Take a look at the cover of this “Albert King” signature licks DVD.  Just looking at the cover en passant, you would think you are going to watch Albert teaching you signature licks just as he did with Stevie Ray Vaughan in Session.  No so fast!  Read the small print in the left gutter on the DVD cover and you’ll see “Featuring Andy Aledort” spelled out and that little text phrase means there’s no Albert King on the DVD.  You get Andy pretending to be Albert and you feel cheated.


The DVD is okay for learning some Albert King licks, but if you’ve ever seen Albert in concert or wailing with Stevie, then you know an “Albert King” DVD without Albert King is no DVD at all.

Albert King is all
over YouTube teaching and playing, so skip this DVD and drink in the goodness of Albert
in concert for free instead:

Point made. ‘Nuff said.

10 Comments

  1. Wow. Sounds like a real rip-off. How can I learn how to play like a master from anyone other than the master? 🙂

  2. Exactly! Sell the DVD as “Licks Inspired by Albert King” and put Andy on the cover and not Albert! It wouldn’t sell as well, but at least it would be much more transparent.

  3. I hate when it happens — there are people who will buy this just seeing the “Albert King” in big print…it happened to me once — not a good experience.

  4. That’s what happened to me. I saw that big image of Albert King on Amazon — couldn’t read the Andy fine print and when the DVD arrived and I watched it… I said, “Waitaminute…” and then I found out I’d been duped.

  5. Oof. Sorry.
    I guess that’s the only plus of going to a brick and mortar store to buy something…

  6. Yes, but that sort of DVD though, wouldn’t likely be in a real store. You’d have to order it online — so that’s pretty smart marketing on their part knowing people can’t really “see” the full DVD cover easily.

  9. Ha! I thought I was the only one who felt that way. I too have purchased this DVD with the intent of seeing the “Velvet Bulldozer” doing the instruction. I was also miffed when Aledort decided to use that ugly “V” with the reverse headstock. Andy is a fine player for sure but It would have been nice to see the man himself. Although, I don’t think he was alive at the time of this production though (he died in 1992) it is nice to at LEAST have some insight available on his style for younger players who may have never been around to see him. Anyway, we need more coverage of these greats in general anyways before they fade off into obscurity. thanks for the great read and letting me know I’m not the “only one”!! -Keith

    1. Thanks for the great comment!

      I agree with you that Andy is incredibly talented — I’ve watched many of his tutorials since I wrote the review and he is excellent — and I know he didn’t pick the picture for the DVD.

      Albert King was a mad bundle of fuses and fireworks — I thought I was getting the Andy/Albert version of the fantastic SRV/Albert videos:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knxOAxbjJSY

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