Little Walter | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Whos the king of all post-war blues harpists, Chicago division or otherwise? Why, the virtuosic Little Walter, without a solitary doubt. The fiery harmonica wizard took the humble mouth organ in dazzling amplified directions that were unimaginable prior to his ascendancy. His daring instrumental innovations were so fresh, startling, and ahead of their time that they sometimes sported a jazz sensibility, soaring and swooping in front of snarling guitars and swinging rhythms perfectly suited to Walters pioneering flights of fancy. Marion Walter Jacobs was by most accounts an unruly but vastly talented youth who abandoned his rural Louisiana home for the bright lights of New Orleans at age 12. Walter gradually journeyed north from there, pausing in Helena (where he hung out with the wizened Sonny Boy Williamson), Memphis, and St. Louis before arriving in Chicago in 1946. The thriving Maxwell Street strip offered a spot for the still-teenaged phenom to hawk his wares. He fell in with local royalty -- Tampa Red and Big Bill Broonzy -- and debuted on wax that same year for the tiny Ora-Nelle logo ("I Just Keep Loving Her") in the company of Jimmy Rogers and guitarist Othum Brown. Walter joined forces with Muddy Waters in 1948; the resulting stylistic tremors of that coupling are still being felt today. Along with Rogers and Baby Face Leroy Foster, this super-confident young aggregation became informally known as the Headhunters. They would saunter into Southside clubs, mount the stage, and proceed to calmly "cut the heads" of whomever was booked there that evening. By 1950, Walter was firmly entrenched as Waters studio harpist at Chess as well (long after Walter had split the Muddy Waters band, Leonard Chess insisted on his participation on waxings -- why split up an unbeatable combination?). Thats how Walter came to record his breakthrough 1952 R&B; chart-topper "Juke" -- the romping instrumental was laid down at the tail-end of a Waters session. Suddenly, Walter was a star on his own, combining his stunning talents with those of the Aces (guitarists Louis and David Myers and drummer Fred Below) and advancing the concept of blues harmonica another few light years with every session he made for Checker Records. From 1952 to 1958, Walter notched 14 Top Ten R&B; hits, including "Sad Hours," "Mean Old World," "Tell Me Mama," "Off the Wall," "Blues with a Feeling," "Youre So Fine," a threatening "You Better Watch Yourself," the mournful "Last Night," and a rocking "My Babe" that was Willie Dixons secularized treatment of the traditional gospel lament "This Train." Throughout his Checker tenure, Walter alternated spine-chilling instrumentals with gritty vocals (hes always been underrated in that department; he wasnt Muddy Waters or the Wolf, but who was?). Walter utilized the chromatic harp in ways never before envisioned (check out his 1956 free-form instrumental "Teenage Beat," with Robert Jr. Lockwood and Luther Tucker manning the guitars, for proof positive). 1959s determined "Everything Gonna Be Alright" was Walters last trip to the hit lists; Chicago blues had faded to a commercial non-entity by then unless your name was Jimmy Reed. Tragically, the 60s saw the harp genius slide steadily into an alcohol-hastened state of unreliability, his once-handsome face becoming a road map of scars. In 1964, he toured Great Britain with the Rolling Stones, who clearly had their priorities in order, but his once-prodigious skills were faltering badly. That sad fact was never more obvious than on 1967s disastrous summit meeting of Waters, Bo Diddley, and Walter for Chess as the Super Blues Band; there was nothing super whatsoever about Walters lame remakes of "My Babe" and "You Dont Love Me." Walters eternally vicious temper led to his violent undoing in 1968. He was involved in a street fight (apparently on the losing end, judging from the outcome) and died from the incidents after-effects at age 37. His influence remains inescapable to this day -- its unlikely that a blues harpist exists on the face of this earth who doesnt worship Little Walter. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 22 Title: The Best of Little Walter Released: 1957 Tracks: 12 Duration: 35:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 My Babe (02:52) 2 Sad Hours (02:37) 3 Youre So Fine (02:49) 4 Last Night (03:23) 5 Blues With a Feeling (03:08) 6 Cant Hold Out Much Longer (02:59) 7 Juke (02:47) 8 Mean Old World (02:57) 9 Off the Wall (03:01) 10 You Better Watch Yourself (03:23) 11 Blue Lights (03:08) 12 Tell Me Mamma (02:40) |
