Blues Summit is the thirty-third studio album by B.B. King released in 1993 through the MCA label. The album reached peak positions of number 182 on the Billboard 200, and number 64 on Billboard R&B Albums chart. The album won a Grammy Award in 1994 for Best Traditional Blues Album.
It is the first of three duet albums in King's studio album discography. Unlike Deuces Wild and 80, all the guests come from the blues and R&B scene. The only song which is not a duet is the original "I Gotta Move Out Of This Neighborhood", which segues into "Nobody Loves Me But My Mother" (originally from Indianola Mississippi Seeds). All songs feature the B.B. King band of the era except for "Playin' With My Friends" (the only other new song on the album) and "You Shook Me", where the accompaniment comes from the Robert Cray Band, plus "Everybody's Had the Blues" featuring Joe Louis Walker's band.
A longer version of "Call It Stormy Monday" with the full ending and lacking the horn overdubs of the album version later appeared on the compilation album B.B. King: Anthology.
Credits and personnel A1 - Playin' With My Friends - 5:17 Bass – Richard Cousins Drums – Kevin Hayes Guitar, Vocals – Robert Cray Horns – The Memphis Horns Keyboards – Jim Pugh Rhythm Guitar – Robert Murray Written-By – Dennis Walker, Robert Cray
A2 - Since I Met You Baby - 4:44 Piano, Vocals – Katie Webster Rhythm Guitar – Vasti Jackson Saxophone – Nancy Wright Written-By – Ivory Joe Hunter
A3 - I Pity The Fool - 4:36 Guitar, Vocals – Buddy Guy Harmonica – Kim Wilson Rhythm Guitar – Mabon "Teenie" Hodges Trumpet – Ben Cauley Written-By – Deadric Malone
A4 - You Shook Me - 4:58 Bass – Richard Cousins Drums – Kevin Hayes Guitar – Robert Cray Guitar, Vocals – John Lee Hooker Harmonica – Kim Wilson Keyboards – Jim Pugh Percussion – Tony Coleman Slide Guitar – Roy Rogers Trumpet – Ben Cauley Written-By – J. B. Lenoir, Willie Dixon
A5 - Something You Got - 4:02 Backing Vocals – Julia Tillman Waters, Maxayne Lewis, Maxine Waters Baritone Saxophone – Walter King Percussion – Antoine Salley Rhythm Guitar – Robert Cray Saxophone Solo – Lee Allen Vocals – Koko Taylor Written-By – Chris Kenner
A6 - There's Something On Your Mind - 5:59 Strings [Synthesizer] – Randy Waldman Vocals – Etta James Written-By – Cecil James McNeely
B1 - Little by Little - 4:07
Backing Vocals – Joe Louis Walker Guitar, Vocals – Lowell Fulson Written-By – Amos Blakemore
B2 - Call It Stormy Monday - 7:17
Guitar, Vocals – Albert Collins Horns – The Memphis Horns Written-By – Aaron T. Walker
B3 - You're The Boss - 4:05
Vocals – Ruth Brown Written-By – Leiber & Stoller
B4 - We're Gonna Make It - 3:51
Backing Vocals – Julia Tillman Waters, Maxayne Lewis, Maxine Waters Horns – The Memphis Horns Rhythm Guitar – Mabon "Teenie" Hodges Saxophone Solo – Lee Allen (musician) Vocals – Irma Thomas Written-By – Billy Davis, Carl Smith, Gene Barge, Raynard Miner
B5 - I Gotta Move Out Of This Neighborhood / Nobody Loves Me But My Mother - 8:57
Trumpet – Ben Cauley Written-By – B.B. King
B6 - Everybody's Had The Blues - 4:35
Bass – Henry Oden Drums – Paul Revelle Guitar, Vocals – Joe Louis Walker Horns – Jeff Lewis, Tim Devine Keyboards – Mike Eppley Percussion – Tony Coleman Written-By – Joe Louis Walker
Personnel
Vocals, Guitar – B.B. King (all tracks) Bass – Michael Doster (except tracks 1, 4 and 12) Drums – Calep Emphrey, Jr. (except tracks 1, 4 and 12) Keyboards – James Toney (except tracks 1, 4 and 12) Percussion – Tony Coleman (except track 1) Rhythm Guitar – Leon Warren (except tracks 1, 4 and 12) Saxophone – Melvin Jackson, Walter King (except tracks 1 and 12) Trumpet – James Bolden (except tracks 1 and 12)
Other credits
Musical Director & Horn arrangements – Walter King (except tracks 1 and 12) Album Concept, Co-Producer & Liner Notes – Andy McKaie Executive Producer – Sidney A. Seidenberg Mixed by John Hampton at Ardent Studios, assisted by Skidd Mills Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering
References