BB King Why I Sing The Blues Live In Africa 1974

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http://gravityworld.tv/Video_Content/... • • B.B. King Live In Africa '74 is a rare - extremely rare - intimate view of • B.B. King in concert. At age 49, having crossed over to wide popularity with his show • at the Fillmore West in 1968 and secured his fame with the 1970 hit The Thrill Is Gone, • B.B. stands onstage before Muhammad Ali and a crowd of 80,000 on the continent his • ancestors left in chains and gives one of the most thrilling performances of his life. The • King of the Blues (B.B.), Soul Brother #1 (James Brown) and other African-American • artists on the bill reveled in the return to their cultural motherland for a gala affair that was • attended by fans and journalists from all over the world. • • The backstory around this perfonnance is rich. Behind B.B. is a large orchestra, • made up of core members ofB.B.'s touring band - pianist Ron Levy, drummer Sonny • Freeman and saxophonist Bobby Forte - plus studio musicians recruited (mostly) from • New York, including renowned session guitarist Larry Carlton. Directed by Hampton • Reese, B.B.'s longtime friend and musical tutor (you'll see him in his plaid sport coat • conducting the band), this collection of musicians achieved their amazing performance • after a single rehearsal in Kinshasa. Hampton wrote the charts for all the songs in the set, • and every musician was playing from those charts. • • Of the musicians who played that concert from B.B.'s 1974 touring band, only • Ron Levy is still living. Here are some of his recollections of the unforgettable trip to • Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) and their historic performance there: • • To perform in Africa - the land of his ancestors, at this stadium event before • 80,000 - plus crazed, hot, sweaty, dancing and bouncing heads and soulfully • pained hearts -- must have had a very special personal significance for B.B., • as it did for us all. We all realized this was not just another gig. It was history, • good history. We were all very proud to be a part of it. As far as the set went, • we performed 8.B.'s most famous hits. I have to say, this was probably the • first lime this crowd ever heard - or heard of - B.B. King. but as usual he • left them wanting more, as well as an indelible memory of his sincere personal • passion and deep-felt blues. • • He definitely connected with them like the beloved king he is. If you're a • B.B. King fan, you are in for a rare treat with B.B, King Live in Africa '74. If this is • your introduction to the King of the Blues, you'll understand why he is so loved the • world over. • • -Charles Sawyer • • Charles Sawyer is the author of the first biography of B.B. King. • The Arrival Of B.B. King (Doubleday 1980, Da Capo 1982), • He teaches History Of Blues In America at Harvard Extension School, • and leads his own blues band, 2120 South Michigan Avenue.

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