album of all time.
King's single note guitar lines are crisp as ever, and his vocals are beyond comparison. Aside from being obviously his best live recording, Live At The Regal is the best recording of King period. This is with out a doubt the best version of 'Sweet Little Angel' ever released. The essential version is more correct. 'Every Day I Have The Blues' and 'Its My Own Fault' are among some of the most inspired performances ever caught on tape. The albums closer 'Help The Poor' is just gut-wrenching. Pure bliss!
This performance is pure electric. With every passing listen to Live At The Regal I still get chills all down my spine, and if you ask me that is the mark of a fantastic album after all these years and listens. |
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| "The KIng at his best" | 2007-04-02 |
| - Reviewed By User: A366YEDDHR3EXW |
| As a Memphis native, I have heard B.B. on many occasions. Never have I seen or hear him play with the same passion he did here in 1964. The quality of the recording is outstanding, with Lucille giving the center-stage on many occasions. The clarity and quality is amazing for a forty year old recording. This is the live B.B. King recording to buy. The Cook County Jail performance from 1971 is a close second, but the quality is not nearly as good. |
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| "b.b. king at the top of his form." | 2007-03-13 |
| - Reviewed By catrinka@citilink.com |
| recorded live at the regal theatre, chicago in 1964, this is generally considered b.b. king's best album, and deservedly so. this is simply one of the great urban blues albums of all-time. b.b.'s singing is as powerful and nuanced on this recording as it was ever to be, before or after. his guitar playing is at a peak of expressive beauty here, far more tasteful and beyond the technic, at this point, of what any rock and roll guitarist was yet capable of. yes, the rock and rollers would improve greatly in time, but this was 1964, and King was the undisputed guitar king. a fine horn section, it should be mentioned, also graces the album. the whole affair is magical. a great night in recording history. |
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| "A must have for any blues collection" | 2006-12-28 |
| - Reviewed By virgil61 |
BB King's Live at the Regal is a recording of a great show performed at the Regal Theater in Chicago in 1965. Considered among many, including myself, as his greatest album its a must for any blues collection. King is at the top of his form and you can hear it in his guitar playing. His band gives their all and, importantly, the song selections are magnificent.
Its a great recording of a great performance. Its also a perfect introduction to the blues for neophytes as well. Highly recommended. |
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| "Regally Overrated" | 2006-06-15 |
| - Reviewed By tomdci |
| I can't believe the touch of B.B. King. I enjoy his playing immensely. I know this album gets buried in accolades. But I don't like it. The quality is poor and, differing from other's opinions, the crowd noise takes away from the music. B.B. said, in so many words, that Live at the Regal was far from his choice as his best recording. Typically, he said he wouldn't argue with success--and left it at that. There are so many good albums by B.B. You can't go wrong for $4.65 for the "Ultimate Collection". Sure it doesn't have them all--but it has quite a few of his great songs, including a few from Live at the Regal. I would steer clear of this selection. Or I'll send you mine for free! |
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| "You Really Have To Hate Music To Not Like This" | 2006-05-12 |
| - Reviewed By spatulajr |
One of the first things people notice when listening to B.B. King's Live At The Regal album is that the response of the audience is rapturous, almost like the congregation at a Pentecostal church. There's a reason for this. This is simply the natural response of anyone hearing the King of the Blues at the peak of his powers.
The critic Lester Bangs once wrote that the reason we listen to music in the first place is to hear passion expressed. If this is the case, which I believe it is for most of us, I can think of very few recordings that are more worthy of your time than Live At The Regal.
I was going to continue on about B.B.'s silky-smooth guitar tone on this album, Erick Labson's excellent remastering job on this CD (Wow - those drums sound GREAT!), B.B.'s incredible gift for pacing a show just right, and so forth, but this is all ultimately superfluous. Let me simply say that B.B. King's music transcends genre distinctions - he is simply one of the treasures of American popular music, and this is him at his finest. To paraphrase a commentator I recently heard on NPR, you really have to hate music to not like this. |
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| "A Blues Timemachine" | 2006-05-11 |
| - Reviewed By cookrich |
| Absolutely one of the finest live albums of all times. I bought this album because it was listed as one of the top 100 guitar albums of all time in Guitar Player Magazine. You get lightning in a bottle here with BB King at the height of his powers. The audience is alive and you can feel the young woman hyperventilating and swooning to BB King's rendition of some blues classics. His voice is flawless, still velvety smooth, especially when compared with later live albums by BB King. There is the perfect mixture of BB King's introductions or setups for each tune, guitar, vocals and audience reaction. The sound is immaculate, balanced and clear. His guitar playing is efficient and his timing is perfect. It makes you wonder why more recent "live albums" lack the spontaneity and quality found in this recording. The only regret is the album is not longer. |
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 "Not what I expected and a bit over-rated." | 2005-10-04 |
| - Reviewed By cd_library |
From the other reviews on this site I was led to believe this is some fantastic CD and found out to be otherwise. I would not rate it as excellent but it is worthwhile.
I admire BB King's virtuosity but on this CD you will not hear lot of his instrumental work but lot of loud blues singing.
On some of the tracks the emotional intensity of BB King's singing does come across with realism, therefore in this respect it is a fine recording with good transparency and separation.
On some of the tracks BB King's guitar comes from the right channel and his voice is centered.
I would agree with some of the other reviewers that there is lot of singing and not enough instrumental solos.
The base on this recording is vague.
During the recording BB King makes references to how great his band is but you will not hear who they are. He probably did introduce them to the audience but it never got on the recording.
For under $10 it's an above average buy but not excellent. In the liners for this CD you will read that even BB King himself was puzzled why people made so much of the recording. |
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| "Great performance - the one live B. B. to get" | 2005-05-21 |
| - Reviewed By petri850 |
The sound of Lucile on this record is stunning and B. B.'s vocals are great too (especially on the slower numbers like Sweet little angel, It's my own fault or how blue can you get. I'm not a big fan of all the tracks, but still just the once I mentioned together with Worry worry and Baby you done lost your good thing now are worth five stars - each of them.
If you don't want to buy all of his numerous live albums (he cut 5 just in the sixties) -this is the one to get. |
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