'Craps' (After Hours)

Rough, raw, raunchy, and pre-Hollywood polish, this CD shows the qualities that made Pryor sui generis, a standup legend. Recorded live at the Redd Foxx Club in 1971, the routines are informal, tightly delivered, brutally honest, and very funny. Who but Pryor could deliver a line like "Never take your wife to an orgy. They always say, 'You never touch me like that.'" Not only do you laugh, you believe the man knows from experience. Many of these bits became cornerstones of his act and thus can be heard on other albums. However, these versions are the master copies. Well worth the occasional glitches of a live recording, Craps (After Hours) is Pryor at his most authentic, and, arguably, his funniest. --Michael Gerber