The Ultimate Collection (CD - 2005)

Personnel: B.B. King (vocals, guitar, piano); Bono (vocals); David Spinozza (guitar); George Coleman, Hank Crawford (alto saxophone); David "Fathead" Newman , Wilton Felder, Bill Harvey, Bobby Forte (tenor saxophone); The Memphis Horns (horns); Johnny Ace (piano); Carole King (electric piano); Dr. John, Joe Sample, Stevie Wonder (keyboards); Earl Forest, Sonny Freeman (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion).

Liner Note Author: Charles Sawyer.

In theory, the idea behind Geffen's 2005 compilation The Ultimate Collection seems sound: gather together 21 iconic tracks from the entirety of B.B. King's long career and present them on one handy disc. While there have been plenty of King comps throughout the years -- some great, some merely passable, but often all very good -- there has never been one that tries to distill it all onto one disc. For good reason: it's hard to do. The Ultimate Collection does about as well as any multi-decade, cross-label comp could, hitting the most obvious high points -- "Three O'Clock Blues," "You Upset Me Baby," "How Blue Can You Get?," live versions of "Every Day I Have the Blues" and "Sweet Little Angel" from the peerless Live at the Regal, the smooth early-'70s hits "The Thrill Is Gone" and "Ain't Nobody Home" -- and extending all the way till 1998. While there's no hiding the fact that there is a sharp drop-off in classic material after 1972, most of the disc (a full 14 songs) is devoted to the '50s through '70s, and it does paint a portrait of the arc of his career. So, for those listeners who want a basic selection of high points from B.B., this is a good choice, but for those neophytes who want to truly experience B.B.'s greatness, turn to Live at the Regal or a collection of early singles -- they might not cover as much territory, but they explain more about his legend than this well-intentioned set. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Geffen's 21-track B.B. King compilation attempts the impossible--to provide a single-disc overview of the blues icon. Arranged chronologically, THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION begins with "Three O'Clock Blues," King's first Number One hit from 1953 and continues straight through to 1998's "I'll Survive." King's most essential recorded moments--"You Upset Me Baby," "Don't Answer the Door," and "The Thrill Is Gone," among others--are included. Though a lot of fine material is overlooked for economy's sake, this is as solid a collection of the legend's first 50 years as anyone could want under one cover.

The compilation does the listener a service, not only by representing the arc of King's spectacular career, but by bringing together work from different labels (a task usually riddled with disputes over song rights). Original versions of songs released on RPM, Kent, ABC, and MCA are included here, as are two tracks from 1965's LIVE AT THE REGAL, still one of King's most incendiary recordings. Every cut on the album brilliantly showcases King's soulful, technically flawless guitar work and impassioned singing, making THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION a great place for the uninitiated to begin learning about this monumental bluesman. minimize