2 LPs on 1 CD: MIDNIGHT BELIEVER (1978)/TAKE IT HOME (1979).
Personnel includes: B.B. King (vocals, guitar); The Crusaders.
Personnel: B.B. King (vocals, guitar); Dean Parks, Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar); Wilton Felder (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Quitman Dennis (saxophone, horns); Larry E. Williams (saxophone); Kim Hutchcroft (baritone saxophone); Steve Madaio (trumpet, horns); Gary Grant (trumpet); Charles Fendley, Jack Redmond (trombone); Chuck Findley, Eddie Miller, Gary Herbig, George Bohanon, Kurt McGettrick, Abe Most, Bob Enevoldsen (horns); Joe Sample (keyboards); James Gadson, Stix Hooper (drums, percussion); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Luther Waters, Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Oren Waters (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Rik Pekkonen.
Liner Note Author: Tony Russell.
Recording information: Hollywood Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CA.
Illustrator: Michael Bryan.
Photographer: Earl Miller.
This BGO reissue of two late-'70s albums by B.B. King has been done more for posterity than for the value of the music found on either album. Both Midnight Believer and Take It Home were produced by Crusaders keyboard boss Joe Sample. He and co-writer Will Jennings wrote the vast majority of the material on both records, trying to put King in a more contemporary context. The guitar is still there and so is that grand voice, but the tunes are arranged with all manner of synth strings, real strings, female backing chorus and plastic drum beats, taking away much of their power. This set is for those diehards who need King's records no matter how bad. Others should look elsewhere. ~ Thom Jurek minimize