SRV Shares The Spotlight

Solos, Sessions & Encores
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Friends
(Epic/Legacy Recordings)

The caretakers of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s recorded legacy have been careful to protect his artistic integrity. Since his death in a helicopter crash on Aug. 27, 1990, an album with his brother Jimmie Vaughan, a couple of outtakes collections, three live albums, a box set and a few greatest-hits packages have been put into the marketplace. Nine releases in 17 years is paltry compared to the output of other iconic musicians. Tupac Shakur, who has been dead since 1996, might release more discs in 2007 alone.

The relatively low number of posthumous SRV releases has been a good thing, because most of it has been top quality. It appears that whatever might be at the bottom of the barrel will be staying there. “Solos, Sessions & Encores” continues the trend of placing quality over quantity, showcasing Vaughan’s powerful playing and instantly identifiable tone in a variety of settings. Because of the disc’s scattershot nature, it will be a better find for hardcore fans than newcomers. Even longtime Vaughan devotees might think twice before buying, because only six of the disc’s 14 tracks are previously unreleased. Regardless, the collection is a worthy addition to his catalog because it focuses sharply on one of Vaughan’s many strengths: He played well with others.

That trait is apparent from the opening track, “The Sky is Crying,” taken from the 1987 video release “B.B. King and Friends: A Night of Blistering Blues.” Vaughan is introduced by B.B. as “new blood,” but by then he already was being recognized as a peer to King and the other stars in this all-star jam: Albert King and Paul Butterfield.

Vaughan’s prodigious skills allowed him to go toe-to-toe with any guitarist, even those who were his heroes. He’s featured here in a heavyweight sparring session with Jeff Beck on a 1984 live version of “Goin’ Down,” which was previously released on the “SRV” box set. Vaughan plays with Lonnie Mack on a live version of “Oreo Cookie Blues” and joins the King of the Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, on The Chantays’ “Pipeline.” A live jam from the 1988 New Orleans Jazz Festival with yet another hero, Albert Collins, on a blistering “Albert’s Shuffle,” is one of the highlights of this disc.

“Solos, Sessions & Encores” also features Vaughan playing with notables from his generation. Bonnie Raitt adds her silky slide guitar to a live “Texas Flood,” providing a dimension not heard on Vaughan’s studio and live versions of the song. One of his earliest mentors, older brother Jimmie, joins SRV on “Change It” from a 1985 appearance on “Saturday Night Live.”

Vaughan claimed his share of the spotlight and then some in live jams. But as a session player he was often content to stay on the sidelines, playing parts that complimented songs and stepping forward when the time was right. He contributes stunning solos here on Marcia Ball’s “Soulful Dress,” Johnny Copeland’s “Don’t Stop by the Creek, Son,” sax man A.C. Reed’s “Miami Strut,” and Bill Carter’s “Na-Na-Ne-Na-Nay.”

The disc closes with the track and soulful solo that introduced music fans around the world to Stevie Ray Vaughan: David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” Vaughan turned down the chance to tour with Bowie, instead blazing his own trail into music history. “Solos, Sessions & Encores” highlights but a few of his many notable stops along the way.