Booker T. & The M.G.'s:

Back To Back: (1967)

For my money, it's hard to find a better live album than Back To Back. I believe this was recorded during the Stax/Volt European Tour of '67. In any case the Mar-Keys, with my buddy Wayne on trumpet, backed by Booker and the gang kill it on three tracks, and the rest is pure Booker T. & The M.G.'s. With Al Jackson Jr. laying down a deep ditch of a groove they sail through some heavy soul like, Red Beans And Rice, and Hip Hug-Her. Of course there's the perennial favorite Green Onions, they couldn't bring this Southern Soul stew to Europe without Green Onions. The "M.G.'s" stood for Memphis Group, and they brought their city with them everywhere. 

Melting Pot: (1971)

This is one of my favorite Booker T. & The M.G.'s records. Not just because it has cool cover, with the band looking all badass, which it does. But because, by the 70's everybody was loosening up, and expanding their jams. The hair was longer, and so were the tunes. This album has two that run over the eight minute mark. Unheard of in the earlier Stax days. Melting Pot is an explosion of instrumental soul, with the key tracks for me being the title cut, Melting Pot, and the side one ender, Fuquawi. Also, I still want the rosewood telecaster Steve Cropper is playing the picture on the back cover.