Al Kooper - The Best Of (2009)

Containing 14 tracks drawn from Al Kooper's solo work for Columbia Records, this set may surprise some casual listeners who might not realize what a fine singer, arranger, and guitarist Kooper has been for some four decades. He's pretty much done it all, from writing, engineering, and producing to A&R (he discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd, for instance) and he's also been a consummate session musician for artists of the magnitude of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, and the Who, among many others, and he was a founding member of the original (and best) incarnation of Blood, Sweat & Tears. One wishes sometimes that Kooper had concentrated more on his own solo career over the years, because the tracks presented here will be revelatory to listeners who haven't been paying attention to this fine musician. A nice introduction, these 14 tracks just scratch the surface.~The Very Best of Al Kooper Review by Steve Leggett