By combining his Texas roadhouse blues approach to rock with an admitted fascination with the guitar skills of the great Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan produced a hybrid that was as fascinating as it was down to earth and solid. Vaughan was a flashy guitar player without actually pouring on the flash, choosing instead to keep the song at hand at the center of things, a point often lost on the ardent guitar gunslingers that eagerly adopted his look and template. This 15-track set has several key Vaughan sides, including the energetic "Pride and Joy," his signature "Texas Flood," and an amazing, nearly 12-minute live version of Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)," among others, and makes for a concise and rocking introduction to this fine guitarist. ~ Steve Leggett
