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Blues Underground Network |
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Joe Louis Walker "Blues Conspiracy: Live on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise"
Blues Underground Network's Year End Review 2010 Winner - Best USA Live Blues Album & Best Blues Compilation Album There is no doubt that many of us have "Being on a Blues Cruise" as part of our Bucket List, but until that happens, we can all be thankful to Joe Louis Walker for his new upcoming release, "Blues Conspiracy: Live on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise". "Blues Conspiracy: Live on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise", officially hits the streets September 28th, and as the name implies, it is a live recording which took place in January of this year, 2010. Joe Louis Walker had this to say about that fact, "For all the fans of live music, what you hear on this CD is what the audience heard at the performances. There are no enhancements or overdubs. In other words, what you hear is what it was and what it is." When it comes to the Blues, Joe Louis Walker is no stranger, having put out a series of coveted and acclaimed Albums, since 1987. In fact, his last one "Between a Rock and the Blues" was chosen "Album of the Year" at the Blues Music Awards, earlier this year. Also of note was Walker also getting picked the 2010 Living Blues Magazine Critics Poll, as Most Outstanding Musician (Guitar). Those are just 2 of the most recent accolades in Joe Louis Walker's long and highly respected career. "Blues Conspiracy: Live on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise" consists of 11 tracks and while you may think that would not make for an overly long Album, you would be kidding yourself, as this treasure logs in at over 73 minutes. Besides Joe Louis Walker and his band, which is a force to be reckoned with in their own right, Blues Conspiracy features a literal Who's Who of the Blues Music Scene, Past, Present, and Future. Special Guests such as Johnny Winter, Duke Robillard, Tab Benoit, Tommy Castro may seem like more then enough artillery for this Album, but after all, it is called "The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise" for a reason. Kenny Neal, Tom Poole, Nick Moss, Paris Slim, Jason Ricci, Kirk Fletcher, and Curtis Salgado, Joanna Bogart, Keith Crossan, Watermelon Slim, Mike Finnigan and more, all lend their magic to this Album. Considering all the gems that Joe Louis Walker chose to be part of this Album, any number of them could be considered highlight tracks, but for me the ones that really stood out were, "Ain't That Cold" with Johnny Winter, "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" with Curtis Salgado & Mike Finnigan, and "A Poor Man's Plea" with Kenny Neal. Now remember those are just my favorites and I am sure that any number of listeners could find those and many more. The thing that remains true and constant for Joe Louis Walker, as far as his music is concerned, is his consistency and devotion to it. Those that know of his past know that he has been to hell and it was his love of his music which eventually pulled him out of it. "Blues Conspiracy: Live on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise" is Joe Louis Walker as his very best and really that is all he knows how to be, so please do yourself a huge favor and mark September 28th on your calender and when it arrives, head on down and grab yourself a little bit of shear magic. I highly recommend this album and thoroughly enjoyed it. Review By John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network) Additional Info Tracklist •“Slow Down GTO” with Mike Finnigan Listen To Joe Louis Walker Here... About Joe Louis Walker Multiple Grammy & WC Handy Award winner Joe Louis Walker is one of the most heralded blues artists of our time. JLW is a true powerhouse guitar virtuoso, unique singer & prolific songwriter who has toured the world religiously throughout his career and earned himself a legion of dedicated fans around the globe. He has recorded with the likes of BB King, James Cotton, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Huey Lewis, Branford Marsalis, Steve Cropper, Shemekia Copeland & Ike Turner, with a discography that counts 18 solo albums, 2 live DVDs, and countless compilations and guest appearances. Still recording and touring with a vengeance, JLW is already being referred to within the blues world as a "living legend." However, as Walker himself would say, "The best is yet to come!" JLW was born in 1949 in San Francisco. He came from a musical family, amidst the early influences of T-Bone Walker, BB King, Meade Lux Lewis, Amos Milburn, and Pete Johnson. Joe first picked up the guitar at the age of 8 and became a known quantity within the Bay Area music scene by the age of 16. While gigging through his teens, he soaked up many more influences (especially vocalists like Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Bobby Womack & Otis Redding). Over these early years, Joe's musical pupilage saw him playing with the likes of John Lee Hooker, JJ Malone, Buddy Miles, Otis Rush, Thelonius Monk, The Soul Stirrers, Willie Dixon, Charlie Musselwhite, Steve Miller, Nick Lowe, John Mayall, Earl Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix. By 1968, Joe had forged a close friendship with Mike Bloomfield (indeed, they were roommates for many years) which lasted up until Bloomfield's sad & untimely demise. This event was the catalyst that shook JLW into an immediate lifestyle
change. He quit the blues and enrolled himself at San Francisco State
University (where JLW achieved a degree in Music & English).
