Truckin' with Albert Collins

Truckin' with Albert Collins

Editorial Reviews
<"b000002oig7499"> Amazon.com
One of the coolest things about the Iceman was his guitar lines; his clean, clear style suggested that it was impossible for him to put a note wrong. Truckin' with Albert Collins, a mostly instrumental collection of recordings from the early '60s (originally released as The Cool Sound of Albert Collins in 1965) is an early example of that icy-smooth playing, unhindered by vocals (the one exception is the slow blues "Dyin' Flu"). Take a gander at the titles, for starters: "Frosty," "Frostbite," "Thaw Out," "Don't Lose Your Cool," "Shiver 'N Shake," and more--one senses a trend, here. Many of these songs became signature Collins tunes, including "Sno-Cone" and the aforementioned "Frostbite." The backing band, which includes alto and tenor sax, trumpet, and organ, and includes elements of R&B, jazz, and rock, provides a warm contrast to Collins's guitar, making his guitar work stand out even more. Small wonder that he came to be known as the Master of the Telecaster. --Genevieve Williams

<"b000002oig5228"> From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD
Collins, in his early thirties, was already a guitarist of considerable imagination and finesse when he recorded these dozen songs for a couple of Houston labels in 1962-63. "Frosty," "Sno-Cone," and "Don't Lose Your Cool" belong to the blues-instrumentals hall of fame, with two or three of the others perennially on the ballot. The cool breeze of his unusually pitched tones is a perfect foil to the warm feel of the three horns, organ, bass, and drums. Collins's one vocal, probably his first on... read more