To suggest that
B.B. King's ABC-Paramount debut LP
Mr. Blues (1963) is stylistically diverse is an understatement. Granted, cohesion might not have been top priority to a label who actually sandwiched
Mr. Blues between releases by
Fats Domino and the New York Salvation Army Staff Band. Another rationale is that the album was filled with a dozen tracks cut during three disparate dates. These chronologically commence March 1, 1962 with the
Maxwell Davis Orchestra. Then, nearly seven months later on September 19, 1962,
King is backed by
Belford Hendricks and ensemble. Finally on April 11, 1963, he joins
Teacho Wilshire to collectively produce enough material to cobble together this compile. Fortunately, half of
Mr. Blues is derived from the superior
Davis-led recordings, highlighted by the
Ahmet Ertegun-inked "Chains of Love" -- a hit for blues shouter
Big Joe Turner.
Ivory Joe Hunter's "Blues at Midnight" allows
King to show off his own brand of blues testifyin'. Similarly enjoyable are the ebullient "I'm Gonna Sit in 'Til You Give In" and "My Baby's Comin' Home," as they bear the distinct presence of
King's nimble guitar craft.
Belford Hendricks took
King through the decidedly sensitive "By Myself" and "A Mother's Love" with arrangements that bring
King's intimate singing styles to the center of attention.
Hendricks' uncertainty as exactly how to present
King is evident on the garish orchestration of "Tomorrow Night" and the
Jesse Belvin co-penned "Guess Who." Yet those missteps pale when compared to the overbearing vocalists who smother the
Teacho Wilshire-led "On My Word of Honor" and the opener "Young Dreamers." Perhaps one initial direction for
King was as a
Johnny Mathis-type of crooner, as these scores indicate little more than over-the-top leads. While
Mr. Blues is far from a total washout, there are much better examples of
B.B. King's mastery as a singer and guitarist circa the early '60s. That said, interested parties are encouraged to locate Hip-O Select's 2006 CD reissue. It has the best-known transfer of the original analogue tapes, an exhaustively researched sessionography for each song, and full reproductions of the vintage LP jacket. ~ Lindsay Planer