Burglar

by Freddie King

Overview

Produced in part by Mike Vernon, who worked on The Legendary Christine Perfect Album, this is an entertaining and concise package of ten songs performed by the late Freddie King and a slew of guests. Opening with Gonzalez Chandler's "Pack It Up," featuring the Gonzalez Horn Section, the youthful legend was only 40 years of age when he cut this career LP two years before his death. Though no songs went up the charts like his Top Five hit in 1961, "Hide Away," Burglar is one of those gems that journeymen can put together in their sleep. Tom Dowd produced "Sugar Sweet" at Criteria Studios in Miami, FL, featuring Jamie Oldaker on drums, Carl Radle on bass, and guitarists Eric Clapton and George Terry, which, of course, makes this album highly collectable in the Clapton circles. The sound doesn't deviate much from the rest of the disc's Mike Vernon production work; it is pure Freddy King, like on the final track, E. King's "Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)," where his guitar bursts through the horns and party atmosphere, creating a fusion of the pure blues found on "Sugar Sweet" and the rock that fans of Grand Funk grooved to when he opened for that group and was immortalized in their 1973 number one hit "We're an American Band" a year after this record's release. Sylistically, Freddie King is from the same school as Buddy Guy, two men instrumental in bringing this art form to a mass audience. King stretches those sounds with great fervor on the Hayes/Porter number "I Had a Dream," containing the strength Mark Farner said the blues artist displayed in concert, which could snap a guitar neck. The voice of Freddie King is what drives J.J. Cale's "I Got the Same Old Blues," the horns and the guitar battling between verses and uniting to ooze under the guitarist's vocal expression. Rhythm guitarist Bob Tench, producer Mike Vernon, bassist DeLisle Harper, drummer Steve Ferrone, and pianist Roy Davies all co-write "Texas Flyer" with Freddie King, a prime example of the modern blues this artist was developing. With Brian Auger and Pete Wingfield contributing to the title track, Jerry Ragovoy's "She's a Burglar," this project stands as a solid representation of an important musician which is as enjoyable as it is historic. ~ Joe Viglione

Product Details

Release Date:	12/08/2023
Label:	Elemental
UPC:	0600753975824
Rank:	32956

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Freddie King   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Bobby Tench   Primary Artist,Guitar
Steve Ferrone   Primary Artist,Drums,Cabassa
Eric Clapton   Primary Artist,Guitar,Guest Artist
Brian Auger   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Organ
Pete Wingfield   Primary Artist,Piano,Clavinet,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Mike Vernon   Primary Artist,Drums,Percussion
Roy Davies   Piano,Organ,Clavinet,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Ron Carthy   Trumpet
Carl Radle   Bass
Jamie Oldaker   Drums
The Gonzales Horn Section   Horn
Patrick Arnold   Vocals (Background)
Mick Eves   Sax (Tenor)
Misty Browning   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
George Terry   Guitar
Donnie Vie   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
P.P. Arnold   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Steve Gregory   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
DeLisle Harper   Bass,Percussion
Bud Beadle   Sax (Baritone)
Mick Eve   Saxophone
Chris Mercer   Sax (Tenor)
Dick Sims   Organ,Keyboards

Technical Credits

Mike Vernon   Audio Production,Composer,Producer,Remixing,Remastering
Bobby Tench   Composer
David Porter   Composer
Mel London   Composer
Tom Dowd   Producer
Gerard Johnson   Composer
Gary "Gazza" Johnson   Composer
Melvin R. London   Composer
E. Johnson   Composer
The Gonzales Horn Section   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
Slick Lawson   Photography
Gonzalez Chandler   Composer
Steve Klein   Engineer,Remix Assistant
Bob Defrin   Art Direction
Peter Palombi   Illustrations,Cover Illustration
Melvin London   Composer
Frederick W. King   Composer
Gonzalez   Composer
Tony Martin   Composer
Steve Gregory   Horn Arrangements
DeLisle Harper   Composer
Steve Ferrone   Composer
Isaac Hayes   Composer
Chris Mercer   Horn Arrangements
J.J. Cale   Composer
Barry Hammond   Engineer
Earl King   Composer
Freddie King   Composer
Greg Perry   Composer
Roy Davies   Composer
Roger Dopson   Liner Notes
Robert Davis   Composer
Pete Wingfield   Composer
Jerry Ragovoy   Composer
Richie Hayward   Composer
Reese Wilson   Composer
David Tench   Composer