|
BLUES
& GOSPEL
Charles
Walker -> Sippie Wallace
| JIMMY WALKER
& ERWIN HELFER |
Testament 5011 |
Rough & Ready |
● CD $11.98 |
20 tracks, 62 min., recommended Recorded when Chicago
Pianist Jimmy Walker was in his 60s, this album (a reissue of Testament
2202 with 6 previously unreleased cuts) explores the boogie woogie duet
form which gained prominence in the '40s and then effectively died. Walker
and 28-year-old white pianist Erwin Helfer (trained by Cripple Clarence
Lofton!) have a musical rapport that only time and mutual respect could
produce, the two having played together for 2 years before these recording
were made. Some tracks feature Walker by himself, sometimes singing,
sometimes not. Willie Dixon adds his bass to Helfer's piano on 4 Helfer
compositions, including Fringe Benefit/ Give Me 10 Cents Worth Of Love.
(JC)
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| JOE LOUIS WALKER |
Blues Express 4001 |
Live On Broadway |
$24.98 |
DVD featuring 90 minutes of live performances including a 60
minute show at the Broadway nightclub in San Francisco.
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| JOE LOUIS WALKER |
Hightone HCD 8012 |
The Gift |
● CD $11.98 |
Second album from one of the great blues finds of the last
few years. Production on this one is little slicker than the first with a
cleaner studio sound and use of The Memphis Horns on several tracks but
the emphasis is on Joe's tough singing and powerful guitar playing.
Although his playing is not particularly unique it is fiery and
imaginative. Most of the songs on the album were written by Joe or by the
bassist with his band the Boss Talkers, Henry Oden and often deal with the
problems of urban life. Particularly good are Thin Line, the risqué
Shade Tree Mechanic, and the soulful 1/4 to 3 (no relation
to the U.S. Bonds song) with a rare example of Joe's splendid slide guitar
playing. Occasionally the songs get a little preachilly moralistic as on
the title song but they are generally good. (FS)
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| JOE LOUIS WALKER |
Verve 537 141-2 |
Great Guitars |
● CD $15.98 |
With an star guest list of guitar greats
including Little Charlie Baty, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Steve
Cropper, Buddy Guy, Robert Lockwood Jr., Scotty Moore, Otis Rush and
others!
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| PHILLIP WALKER |
Hightone HCD 8013 |
Blues |
● CD $13.98 |
Phillip Walker is a fine artist who consistently delivers
high quality soulful vocals and expressive guitar. This new album delivers
just what the title promises - 10 blues with Phillip accompanied by a
solid rhythm section, occasional horns from the Memphis Horns and crisp
production from Bruce Bromberg and Dennis Walker who have produced most of
Phillips recordings over the past 15 years. The album is mostly new songs
written by Dennis Walker, David Amy and others. Phillip also turns in fine
versions of Howling Wolf's How Many More Years and Lonesome
Sundown's I Had A Dream. Nothing really spectacular here just good
solid blues by one of the most consistent artists around. (FS)
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| PHILLIP WALKER |
Hightone HCD 8020 |
The Bottom Of The Top |
● CD $13.98 |
A most welcome reissue of the first album from 1973 by this
outstanding Los Angeles based singer and guitarist. In many ways this is
his best album with his strongest and most assured singing and expressive
guitar playing including some dazzling flet fingered work which in spite
of speed is always in good taste. The songs were recorded over a 3 year
period and are tremendously varied with several fine originals including
the wonderful loping Louisiana rocker Hello My Darling and the fine
soulful ballad It's All In Your Mind. His covers include the
familiar Tin Pan Alley which sounds fresh in his hands, a gorgeous
version of Lightnin' Hopkins' Hello Central with solo guitar
accompaniment only and fine versions of Long John Hunter's Crazy Girl
(with some of his most fiery guitar) and Jimmy Johnson's The Bottom Of
The Top. There is even a remarkably effective blues drenched version
of Buck Owens' classic Crying Time. Excellent production from the indefatigable
Bruce Bromberg, newly remastered by Bernie Grundman and with
informative notes by Pete Welding. Now's your chance to replace your old
worn out Playboy album or to pick up for the first time on an outstanding
album. (FS).
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| PHILLIP WALKER |
Hightone HCD 8032 |
Someday You'll Have These Blues |
● CD $13.98 |
Cassette and CD reissue of album originally issued in 1977
on Joliet and some years later on Alligator. Walker is a very fine and
soulful singer and an outstanding and imaginative guitarist and is backed
here by various top notch Southern California musicians on 10 songs
recorded at various sessions in 1975 and '76. Most of the songs were
written by Phillip and/or David Amy and/or Dennis Walker and include the
hard driving title song, the intense Beaumont Blues, the unexpected
gospel song When It Needs Getting Done with vocal
backup by The Melody Kings and the wonderfully loping If We Can Find It.
The two covers - Breakin' Up Somebody's Home and Part Time Love
are give excellent rendering - particularly the latter. Recommended. (FS)
|
| T-BONE WALKER |
Atlantic 8020 |
T-Bone Blues |
● CD $15.98 |
15 tracks, 47 mins, essential. This compact disc features
all of T. Bone's recordings made for Atlantic in 1955 (Chicago), 1956
& 1957 (both Los Angeles). This includes tracks not previously on LP
along with what appears to be several previously unissued titles. T-Bone
was in great form on these sessions and was accompanied by top session
musicians like Plas Johnson, Earl Palmer, Lloyd Glenn, Eddie Chamblee,
Barney Kessel and others. A couple of the tracks have a more down home
feel with Jimmy Rogers/ guitar and Junior Wells/ harmonica - the latter
gets to do a fine solo on the previously unissued T-Bone Blues Special.
