Reflections

B.B. King made his name with his guitar. Lovingly nicknamed Lucille, King’s guitar brought grace and elegance to the blues without taking away its essential grit. It’s interesting, then, that what’s most striking about King’s latest album is not his guitar, but his deep, soulful baritone. His voice has always been his secret weapon, and on this collection of classic pop, jazz, country, and blues covers, he puts it to pretty good use. He gives a bluesy kick to the big-band standard “Exactly Like You,” his commanding voice never overwhelmed by the punchy horn line. His stately singing also matches the sweeping orchestral arrangement for “Cross My Heart” and even manages to inject some life into the well-worn “What a Wonderful World.” Of course, Lucille is mostly left looking for something to do—adding unnecessary flourishes here and there, overplaying, and occasionally distracting from the songs. Though after 50-plus years, it’s better that it’s King’s guitar that sounds old and in the way, rather than B.B. himself.