This Black Lion CD combines together four selections from a quintet session featuring altoist Sonny Stitt, trumpeter Howard McGhee, pianist Walter Bishop, bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Kenny Clarke (three boppish blues and a Stitt feature on "Lover Man") with four selections showcasing Stitt with unknown accompaniment from a 1962 date at Birdland. The saxophonist recorded so many sessions that it is not necesssary to acquire them all to get a good sampling of his playing (particularly since his style was virtually unchanged after the mid-'50s), but the CD has its heated moments.

Vargas is a powerhouse guitarist who also is among the more tasteful players that I have heard. While many of his other recordings show elements of jazz, funk, Latin, and even flamenco, "Last Night" is purely a Chicago blues masterpiece. While Varas' guitar is front and center throughout the recording, so are the incredible vocals of Bobby Alexander, who sounds like he was born to sing Chicago style blues. His voice, like Vargas' guitar, is powerful yet smooth. They are more than capably supported by the first rate bass guitar of Fran Montero, David Lads Sanchez on keyboards, and Jota Marsan on drums. Though Vargas and Alexander are the core, this is very much a team effort and everyone in the band contributes on this great set.
This CD is spectacular from start to finish and one of the finest live recordings in my collection. The live sound quality is extraordinary and really makes you feel like you are front row center for the show. From the opening notes of the Vargas original "Scratch Me Back", through a great cover of "I Play The Blues For You", on past the band's rendition of Jimmy McGriff's "All About The Girl", and concluding with Vargas' thunderous "Black Cat Boogie", this is a CD that any blues/rock or Chicago blues fan is going to want to own. The CD also comes with an excellent 13 song DVD of the band in concert, which makes this indeed a lot of splendid entertainment for the money.