| The Best of Little Walter : Allmusic album Review : Little Walter -- aka Marion Walter Jacobs -- wasnt the first great harmonica player in the blues, but the instrument had a whole new force and personality after he was done with it. Little Walter was a technically gifted player with a dark, powerful sound, but he also approached the chromatic harmonica in a new way earlier players had not, and by using a microphone and amplifier to power his harp, he created sounds that were fierce, wild, and dramatic. Walter first rose to fame playing with Muddy Waters band, but he also became a solo star, cutting his first hit on his own, "Juke," at the tail end of a Waters session in 1952, and becoming one of the few harp players to make it as a headliner. The Best of Little Walter features 12 songs from Walters years with Chess Records, which remained his recording home from the release of "Juke" until his death in 1968. Selections include "Juke," "Blues with a Feeling," "Sad Hours," "My Babe," and more. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 22 Title: Hate to See You Go Released: 1969 Tracks: 15 Duration: 39:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Nobody but You (02:04) 2 My Babys Sweeter (02:26) 3 Roller Coaster (02:51) 4 As Long as I Have You (02:36) 5 Oh Baby (02:43) 6 Take Me Back (03:03) 7 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (02:50) 8 Mellow Down Easy (02:37) 9 Hate to See You Go (02:15) 10 I Got to Find My Baby (02:49) 11 Everybody Needs Somebody (02:51) 12 Blue Midnight (02:23) 13 I’ve Had My Fun (02:02) 14 Key to the Highway (02:46) 15 Blue and Lonesome (02:53) |
| Hate to See You Go : Allmusic album Review : Many blues fans identify this album by the scar on its front cover, and this doesnt mean that their copy got damaged lying around in the used-record pile. A larger than life black-and-white photograph of Little Walter fills the front cover with a visual impact that just cannot be matched in the petite world of compact discs. A jewel case would also be too much protection against the scar in the middle of Little Walters forehead. Biographical information on this artist no doubt provides the explanation of where this scar came from, and it can be assumed he did not earn it with bad harmonica playing. This album was part of a reissue series that Chess launched in the early 70s, irritating most blues fans despite the quality of the grim graphic design with its superior black-and-white photography, of which the scar shot was only one example. The problem was that too much of the Chess material had been out of print for too long, and the new generations of blues fans were hardly satisfied by the stingy serving of tracks the producers served up, even if it came wrapped in film noir trappings. The series miscalculated what the public actually wanted out of record companies in terms of reissue material, which would be lavish double-album sets loaded with information and sold at a discount. This trend would begin quickly after Chess had already started its black-and-white series of single albums; the company quickly rendered them all obsolete by rushing out its own series of double-record sets. Take a good look at the song titles on this record, that is, if one can still see them. The text was printed in a small white typeface on top of a black background, and the printing over the years suffered from a kind of disappearing effect. The album consists of a combination of songs that were huge hits for this artist, such as "Mellow Down Easy," "Roller Coaste," and "Nobody But You," combined with other performances that the producers thought were especially worthwhile. It is a well-sequenced effort, mastered powerfully, but the songs might as well have been chosen at random. None of the dozens of previously unreleased Little Walter tracks the label had lying around were touched for this project; all of the material here had already seen the light of day and proved its appeal with the blues public. That Little Walter is a brilliant harmonica player and a real innovator in terms of both the amplified sound of the small harp and the use of the chromatic version in blues and R&B; is a well-established fact of American musical history. The relationship he had with his fellow players hasnt gotten as much attention, but as one enjoys these tracks, it is easy to feel the strength of Little Walter as a bandleader. He comes up with inventive devices within the familiar blues structures and is, in fact, one of the musics most ingenious arrangers of the electric blues combo sound. Like the airlines are fond of saying, consumers have a lot of choices when it comes to Little Walter material. The window-seat view of the scar might be an acquired taste, but musically this is a smooth ride all the way. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 22 Title: We Three Kings Released: 1971 Tracks: 14 Duration: 22:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 She’s Into Something (02:55) 2 Take the Bitter With the Sweet (03:17) 3 Read Way Back (02:38) 4 I’m Your Doctor (02:25) 5 Tiger in Your Tank (02:22) 6 Meanest Woman (?) 7 Lonesome Room Blues (03:09) 8 Five Long Years (02:53) 9 Twenty Four Hours (02:38) 10 I Don’t Play (?) 11 Just You Fool (?) 12 Change Your Way (?) 13 I’ve Been Abused (?) 14 Mister Airplane Man (?) |
