Albert Collins was one of the finest and most distinctive guitarists in the Texas Blues community.
Collins scored his first regional hit in 1962 with "Frosty," a number that showed off his trademark "cool" guitar style, conjured through a combination of alternate tuning, a capo, and a touch of reverb. Through the '60s and '70s,
Collins became a cult hero among blues enthusiasts, and
Jimi Hendrix,
Joe Walsh, and
Bob "The Bear" Hite of
Canned Heat were all fans who sang his praises.
Collins was still going strong in 1980, and enjoying a new burst of recognition after signing with the successful blues label
Alligator Records when he appeared on an episode of the celebrated German music series Rockpalast during a tour of Europe.
Live at Rockpalast captures
Collins and his band
the Icebreakers as they storm through a 13-song set, which includes to extended jams on "Frosty" and "Cold Cuts" as well as "Listen Here," "Cold Cold Feeling," "Brick," "I Got a Mind to Travel," and many more. ~ Mark Deming