All these sessions were beautifully recorded and this comes over on this
well remastered compact disc. This one is a must! (FS)
|
| T-BONE WALKER |
BGO BGOCD 116 |
Funky Town |
● CD $16.98 |
Repro of T-Bone's 1968 Bluesway session where he and
producer Bob Theile tried to cash in on the youthful soul and rock market.
The funk is a little obvious on cuts like Long Skirt Baby Blues,
which mourns the passing of the mini-skirt. But Bone's deep musicality
makes most of these 9 long tracks fun and worthwhile, including a boogaloo
remake of his Party Girl. Also includes Goin' To Funky Town/ Why
My Baby/ Jealous Woman/ Going To Build Me A Playhouse/ Struggling Blues/
I'm In An Awful Mood/ I Wish My Baby (Would Come Home At Night). (MB)
|
| T-BONE WALKER |
BGO BGOCD 461 |
Sings The Blues/ Singing The Blues |
● CD $17.98 |
24 tracks, 65 mins, essential Since U.S. EMI deleted their
wonderful two CD set of all of T-Bone's classic Imperial recordings a
couple of years, this is the only way to get any of this superb material.
T. Bone Walker was a brilliant singer and an innovative guitar player
whose playing was to influence generations of blues guitarists. He honed
his craft over many years but possibly reached his peak in the 52 songs
recorded for Imperial between 1950 and 1954. This collection features 24
cuts originally issued on two LPs in 1959 and 1960. These recordings were
mostly cut in Los Angeles or New Orleans with great bands including such
sidemen as Jim Wynn, Billy Hadnott, Willard McDaniel, Maxwell Davis, Dave
Bartholomew, Lee Allen, Walter Nelson and other. There is one classic
performance after another including Glamour Girl/ Strollin' With Bones/
The Hustle Is On/ Tell Me What's The Reason/ Cold Cold Feeling/ /
Travelin' Blues and more. Sound is excellent and there some brief new
notes by Tony Russell. (FS)
|
| T-BONE WALKER |
Delmark 633 |
I Want A Little Girl |
● CD $11.98 |
8 tracks, 40 min., recommended. Cut in 1968 and released on
Delmark in '73, Little Girl is Walker's last great album. The blues
pioneer finds himself in the company of a small combo of sax man Hal
Singer, drummer S.P. Leary, pianist Georges Arvanitas, and bassist Jackie
Samson. The whole disc has that 3 A.M. feel, and except on Leaving You
Behind, no one is in a hurry. On Ain't It Cold, Baby T-Bone
even trades his guitar in for a piano. Jazzier blues than some might like,
but probably just the way Walker wanted, and beautifully recorded too.
Pull up a smoke-filled room and have a listen. (JC)
T-BONE WALKER: Ain't This Cold Baby/ Baby Ain't I Good To You/ Feeling The
Blues/ I Hate To See You Go/ I Want A Little Girl/ Late Hours Blues./
Leaving You Behind/ Someone's Going To Mistreat You
|
| T-BONE WALKER |
Indigo 2123 |
T-Bone Blues - The Essential Recordings Of
T-Bone |
● CD $11.98 |
22 tracks, 65 mins, highly recommended With much of T-Bone's
classic early recordings not readily available on CD at the present time
this is a most welcome collection of some the best early sides from 1942
to 1947 featuring this great singer and pioneer of electric blues guitar.
It features the first recordings of some of his most famous songs like Mean
Old World (versions from 1942 and '45), Call It Stormy Monday/
T-Bone Shuffle and I Want A Little Girl. Beautiful singinga nd
playing and excellent accompaniments from his bands. Excellent sound and
brief informative notes by Les Fancourt.
T-BONE WALKER: Call It Stormy Monday/ Come Back To Me Baby/ Don‘t Give
Me The Runaround/ Evening/ Hard Pain Blues/ I Got A Break/ I Know Your Wig
Is Gone/ I Want A Little Girl/ I‘m Gonna Find My Baby/ I‘m Still In
Love With You/ I‘m Waiting For Your Call/ Mean Old World (1942)/ Mean
Old World Blues (1945)/ My Baby Left Me/ No Worry Blues/ She Is Going To
Ruth Me/ T-bone Boogie/ T-bone Shuffle/ Vacation Blues/ West Side Story/
You Don‘t Love Me Blues
|
| T-BONE WALKER |
Koch 8066 |
The Very Best Of T-Bone Walker |
● CD $15.98 |
16 track collection featuring some of T-Bone's best Black
& White and Imperial sides recorded between 1949 and 1954 - T-Bone
Shuffle/ It's A Lowdown Dirty Deal/ They Call It Stormy Monday/ Long Skirt
Baby Blues/ Slimony Blues/ Bye Bye Baby/ Strollin' With Bones/ The Hustle
Is On, etc.
|
| T-BONE WALKER |
P-Vine PCD 5517 |
Feeling The Blues |
● CD $23.98 |
9 tracks recorded by T. Bone in France in 1968 and
originally issued on Black & Blue 33.019. They feature a good small
group including Hal Singer on tenor and George Avanitas on piano. Good
standard T. Bone fare with good singing and playing all round.
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| T-BONE WALKER |
Rhino 79894 |
The Very Best Of T-Bone Walker |
● CD $15.98 |
16 track collection of early T-Bone sides from Capitol,
Imperial and Atlantic.
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| SIPPIE WALLACE |
Document DOCD 5399 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 : 1923-1925 |
● CD $15.98 |
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|
| SIPPIE WALLACE |
Document DOCD 5400 |
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 : 1925-1945 |
● CD $15.98 |
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