 | Album: 4 of 22 Title: Boss Blues Harmonica Released: 1972 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:08:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 My Babe (02:33) 2 Sad Hours (03:09) 3 Youre So Fine (03:02) 4 Last Night (02:41) 5 Blues With a Feeling (03:04) 6 Cant Hold Out Much Longer (02:58) 7 Juke (02:41) 8 Mean Old World (02:52) 9 Off the Wall (02:48) 10 You Better Watch Yourself (03:03) 11 Blue Lights (03:15) 12 Tell Me Mama (02:46) 1 Back Track (02:48) 2 Its Too Late Brother (02:38) 3 Just a Feeling (02:53) 4 Teenage Beat (02:59) 5 Just Your Fool (02:22) 6 Flying Saucer (03:02) 7 I Got to Go (02:42) 8 Shake Dancer (02:43) 9 Too Late (02:35) 10 Thunderbird (02:47) 11 Ahw Baby (02:48) 12 Boom Boom, Out Go the Lights (02:42) |
| Boss Blues Harmonica : Allmusic album Review : The high rating is for the music. Served in a portion as generous as one could typically fit over four slabs of vinyl, these vintage recordings of Chicago blues cannot be denied. "Juke," "Flying Saucer," "Boom Boom, Out Go the Lights."..these are all out and out classics of urban blues, delivered with zest and zeal by an artist who matched flawless and flamboyant harmonica technique and a devastating amplified sound with a vocal style that was mischievous to the point of irritating Rumpelstiltskin. His musical company here is the cream of the crop, killer players all. The interplay between guitars and harmonica is fantastic by itself, while the antics of the rhythm section are a subject for extensive study as well. As a bandleader, Little Walter was an inventive character, meaning that each track has something fresh about its arrangement, often just a little touch or sometimes an entire groove that with that magic combination of familiarity and surprise. There isnt a bum track on this collection, which is why it didnt matter that the tracks on the third and fourth sides of the collection were shuffled like a deck of cards for the 80s version of this two-fer repackage, about which the following competition can be launched: Which of the two-record set covers used for the Boss Blues Harmonica sets is uglier? Is it the 70s version, in which a heavy soaking of toilet-bowl blue coloring fails to hide the fact that almost the entire back cover is taken up with a drawing of a drum set? Or was it the 80s set, featuring a crude drawing of someone who doesnt look at all like Little Walter, standing in front of a bar in what looks like the middle of a vacant field. The earlier set didnt bother to provide a clear listing of session men and discographical information. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 22 Title: Southern Feeling Released: 1978 Tracks: 15 Duration: 40:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Cant Stop Loving You (02:46) 2 Last Boogie (02:29) 3 Little Girl (03:02) 4 Come Back Baby (02:51) 5 Southern Feeling (02:56) 6 One of These Mornings (02:52) 7 Beggin and Pleadin (03:00) 8 I Love You So (02:29) 9 You Gonna Be Sorry (02:46) 10 Fast Boogie (02:49) 11 Temperature (01:56) 12 You Dont Know (02:29) 13 Walkin On (02:34) 14 Dead Presidents (02:43) 15 Cobella (02:47) |
 | Album: 6 of 22 Title: The Best of Little Walter, Volume Two Released: 1989-05-26 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Mellow Down Easy (02:42) 2 I Dont Play (02:19) 3 Too Late (02:39) 4 Key to the Highway (02:56) 5 Boogie (02:59) 6 Just a Feeling (02:54) 7 Evans Shuffle (02:13) 8 Crazy Mixed Up World (01:59) 9 Lights Out (02:44) 10 Oh Baby (02:45) 11 Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights) (02:50) 12 It Aint Right (02:59) |
 | Album: 7 of 22 Title: The Electric Harmonica Genius Released: 1990 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:12:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Juke (02:43) 2 Cant Hold Out Much Longer (02:57) 3 Blue Midnight (02:25) 4 Mean Old World (02:53) 5 Sad Hours (03:11) 6 Quarter to Twelve and Lights Out (03:11) 7 Blues With a Feeling (03:04) 8 Last Night (02:43) 9 Mellow Down Easy (02:42) 10 My Babe (02:40) 11 Hate to See You (02:18) 12 Going Down Slow (02:56) 13 Its Too Late, Brother (02:41) 14 Everybody Needs Somebody (02:52) 15 Confessin the Blues (03:00) 16 Key to the Highway (02:45) 17 Walkin On (02:37) 18 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (02:50) 19 Blue and Lonesome (04:51) 20 I Dont Play (02:20) 21 Peppers Thing (04:44) 22 Off the Wall (02:22) 23 Youre So Fine (03:10) 24 Rocker (04:09) |
