Albert King (KING Albert)

Albert King - one of the first kings guitar Flying V, left-hander, who won his original "manner of playing opposite" place in history and the recognition of blues lovers.

History and influence.

Albert King was born in 1923 in g. Indianola, Mississippi, being the same age and come from one city with BB. King (but not being a relative of him, Albert Nelson took his nickname King in the early 50's). Like most enthusiastic music teenagers rural south of the country, . Albert himself had his first DIY tools, . starting with the "diddley bow" (the wire, . spanned by two nails, . driven into the barn door, . by which drove a bottle), . Then go to the tool, . made from a box for cigars, . until he bought his first "real" guitar in 1942 for 1 dollar 25 cents,
. But even the standard instrument, Albert had to adjust, as he was left-handed and began to play, simply by turning the guitar in the other direction, with the strings in reverse. Also, he did not use a mediator, finding it more convenient to hang the strings with his fingers.

When Albert was still a child, his family moved to Arkansas, where he first heard the game Blind Lemon Jefferson, that was his first strong musical impression. Skillful play Jefferson and mesmerizing personality of this giant of Texas country blues influenced and in many other future stars - T-Bone Walker, who was on the order of over Albert King, and later he had a great influence on him. Before Albert began playing with other musicians, he spent several years in one, trying to simulate game Blind Lemon, T-Bone, Lonnie Johnson, pianist Memphis Minnie and other blues legends of the day. Like all guitarists, renowned for its original style, Albert turned his inability to exactly copy their idols in their strengths, having elaborated a unique style of game.

King's professional career began determined after its relocation to Oskeolu, Arkansas, in 1950. There are constantly speaking in the legendary club T-99 in the group In the Groove Boys as guitarist, singer or even a drummer, if required, the King met with all the musicians, soloists Districts. But his first real job as a drummer with Jimmy Reed took him even farther north in Gary, Indiana, and allowed to quit the profession of the driver in a truck and bulldozer. Plucking of professional experience, King in 1953 was ready for his solo debut, and made a record under his own name on the Parrot label in Chicago. Received moderate popularity "Be on Your Merry Way" with this record represented King's more original vocalist than a guitarist with his school country blues, and barely a hint of how his guitar rings out in the future.

With Parrot Records label, it was difficult to count on a career in the national scale, and King soon moved to St. Louis, where he began to speak at a very competitive local club scene. The next opportunity to record with Albert King appeared in 1959 on the label Bobbin. Here, he finally was able to demonstrate his mature style on the guitar has become famous Gibson Flying V with a female named Lucy, accompanied by swing arrangements with horn section. The single "Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong" was a hit.

The turning point in his career King has his transition to the Stax label in 1966. Contract with a real blues singer was a step away from the mainstream Stax, Motown chief rival firms in the promotion of soul music in the 60. At Stax recording such soul stars like Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, accompanied by the sessional group of musicians Booker T and the MGs, which in its sound, the sound sets the standard soul. However, Albert was ready to experiment, and began recording with the MGs, playing with them without looking. Funky rhythms of the game show King in a new light, helping to introduce them played phrases in the repertoire of any young blues-rock guitarist.

Most of the early entries in the King's Stax came out as singles, which was common in the market rhythm & blues at the time. But the white youths buying albums, so when in late 1967 saw the release Born Under a Bad Sign, made up of singles with the addition of several songs, King purchased a new audience of listeners. At the same time, the invitation to speak at Fillmore Auditorium in one clip from Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall and the other stars of the blues-rock gave King a chance to demonstrate their natural power to an audience unfamiliar with his previous works. Such things are performed by Albert King, . as "Born under a Bad Sign, . "" The Hunter ", . "Oh Pretty Woman" became standards, . and his firm phrasing found a response in young guitarists, . before that focuses mainly on skilful pridzhazovannost T-Bone Walker and B.B,
. King.

