[.ca] Texas Flood

From Amazon.com:
Stevie Ray Vaughan was already an underground hero in blues circles and had begun earning national attention for his hard-edged-but-tasteful playing on David Bowie's Let's Dance album when this solo debut arrived. Produced by legendary talent scout John Hammond, the CD captures the rising guitar star tending fields seeded by earlier legends Buddy Guy, Albert King, and Jimi Hendrix. His own "Lenny," a tribute to his then wife, suggests a jazz-inclined complexity that would emerge in later recordings. But overall this album is the kind of raw double shot of blues and rock that made Vaughan one of the 1980s' best in-concert performers. --Ted Drozdowski

remembering the shows in Houston (1981):
Some great memories of seeing SRV & DT doing Voodoo Chile upstairs at Fitzgerald's in the Heights (Houston) at least a year before the first LP came out. What a show!! What power!! Reminds me of a girl named Amy I was crazy about then...... Saw SR & DT a couple of times that year ('81). Johnny Copeland was on the bill once, and Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers the other time. Good stuff!

The Late Great SRV!:
OUTSTANDING! UNBELIEVABLE! AMAZING! TEXAS BLUES THE WAY IT SHOULD BE

Smokin':
This album was Stevie's first in an all too short career. This was definately one of Stevie's better studio releases, but not his best. A guitar player's player, Stevie employs his stronger ability as a guitarist with 3 of the 10 songs being of the instrumental variety, including the love song which Stevie always dedicated to his wife Lenny. My only gripe is that Pride and Joy and I'm Cryin' sound nearly identical. I guess I ask too much. This album does provide a good representation of Stevie's abilities and is an excellent choice for any collection.

SACD is excellent, much better than the CD:
I respectfully disagree with A Music Fan from Ellensburg, WA USA - listening both on a friend's Marantz player, and my Esoteric transport / DAC combination, there are distinct differences between the CD release and the SACD on both systems. The SACD provides a delicious sense of depth and dynamics, and 'air' on the live tracks, that is lacking on the Redbook release. In addition, the shimmer of cymbals and the attack and release of SRVs guitar work (whether during ferocious or quiet work) is much more detailed and distinct on the SACD - the leading and trailing edges of notes are much easier to discern and follow. In any case, you can't go wrong with this disc. Highest recommendation!

Great debut.:
SRV's exploration of the 12-bar blues is wonderful! The boy could GO and he shows it-almost unbelievable playing, especially for an as yet unsigned artist. He is laying the foundation for things to come on this album.

• Love Struck Baby
• Pride and Joy
• Texas Flood
• Tell Me
• Testify
• Rude Mood
• Mary Had a Little Lamb
• Dirty Pool
• I'm Cryin'
• Lenny