 | Album: 8 of 22 Title: My Babe Released: 1991 Tracks: 10 Duration: 28:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 My Babe (02:38) 2 Youre So Fine (03:04) 3 Last Night (02:45) 4 Rollercoaster (02:56) 5 Blue Lights (03:14) 6 Sad Hours (03:11) 7 Oh Baby (02:48) 8 Tell Me Mama (02:50) 9 Who (02:26) 10 I Got To Go (02:41) |
 | Album: 9 of 22 Title: Super Blues Released: 1992 Tracks: 11 Duration: 47:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Long Distance Call (05:07) 2 Who Do You Love (04:15) 3 I’m a Man (05:42) 4 Bo Diddley (04:31) 5 You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover (03:30) 6 I Just Want to Make Love to You (06:09) 7 My Babe (03:56) 8 You Don’t Love Me (04:11) 9 Studio Chatter (01:27) 10 Sad Hours (05:08) 11 Juke (03:31) |
| Super Blues : Allmusic album Review : Lethargic and at times comical summit meeting with Bo Diddley and Muddy Waters. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 22 Title: The Essential Little Walter Released: 1993-06-08 Tracks: 46 Duration: 2:09:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Juke (02:45) 2 Can’t Hold Out Much Longer (03:01) 3 Boogie (03:01) 4 Blue Midnight (alt.) (03:02) 5 Mean Old World (02:55) 6 Sad Hours (03:12) 7 Dont Need No Horse (03:15) 8 Tell Me Mama (02:47) 9 Off the Wall (02:51) 10 Quarter to Twelve (03:12) 11 Blues With a Feeling (03:07) 12 Too Late (02:41) 13 Fast Boogie (02:52) 14 Lights Out (02:45) 15 Fast Large One (02:50) 16 You’re So Fine (03:04) 17 Oh Baby (02:46) 18 I Got to Find My Baby (02:48) 19 Last Night (first version) (02:54) 20 You Better Watch Yourself (03:04) 21 Mellow Down Easy (02:43) 22 My Babe (02:42) 23 Roller Coaster (02:53) 24 Little Girl (03:04) 1 Hate to See You Go (02:17) 2 Boom Boom Out Goes the Light (02:51) 3 It Ain’t Right (02:54) 4 Its Too Late Brother (02:41) 5 Just a Feeling (02:54) 6 Ahw Baby (02:54) 7 Ive Had My Fun (alt.) (02:13) 8 Confessin’ the Blues (03:04) 9 Key to the Highway (02:46) 10 Walkin On (02:36) 11 Youre Gonna Be Sorry (Some Day Baby) (alt.) (03:07) 12 Crazy Mixed Up World (02:01) 13 Worried Life (02:41) 14 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (02:50) 15 Back Track (02:49) 16 Blue and Lonesome (02:55) 17 I Dont Play (02:19) 18 As Long as I Have You (02:39) 19 Just Your Fool (02:24) 20 Up the Line (02:07) 21 Southern Feeling (02:59) 22 Dead Presidents (02:51) |
 | Album: 11 of 22 Title: Blues Masters Released: 1993-11-30 Tracks: 8 Duration: 31:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Youre So Fine (04:17) 2 May Be the Last Time (03:49) 3 Its So Hard for Me to Believe You Baby (05:47) 4 All About My Girl (03:57) 5 Walters Blues (03:24) 6 I Got You (02:54) 7 Goin Down Slow (04:15) 8 Watermelon Man (03:20) |
| Blues Masters : Allmusic album Review : These live performances have been circulating around bootleg channels under a plethora of titles for decades. The Otis Rush cuts fare OK, although the sound quality is pretty awful and will generally make any decent stereo playback system sound like theres a pile of blankets draped over the speakers. The Walter cuts are another matter entirely. On an earlier vinyl bootleg incarnation, these tracks were purported to be recorded live at Peppers Lounge in Chicago sometime in the late 60s. If they were, it must have been amateur night. The backing band heard here behind Walter is a bunch of rhythmically challenged ham-fisted hacks who sound like every blues lovers worst nightmare: buzzing obtrusive basslines, clumsy, lumbering drums that sound like the guys building a house, and a lead guitar that sounds like hes plugged into a 100-watt kazoo. As for Walter himself, hes in the absolute worst recorded form ever documented. His harp playing is raggedy and short-winded (to be fair, by this time he was trying to blow with one collapsed lung) and he forgets lyrics left and right, letting out frustrated yelps as he keeps losing his place mid-song, breaking time constantly. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 22 Title: The Blues Collection: Little Walter, Boss Blues Harmonica Released: 1994 Tracks: 18 Duration: 50:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Tell Me Mama (02:45) 2 You’re So Fine (03:02) 3 Last Night (02:44) 4 My Babe (02:35) 5 Juke (02:43) 6 Can’t Hold Out Much Longer (02:59) 7 Mean Old World (02:54) 8 Sad Hours (03:10) 9 Too Late (02:34) 10 Thunderbird (02:47) 11 I Got to Go (02:42) 12 Boom, Boom Out Goes the Light (02:43) 13 Teenage Beat (02:57) 14 Just a Feeling (02:53) 15 Shake Dancer (02:45) 16 Ahw Baby (02:48) 17 Its Too Late Brother (02:37) 18 Just Your Fool (02:22) |
