Talk about a summit – this session was a Luke Skywalker-meets-Yoda moment. The live album, originally released in 1999, is finally available in its entirety on LP, CD, and high-resolution digital formats.
Backed by an exceptional band, King and Vaughan were filmed at CHCH-TV in Hamilton, Ontario, on December 6, 1983. King was the seasoned blues icon, while Vaughan had only climbed aboard stardom’s rocket earlier in the year by playing on David Bowie’s Let’s Dance and his own debut, Texas Flood. King was going to decline this opportunity until he realized Vaughan was the “Little Stevie” he’d jammed with in Austin a decade earlier. This is primarily The Velvet Bulldozer’s showcase – hence his top billing – but a reverent Vaughan occasionally equals or upstages one of his biggest idols.
The top draws are three songs not included on the original audio release: Albert’s signature “Born Under a Bad Sign,” a 20-minute “Texas Flood,” and the 23-minute slow-burn jam “I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town.” Packed with exquisite tones (for example, the instrumental “Overall Junction”) and the masters’ various thumb and pick attacks, it’s truly essential for fans of King/SRV and electric blues guitar. – Bret Adams
This article originally appeared in VG’s February 2025 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
