Frozen Alive is a live recording of an Albert Collins gig from 1981.
According to Wikipedia he was quite a character live:
“…he would frequently come down from the stage, attached to his amplifier with a very long cord, and mingle with the audience whilst still playing.He was known to leave clubs while still playing, and continue to play outside on the sidewalk, even boarding a city bus in Chicago while playing, outside of a club called Biddy Mulligan’s (the bus driver stayed at the bus stop until Collins got off).
He sounds quite a character.
If you like your blues live, you should hear it.
Albert Collins Overall Review rating – 24/30
Set List Rating – 8/10
I’m not an Albert Collins expert. Someone recommended his blues playing records to me and I thought that I’d start with his highly regarded live album.
Frosty 4:58
Angel Of Mercy 8:18
I Got That Feeling 5:20
Caldonia 3:51
Things I Used To Do 5:1
Got A Mind To Travel 4:33
Cold Cuts 6:21
Unfortunately it’s a short set (about 36 minutes) but it’s very classy blues that groove nicely.
Performance Rating – 8/10
I’m not a guitar expert but I understand that Albert Collins has a great sound from his Telecaster.
It certainly sounds good to me.
Collins is a very fluent player and there’s much more guitar on this album than the live blues classic Live At The Regal from BB King.
The vocals are strong and the rest of the band provide excellent support.
Playing on the album are:
Albert Collins – guitar & vocals
Marvin Jackson – guitar
A.C. Reed – tenor sax
Allen Batts – organ
Johnny Gayden – bass
Casey Jones – drums
Atmosphere & Authenticity Rating – 8/10
I don’t know much about the background to this album but it sounds like Albert Collins was a natural live. I say was because he died in 1993.
The crowd are enjoying it – no surprise there – but he doesn’t have the rapport with the crowd that BB King has in Live At The Regal.
Total Rating For Frozen Alive by Albert Collins – 24/30
If you like your blues live, then I highly recommend this album. It’s not as slick as some but it plays very well.
My rating feels a little stingy but I haven’t rated enough blues albums to get a feel between the brilliant, the very good and the good.
What Others Say About Frozen Alive
This was #16 on the DigitalDreamDoor list of best blues live albums and the highest rated Albert Collins album.
Amazon has some good reviews:
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Buying Frozen Alive by Albert Collins
It is available from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk – iTunes – eBay
These links will help you get to the albums quickly and easily but I recommend that you still search for the best deal.
What Do You Think About This Albert Collins Live Album?
If you’ve heard Frozen Alive, I’d like to know what you think so please leave a comment.
Is this the best Albert Collins live recording?
Other live albums by Albert Collins include:
1969 Thaw Out at the Fillmore – 1969 Live At The Fillmore West – 1969 Alive & Cool – 1969 & 1973 Deep Freeze – 1973 Molten Ice – 1973 Funky Blues Live – 1978 Live with Barrelhouse – 1980 Live At Rockpalast – 1981 Frozen Alive – 1982 Live in Japan – 1991 Live From Austin TX – 1992 Live At Montreux – 1992 1993 Live 92 – 93
What Are the Best Live Albums Ever?
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