BLUES
B.B. King & Friends
"80." Geffen. 12 tracks.
Grade: B

Legendary blues singer-guitarist B.B. King has more to celebrate this Friday than his 80th birthday. For one, King can blow out the candles thankful that his duets album is miles better than many of his fellow veteran artists' recent collaborations.

Courtesy Geffen Records (ENLARGE)
B.B. King
(ENLARGE)
'B.B. King & Friends' CD cover
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Unlike the late Ray Charles on his "Genius Loves Company," for example, King doesn't sound like he's scraping the bottom of the barrel of his vocal abilities. He goes belt for belt with Van Morrison on "Early in the Morning" and blows pop whippersnapper Sheryl Crow away on "Need Your Love So Bad."

Unlike keyboardist Herbie Hancock on his "Possibilities," King sounds in command of his pairings, not like he's ceding to his guest's styles.

And like Carlos Santana on "Supernatural" — the 1999 duet album that wrought countless lesser ones — King makes sure his musicianship shines. King plucks a freshness out of his signature "The Thrill Is Gone" and "Early in the Morning" that could fool listeners into thinking this Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's career is just starting to bloom.

— Sonia Murray