In Session

1	Call It Stormy Monday / Stevie Ray Vaughan 9:00
2	"Old Times" / Stevie Ray Vaughan 1:15
3	Pride and Joy / Stevie Ray Vaughan 5:58
4	Ask Me No Questions / Stevie Ray Vaughan 5:03
5	"Pep Talk" / Stevie Ray Vaughan 0:51
6	Blues at Sunrise / Stevie Ray Vaughan 15:11
7	"Turn It Over" / Stevie Ray Vaughan 0:50
8	Overall Junction / Stevie Ray Vaughan 8:21
9	Match Box Blues / Stevie Ray Vaughan 7:39
10	"Who Is Stevie?" / Stevie Ray Vaughan 0:43
11	Don't Lie to Me / Stevie Ray Vaughan 8:58

Barnes & Noble

Stax Records has unearthed a gem featuring two giants of modern blues: one a seasoned master, the other his burgeoning young disciple. Recorded in late 1983 for Chicago public television, IN SESSION catches Stevie Ray Vaughan soon after his national breakthrough, when videos for the Texas bluesman started showing up alongside those of Duran Duran and Madonna. King, for his part, was busy brilliantly upholding the blues tradition as he had for the past 25 years. Although highlighted by a ripping version of Vaughan’s "Pride and Joy," IN SESSION concentrates on great blues standards, all sung by King. "Stormy Monday" kicks things off with King coaxing tears from his Gibson Flying V. When Stevie starts making his Fender Stratocaster kick up some Texas dust, you know that the student has now grown further then his master could have ever imagined. On "Blues at Sunrise," King encourages Stevie "to play the Jimi Hendrix thing" -- it’s like telling a kid he can turn the amp to 10. Stevie gleefully makes his guitar scream at blazing speed. Then the Master comes back with a wrenching solo to prove that it takes both speed and soul to really play the blues. That King is plenty proud of the younger guitarslinger is clear from the amount of solo room he gives him; by the end of the show you can tell he’s having a blast watching Vaughan tear up it up. Simply put, this is an essential disc for fans of Stevie, Albert, and the blues. Don Bergenty

All Music Guide

Recorded in December 1983, In Session captures an in-concert jam between Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, the latter of whom had become the hot blues guitarist of the year thanks to his debut Texas Flood, as well as his work on David Bowie's hit Let's Dance. Vaughan may have been the new news, but King was not suffering, either. He had a world-class supporting band and was playing as well as he ever had. In other words, the stage was set for a fiery, exciting concert and that's exactly what they delivered. Vaughan was clearly influenced by King -- there are King licks all over his first two recorded efforts, and it was an influence that stayed with him to the end -- and he was unafraid to go toe-to-toe with his idol. King must have been impressed, since In Session never devolves into a mere cutting contest. Instead, each musicians spurs the other to greater heights. For aficionados of either guitarist, that means the album isn't just worth a listen -- it means that it's a record that sounds as exciting on each subsequent listen as does the first time through. Stephen Thomas Erlewine