Throughout this time, Joe was regularly performing with "The Spiritual
Corinthians "gospel quartet". After a 1985 performance at the New Orleans
Jazz & Heritage Festival, Joe was inspired to return to his blues
roots whereupon he formed the "Bosstalkers" and signed to the Hightone
label. Under the auspices of Bruce Bromberg & Dennis Walker, his debut
album "Cold Is The Night" was released to huge worldwide critical acclaim
in 1986. He began a relentless touring schedule that took him to all the
corners of the globe, and tirelessly managed to deliver a further 4
releases in succession for Hightone Records ("The Gift" 1988, "Blue Soul"
1989, "Live At Slims Vol 1" 1991, "Live At Slims Volume 2" 1992).
"JLW" was released in 1994, featuring guests such as James Cotton, Branford Marsalis, and the Tower Of Power Horn-section. During this period, Joe's touring schedule had seen many reappearances at the world's most renowned music festivals (North Sea Jazz, Peer, Montreaux, Glastonbury, The Super Dome, San Francisco Festival, Russian River Jazz, Monterey, Jazz & Heritage, Sapporo Japan, Pistoia Italy, Byron Bay Australia, Cognac France, Ospel, Notodden Norway, Lucerne Switzerland, Beacon Theatre New York, etc.). JLW also spent many years covering all the major western TV networks (Conan O'Brien, Imus, Jools Holland UK, Inauguration for George W Bush, inducting BB King for President Clinton & Hilary Rodham Clinton into the Kennedy Centre Honors, Ono Filter Germany, Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame) as well as numerous French, Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Irish, Spanish, Brazilian, Italian, Turkish, Japanese, Taiwanese, Australian and ex-Iron Curtain TV networks. "Blues Of The Month Club" was released in 1995, and was the first of three JLW albums that were co-produced with legendary Stax-man, Steve Cropper (NB. this album also featured appearances from the likes of The Memphis Horns & The Spiritual Corinthians, as well as Steve Cropper himself). This was followed up by the seminal release of "Great Guitars" in 1997, which became known as one of the best selling blues albums of the decade. Joe assembled a collection of friends & luminaries on this release, creating a body of work that was to become a timeless representation of its era. This myriad of album guests included the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Otis Rush, Scotty Moore, Robert Lockwood Jr, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Steve Cropper, Little Charlie Baty, Tower Of Power Horns, Ike Turner and many others... Also in 1996 JLW played guitar on James Cotton's "Deep in the Blues" a Grammy winning "Best Traditional Blues Album". In addition JLW won his third W.C. Handy Award for "Band of the Year" (1996) which was preceded by two W.C. Handy Awards for "Contemporary Male Artist of the Year" (1988 & 1991). JLW also won the 1995 Bammy (Bay Area Music Award) for Blues Musician of the Year. Joe then released "Preacher & The President" in 1998 and "Silvertone Blues" in 1999 (his 6th album for Polygram). The relentless stream of classic albums continued with "In The Morning" (Telarc 2002), "Pasa Tiempo" (Evidence 2002), "Guitar Brothers" (JSP 2002), "She's My Money Maker" (JSP 2003), "Ridin' High" (Hightone 2003), "New Direction" (Provogue 2004), "Playin' Dirty" (JSP 2006), "Witness To The Blues "(2008 SPCD), and "Between A Rock And The Blues" (2009 SPCD). Despite JLW's continued musical productivity at the turn of the new millenium, his personal life fell into crisis due to a difficult and traumatic divorce. This soon led to an alcohol and drug relapse after more than 20 years of sobriety & disciplined professionalism. JLW moved to France for 2 years and upon his return to the USA in December 2005 began a self-imposed regime of rehabilitation and recovery. Having successfully combated his addiction problems, Walker began touring again. Referring to this difficult period of his life, JLW attests to the old adage "what doesn't kill you can only make you stronger!" Needless to say, the best therapy for a road warrior is his art... JLW continues to invest his deepest emotions into his music, and the stark honesty of his performances continues to delight his fans. http://www.myspace.com/joelouiswalker
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