Freddie King 196

Freddie King (also known as "Freddy" early in his career) was born in Gilmer, a rural town near Longview and east of Dallas, Texas. No relation to either B.B. or Albert King, Freddie was taught the guitar by his mother and an Uncle while he was still a child. Originally an acoustic, country blues-styled guitarist in the style of Lightnin' Hopkins and Blind Lemon Jefferson, King became enamored of the electrified Chicago blues sound of artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf as a teen.

Empyrean Isles is the best of Hancock's Blue Note albums and an outstanding example of modal jazz. But beyond that, it's simply one of the finest pure jazz albums ever made, right up there with Kind of Blue and Love Supreme.