 | Album: 13 of 22 Title: Confessin the Blues Released: 1996 Tracks: 15 Duration: 41:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 It Aint Right (02:55) 2 Rocker (03:08) 3 I Got to Find My Baby (02:50) 4 Lights Out (02:46) 5 One More Chance With You (02:56) 6 Crazy Legs (03:24) 7 Temperature (02:41) 8 I Got to Go (02:42) 9 Crazy Mixed Up World (02:01) 10 Quarter to Twelve (03:14) 11 Confessin the Blues (03:05) 12 The Toddle (02:39) 13 Up the Line (02:09) 14 Rock Bottom (02:20) 15 Mean Old Frisco (02:25) |
| Confessin' the Blues : Allmusic album Review : This release is a little confusing, coming out as it does more than a year after the release of MCA-Chess Little Walter rarities collection Blues with a Feeling, and two years after the double-CD anthology set that contains most of the best parts of this collection. Still, for those who cant afford either of those pricey sets, this disc, coupled with the two best-of volumes, and the other Walter compilations, fills in some holes that are well worth filling. Made up of songs cut between 1953 and 1959 -- none of which had ever appeared on LP before the original 1974 release of this collection -- the selection features Walter in his prime, playing alongside Robert Lockwood, Jr. and Louis Myers or Luther Tucker on guitar (with Muddy Waters present on slide on one indispensable track, "Rock Bottom"), mostly Willie Dixon on bass, and Fred Below on the drums, with Lafayette Leake or Otis Spann on piano. His harp work was never than first rate during the era covered by this collection, and there are some top flight instrumentals featured, but the material (check out "Crazy Legs," with its dazzling interplay between Walter on harp and Louis and Dave Myers on guitars) here also features some of Walters best singing, including the romantic "One More Chance with You," the quietly raunchy "Temperature," and "Confessin the Blues." The sound, as is usual on these MCA-Chess reissues, is superb, although certain tracks, such as "I Got to Go," seem slightly compressed. [A Japanese version released in 2004 includes bonus tracks.] | ||
 | Album: 14 of 22 Title: His Best Released: 1997-06-17 Tracks: 20 Duration: 56:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Juke (02:45) 2 Can’t Hold Out Much Longer (03:01) 3 Mean Old World (02:55) 4 Sad Hours (03:15) 5 Tell Me Mama (02:47) 6 Off the Wall (02:51) 7 Blues With a Feeling (03:07) 8 You’re So Fine (03:04) 9 Too Late (02:41) 10 Last Night (02:44) 11 Mellow Down Easy (02:43) 12 My Babe (02:42) 13 Roller Coaster (02:53) 14 Hate to See You Go (02:17) 15 It Ain’t Right (02:54) 16 Boom, Boom Out Goes the Lights (02:51) 17 Confessin’ the Blues (03:04) 18 Key to the Highway (02:46) 19 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (02:50) 20 Just Your Fool (02:24) |
| His Best : Allmusic album Review : As MCA reconfigures their Chess catalog, this 20-track single-disc compilation now takes the place of their original 12-track Best of Little Walter collection, a landmark blues album which had remained in print for over three decades. His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) reprises ten of those seminal tracks (leaving off the echoey "Blue Light" and "You Better Watch Yourself," the latter being available on the two-disc anthology The Essential Little Walter) and brings ten others cherry-picked from the catalog to the mix. If youve never experienced the innovative instrumental genius of Little Walter, classics like "Juke," "Off the Wall," "Mean Old World," "Sad Hours," "Blues with a Feeling," "My Babe," "Boom Out Goes the Light," "Last Night," "Mellow Down Easy" and "Roller Coaster" (written by Bo Diddley, who also guests on guitar) will come as a major revelation. These are the recordings that changed the sound and style of blues harmonica forever, and everyone who came after him was as influenced by him as jazz saxophonists were by Charlie Parker. Everyone who fancies themselves a blues harmonica player should have this one in their collection as a textbook instructional tool, while the rest of us can just bask in the glow of his genius. "Essential first purchase" doesnt even begin to describe it. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 22 Title: Blues With a Feeling Released: 2000-10-05 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:08:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Juke (02:43) 2 Can’t Hold Out Much Longer (02:58) 3 Sad Hours (03:09) 4 Blues With a Feeling (03:07) 5 Crazy Legs (03:24) 6 Tell Me Mama (02:45) 7 Off the Wall (02:48) 8 You’re So Fine (03:03) 9 Blue Lights (03:14) 10 You Better Watch Yourself (03:04) 11 I Got to Find My Baby (02:49) 12 Quarter to Twelve and Lights Out (03:11) 13 Rocker (03:05) 14 Last Night (02:42) 15 Mellow Down Easy (02:41) 16 My Babe (02:40) 17 I Got to Go (02:44) 18 One More Chance With You (02:47) 19 Temperature (02:38) 20 Confessin’ the Blues (03:04) 21 Crazy Mixed Up World (02:01) 22 Rock Bottom (02:11) 23 Key to the Highway (02:46) 24 The Toddle (02:33) |
