Little Walter

 Of course, I've been a fan of Little Walter's before I even knew who he was thanks to his incredible work with the likes of Muddy Waters. I have only found a couple of CD's of his so when someone online mentioned this one, I searched it out immediately. This is a Japanese issue of a Chess release but I found it at a very reasonable price, the quality is excellent and, of course, the performances are incredible!

There are a few songs that I was already familiar with - the rollickin' instrumental "Roller Coaster", the famous "Mellow Down Easy" (that ZZ Top covered, among innumerable others), "Everything's Going To Be Alright", and a couple others - but there are enough tunes that were unfamiliar to me to make this more than worthwhile.

Walter was, as we all know, the master of the harmonica, but he also has a fine blues voice (and occasionally played guitar) and his bands were always top-notch, as well. This particular issue does not mention the backing musicians, but he often worked with the same cats that Muddy used (including, at times, Waters himself), so you know they were as good as they come!

This opens with a hoppin' boogie in "Nobody But You" before slowing to a sexy groove for "My Baby's Sweeter", followed by the bouncy instro "Roller Coaster" with excellent harp, of course, slowing down again in "As Long As I Have You" (kind of an Otis Rush feel), then rockin' once more for "Oh Baby" (listen to that harp wail! Amazing tone!). 

The songs continue to alternate between faster'n'slower, with "Take Me Back" groovin' again, "Everything's Going To Be Alright" isn't crazy fast but this take is kinda similar to Albert King's "Goin' Down" (no idea which came first), and, of course, "Mellow Down Easy" has that identifiable tom-tom romp before we get to the rockin'n'hypnotic Muddy Waters repetitive riff that is the basis for "Hate To See You Go" that is followed by "I Got To Find My Baby", a great rocker that Chuck Berry also covered (and apparently is sometimes credited as writing, although he didn't).

A return to the slow'n'sultry for "Everybody Needs Somebody", and an even slower (but no less great) instro, "Blue Midnight", then picking up the pace in "I've Had My Fun" ("if I don't get well no more" - another variation on that theme) and keepin' it mid-tempo'n'cool for his take on "Key to the Highway" and the official album ended with some fierce'n'firey guitar work (and terrific harp, natch) in the burnin' "Blue and Lonesome" - wish the credits said who the players were as this is excellent!

The CD bonus tracks are alternative takes on "I Got To Find My Baby" and "I've Had My Fun" - quite different takes but also great!

Walter's harp playing is exemplary - I don't know if anyone has ever matched him - and, as I said, the players here are all excellent as well, as are the selections. Any lover of Chicago blues should have this one!