Anyone could learn the "words of Albert King," but few could execute it as masterfully. One of the imitations was successful track "Strange Brew" group Cream, which is clearly inspired by Clapton's solo thing "Crosscut Saw" by Albert King. Another more recent example of a similar approach is in SRV playing "Let's Dance" David Bowie

. This was followed by several more albums in the King's company Stax, . including "Years Gone By" (which includes classic albertkingovsky cover blues Elmore James "The Sky Is Crying"), . "Live Wire / Blues Power" and "I'll Play the Blues for You." The financial collapse of Stax in the mid-70's forced Alberta to seek their fortune on other labels, . with varying success,
. After years of touring and studio work since the mid 80's, Albert King was kept away from the music business and then go into it. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Moore and others in his statements and in their music, their tribute to the figure of Albert King. In 1990, Gary Moore, invited him to play at a turning point for his career, the album "Still Got The Blues", . writing things, . previously served King - "Oh, . Pretty Woman "and" As The Years Go Passing By ", . and devoted his own composition "King Of The Blues" from the same album,
.

Albert King was elevated to the status of "living legends" of the blues, especially the revered ocean - despite the fact that he never had the same commercial recognition, as his countryman from Indianoly B.B. King. Until the end of his life, Albert continued to advocate, died of a heart attack in 1992, two days before his death, having played a concert. His albums continued to republish, to preserving the memory of his music and his influence on blues guitarists you can see every night in nightclubs around the world.


Style & tricks.

. Perhaps, . any, . who for the past 30 years, picked up the guitar with the intention to play the blues, . tried to take at least one brand phrase by Albert King, . and thus surprised to find, . what is, . that seems so simple at the hearing, . so difficult to reproduce itself,
. King once said, recalling his work bulldozer driver, which can raise the carpet from the floor, leaving it is not a single scratch. This same phrase in a figurative sense, applies to his playing style, while combining the pressure and the sensitivity.

If we consider the game of Albert King in the usual dimensions - notes, rhythms, dynamics and sound, the notes will be the most simple question. Like most blues guitarists, Albert did not learn to play scales, so that later they build their faces. He simply sang and played on a guitar phrases, which he heard from other artists, either in my head. The same can advise and guitarist, studying his style. It is said that Hendricks could from memory napet many solo Albert King.

However, useful to examine the solo King, to understand how much he did with just a few notes, which can be seen from Example 1. His solo mostly built on a minor pentatonic (1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 levels), underpinning the blues frets, which is not difficult to master, even for beginners. Albert King shook his notes on the strong parts wide vibrato and rhythmic, as in Example 2. He also liked to overdo note, got into it at the next portion, ie. playing "with delay". However, the true essence of the game, Albert King, can not pass on the paper, it can be understood only after listening carefully as many of his records.

The main thing that distinguishes Albert King from its predecessors, is his manner of playing braces, called string squeezing. Albert often pulled up the string for two whole tones (usually in the third stage to the fifth) and varied its height, finding a "bridging" notes, as when playing with slide. It is worth noting that his guitar and tricks on it were more than the original. Besides, . what, . Being left-handed, . He played the instrument upside, . without moving the strings, . so they had to pull away, . not to himself, . King also used a very thin string (the first - .009) and played in open tuning, . which, . seems, . anyone is not exactly known - some say, . she was CBEF # BE (from the lower strings to the top), . while others called CFCFAD,
.

Albert was a man of tall and large build, and if he pulled up the string, it remains lean. Guitarist right-hander, playing in standard tuning, you will need a lot of effort to keep the height of braces, especially on the first string, where the timbre of the best. Example 3 contains three options for fingerings for a typical albertkingovskoy phrase. Albert also frequently brought up two strings at once, creating a real wall of dissonant sound.

As for the musicianship, especially in his Albert King were in his hand. As already stated, he played without a mediator, preferring to simply attack fingers. He lifted a few string and release her from the spanking, the effect of adding percussion to pitch. His finger approach allowed not only sound louder than when you play a mediator, but softer. One of his favorite show tricks were at full power amplifier to play some very quiet music, allowing you to feel how much more volume left in stock.

Guitars and Equipment.

Albert King is an example of how we can ignore the best vintage-equipment, with real talent.

Throughout his career he had several guitars, which he called "Lucy", among them were the Gibson Flying V and its artisans copies.

He played for them, usually with a switch in the middle position (both humbucker).

King was connected to a monster, but not power - is Acoustic 270 with two 15-inch speakers.

In later years, he also used the effect MXR Phase 90, which was always enabled (even known that he used a Roland JC-120, including the chorus for the same effect).

For most guitarists such kit certainly would mean obviously bad blues sound, but when it was playing Albert King, you got the sound of Albert King!