| Blues With a Feeling : Allmusic album Review : Blues with a Feeling is a two-CD, 40-track compilation which makes the perfect audio bookend to The Essential Little Walter (or the single disc The Best of Little Walter for those on a budget) by systematically combing the Chess vaults and rounding up the best stuff. No bottom-of-the-barrel scrapings here; this compilation effectively renders all 70s Euro vinyl bootlegs null and void, both from a sound and selection standpoint. While not as exhaustive as the European nine-CD retrospective (in and out of print as of this writing), there are still things on this compilation that are left off the box set on Charly. The rarities (including the low down "Tonight with a Fool," possibly the rarest Walter Checker single of all and one whose title never shows up in the lyrics) are all noteworthy by their inclusion. But the alternate takes are the real mother lode here; everyone of em has got some kind of major screw-up to em while showing Walters penchant for putting a new spin on a tune every time the engineer hit the record button. Like Charles Browns "Drifting Blues," where he decides to start up his solo by playing the bump and grind part from "Night Train," leaving the entire band in the dust trying to figure out what changes to play once Walter changes his mind, or "Blues with a Feeling," where halfway through his solo the chord on Walters harp mike unexplainably shorts out, just crackling away like a bowl of Rice Krispies. Or "Youre Sweet," where he mangles the first line of the vocal ("you sweet, as any apple on a fruit") thus immediately relegating it to the unissued file, regardless of how great the solo in the middle is. By far the most interesting instrumental here is the previously unissued "Thats It" (formerly only a discographical sighting) where Walter honks mind-altering stuff that Ive never heard him do anywhere else on record. The alternate of "My Babe" doesnt sound anything like the hit version, making it another minor revelation while the storming uptempo reading of "Going Down Slow" -- with the track fueled by a particularly nasty riff courtesy of Robert Jr. Lockwood, whose acerbic comments punctuate the liner notes throughout -- is a prime candidate for the repeat button mode on the CD player, featuring the groove from Hell that refuses to abate. Bottom line is, this is one very cool release that even Ive-heard-it-all-before hardliners are gonna want to add to their collection. Little Walter was a blues genius and once youve absorbed the influential hits, heres exactly where you go next to get the rest of the story. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 22 Title: Blues & Rhythm Series: The Chronological Little Walter 1947-1953 Released: 2004 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:09:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Ora Nelle Blues (02:40) 2 I Just Keep Loving Her (02:30) 3 Juke (02:45) 4 Cant Hold on Much Longer (03:01) 5 Blue Midnight (02:25) 6 Boogie (03:01) 7 Mean Old World (02:54) 8 Sad Hours (03:11) 9 Fast Boogie (02:48) 10 Dont Need No Horse (03:19) 11 Dont Have to Hunt No More (03:04) 12 Crazy Legs (02:26) 13 Tonight With a Fool (02:55) 14 Off the Wall (02:50) 15 Tell Me Mama (02:47) 16 Blues With a Feeling (03:10) 17 Quarter to Twelve (03:16) 18 Last Boogie (02:32) 19 Too Late (02:39) 20 Fast Boogie (02:52) 21 Lights Out (02:45) 22 Fast Large One (02:51) 23 Youre So Fine (03:05) 24 My Kind of Baby (03:06) |
 | Album: 17 of 22 Title: Blues & Rhythm Series: The Chronological Little Walter 1953-1955 Released: 2007 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:07:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Driftin (03:12) 2 Thats it (03:10) 3 Come Back Baby (02:54) 4 Rocker (03:07) 5 I Love You So (Oh Baby) (02:33) 6 Oh Baby (02:46) 7 I Got to Find My Baby (02:48) 8 Big Leg Mama (02:47) 9 My Babe (Mercy Babe) (03:18) 10 Last Night [first Version] (02:54) 11 Youd Better Watch Yourself (03:04) 12 Blue Light (03:14) 13 Last Night (02:44) 14 Mellow Down Easy (02:43) 15 Instrumental (02:55) 16 Thunderbird (02:48) 17 My Babe (02:42) 18 Roller Coaster (02:53) 19 I Got to Go (02:41) 20 Hate to See You Go [extended Version] (03:04) 21 Little Girl (03:06) 22 Crazy for My Baby (03:01) 23 Cant Stop Loving You (02:48) |
 | Album: 18 of 22 Title: Juke Released: 2007 Tracks: 20 Duration: 56:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Youd Better Watch Yourself (03:05) 2 Last Night (02:44) 3 Boom, Boom, Out Goes the Lights (02:43) 4 Evans Shuffle (02:12) 5 Thunder Bird (02:48) 6 Tonight With a Fool (02:52) 7 My Babe (02:33) 8 Juke (02:43) 9 I Got to Go (02:42) 10 Mean Old World (02:54) 11 Can’t Hold Out Much Longer (02:58) 12 Too Late (02:34) 13 Blues With a Feeling (03:05) 14 Blue Lights (03:16) 15 Tell Me Mama (02:45) 16 Who (02:23) 17 Come Back Baby (03:04) 18 Sad Hours (03:10) 19 Crazy for My Baby (03:01) 20 Off the Wall (02:48) |
 | Album: 19 of 22 Title: Blowin the Blues Released: 2008 Tracks: 60 Duration: 2:58:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Juke (02:46) 2 Blue Midnight (03:00) 3 Crazy Legs (03:12) 4 Tell Me Mama (02:54) 5 Off the Wall (03:26) 6 Tonight With a Fool (02:48) 7 Driftin Blues (02:51) 8 Fast Boogie (03:13) 9 Thats It (03:07) 10 My Kind of Baby (02:35) 11 Blues With a Feeling (03:06) 12 Too Late (03:08) 13 Youre So Fine (02:32) 14 Come Back Baby (02:57) 15 Rocker (03:07) 16 I Love You So (02:36) 17 Oh Baby (02:43) 18 I Got to Find My Baby (02:50) 19 Big Leg Mamma (02:49) 20 My Babe (Mercy Babe) (03:20) 1 Youd Better Watch Yourself (03:06) 2 Blue Light (03:18) 3 Last Night (02:46) 4 Mellow Down Easy (02:51) 5 Instrumental (03:00) 6 Thunderbird (02:52) 7 My Babe (02:36) 8 Rollercoaster (02:56) 9 I Hate to See You Go (02:47) 10 I Got to Go (02:20) 11 Little Girl (03:07) 12 Crazy for My Baby (02:48) 13 Cant Stop Lovin You (02:49) 14 Who (02:24) 15 Flying Saucer (03:03) 16 Teenage Beat (03:02) 17 Shake Dancer (02:46) 18 Ahw Baby (02:52) 19 Mean Old World (02:55) 20 Back Track (02:49) 1 Goin Down Slow (04:18) 2 Walters Blues (03:28) 3 Lovin You All the Time (04:20) 4 Blue Mood (03:33) 5 Im Ready (03:03) 6 I Just Wanna Make Love to You (02:51) 7 Im Your Hoochie Coochie Man (02:47) 8 Baby Please Dont Go (03:17) 9 They Call Me Muddy Waters (03:25) 10 Howlin Wolf (02:44) 11 Evans Shuffle (Ebony Boogie) (02:14) 12 Rattlesnake (03:10) 13 Sloppy Drunk (03:02) 14 Chance to Love (03:21) 15 Thats Alright (02:49) 16 Me and My Chauffeur Blues (02:53) 17 Big World (02:52) 18 Dark Road (03:24) 19 Joliet Blues (02:40) 20 So Glad I Found You (02:27) |
| Blowin' the Blues : Allmusic album Review : Although he sang on occasion, and played guitar, too, Little Walter will always be revered for his harmonica skills, and in his own way he was the John Coltrane of the instrument, creating and shaping the sound of the "Mississippi saxophone" into the very template of the Chicago blues style, and any short list of blues harp players starts with this amazing musician. This three-disc, 60-track set provides a balanced overview of Little Walters career, and includes solo sides as well as samples of his work with the likes of Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, John Brim, Johnny Shines, Jimmy Rogers, and Memphis Minnie. Wonderful set. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 22 Title: The Complete Chess Masters (1950–1967) Released: 2009-03-10 Tracks: 126 Duration: 6:01:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Evans Shuffle (02:12) 2 Juke (single version) (02:45) 3 Juke (alternate take) (02:55) 4 Can’t Hold Out Much Longer (03:01) 5 Can’t Hold Out Much Longer (alternate) (02:51) 6 Blue Midnight (alternate take) (03:02) 7 Blue Midnight (02:59) 8 Boogie (03:01) 9 Mean Old World (02:55) 10 Sad Hours (03:12) 11 Fast Boogie (02:48) 12 Fast Boogie (alternate 1) (03:13) 13 Fast Boogie (alternate 2) (02:57) 14 Fast Boogie (alternate 3) (03:00) 15 Don’t Need No Horse (03:15) 16 Driftin’ (03:12) 17 Driftin’ (alternate) (03:08) 18 Don’t Have to Hunt No More (03:01) 19 Crazy Legs (03:23) 20 Tonight With a Fool (02:53) 21 Off the Wall (alternate version) (02:54) 22 Off the Wall (02:50) 23 Tell Me Mama (02:45) 24 Quarter to Twelve (03:13) 25 That’s It (03:10) 1 Blues With a Feeling (alternate take) (02:56) 2 Blues With a Feeling (03:07) 3 Last Boogie (02:32) 4 Too Late (02:41) 5 Fast Boogie (02:52) 6 Lights Out (02:46) 7 Fast Large One (02:50) 8 You’re So Fine (03:04) 9 My Kind of Baby (03:08) 10 Come Back Baby (02:54) 11 Rocker (03:07) 12 I Love You So (Oh Baby) (02:33) 13 Oh Baby (02:46) 14 I Got to Find My Baby (alternate take) (03:07) 15 I Got to Find My Baby (02:48) 16 Big Leg Mama (02:47) 17 Mercy Babe (My Babe) (03:18) 18 Last Night (02:54) 19 You Better Watch Yourself (03:04) 20 Blue Light (03:14) 21 Instrumental (02:55) 22 Last Night (02:42) 23 Mellow Down Easy (02:41) 24 My Babe (02:42) 25 My Babe (overdubbed version) (02:30) 1 Thunderbird (02:48) 2 Roller Coaster (02:53) 3 I Got to Go (02:41) 4 Hate to See You Go (03:04) 5 Little Girl (03:06) 6 Crazy for My Baby (03:01) 7 Can’t Stop Lovin’ You (02:48) 8 One More Chance With You (02:55) 9 Who (02:24) 10 Boom, Boom Out Goes the Light (02:51) 11 It Ain’t Right (02:54) 12 Flying Saucer (03:03) 13 It’s to Late Brother (02:43) 14 Teenage Beat (03:02) 15 Take Me Back (03:06) 16 Just a Feeling (02:54) 17 Nobody but You (02:07) 18 Temperature (version 1) (01:59) 19 Shake Dancer (02:44) 20 Everybody Needs Somebody (02:53) 21 Temperature (alternate 1) (02:15) 22 Temperature (alternate 2) (02:16) 23 Temperature (take 30) (03:28) 24 Temperature (take 35–38) (04:54) 25 Temperature (version 2) (02:40) 26 Ah’w Baby (alternate) (02:50) 1 Ah’w Baby (02:54) 2 I’ve Had My Fun (alternate) (02:13) 3 I’ve Had My Fun (alternate 2) (02:26) 4 I’ve Had My Fun (02:02) 5 The Toddle (02:33) 6 Confessin’ the Blues (03:04) 7 Key to the Highway (02:46) 8 Rock Bottom (02:31) 9 Rock Bottom (02:18) 10 Walkin’ On (02:36) 11 You Gonna Be Sorry (Someday Baby) (take 5) (02:43) 12 You Gonna Be Sorry (Someday Baby) (alt.) (03:08) 13 You Gonna Be Sorry (Someday Baby) (02:49) 14 One of These Mornings (instrumental) (03:13) 15 Baby (02:00) 16 My Baby Is Sweeter (alternate) (02:51) 17 My Baby Is Sweeter (02:29) 18 Crazy Mixed Up World (alternate) (02:01) 19 Crazy Mixed Up World (02:00) 20 Worried Life (alternate) (02:18) 21 Worried Life (02:40) 22 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (take 1) (04:29) 23 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (alternate 1) (02:15) 24 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (alternate 2) (03:02) 25 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (02:50) 26 Mean Old Frisco (alternate) (03:06) 27 Mean Old Frisco (02:25) 1 Back Track (02:49) 2 One of These Mornings (02:56) 3 Blue and Lonesome (alternate) (04:51) 4 Blue and Lonesome (02:55) 5 Me and Piney Brown (02:32) 6 Break It Up (02:27) 7 Going Down Slow (02:56) 8 You’re Sweet (02:59) 9 I Don’t Play (02:19) 10 As Long as I Have You (02:39) 11 You Don’t Know (02:25) 12 Just Your Fool (02:24) 13 Up the Line (02:07) 14 I’m a Business Man (02:55) 15 Dead Presidents (02:53) 16 Southern Feeling (02:59) 17 Back in the Alley (03:07) 18 I Feel So Bad (take 1) (02:43) 19 I Feel So Bad (take 2) (04:15) 20 Chicken Shack (02:47) 21 Feel So Bad (02:57) 22 Make It Alright (03:23) 23 Juke (03:27) |
| The Complete Chess Masters (1950–1967) : Allmusic album Review : It is no exaggeration to call Little Walter the Jimi Hendrix of the electric harp: he redefined what the instrument was and what it could do, pushing the instrument so far into the future that his music still sounds modern decades after it was recorded. Little Walter wasnt the first musician to amplify the harmonica but he arguably was the first to make the harp sound electric, twisting twitching, vibrant runs out of his instrument; nearly stealing the show from Muddy Waters on his earliest Chess recordings; and so impressing Leonard Chess that he made Muddy keep Walter as his harpist even after Waters broke up his band. Chess also made Walter into his studios house harpist and started to release Little Walter solo records with the instrumental "Juke" in 1952. "Juke" became a smash hit and turned Little Walter into a star, making him a steady presence on the 50s R&B charts. Like Chicago blues itself, Little Walter suffered a downturn of fortunes in the 60s, his career first eclipsed by the rise of rock & roll, but his decline was assisted in no small measure by the reckless alcoholic behavior that led to his early death in 1968. However, Hip-O Selects tremendous five-disc set The Complete Chess Masters proves that Little Walter remained capable of surprises until the end -- and that hes a major artist whose legacy only seems more formidable when its heard as a whole, as it is here. Technically speaking, the title The Complete Chess Masters may be a bit of a misnomer. Little Walter issued the majority of his sides on Chess sister label Checker with his full LPs appearing on Chess proper, but this is splitting hairs: Walter cut all his solo sides for Chess, often in Chess studios, cutting most during a spell in the early and mid-50s when he was the most successful artist on the label, leapfrogging over his boss Muddy Waters with "Juke," a song cut at the tail end of a Muddy-led session. Once "Juke" hit, the sessions started coming fast and furious, with Walter entering the studio four or five times a year during the mid-50s, churning out singles that turned into hit after hit and not just on the strength of his electrified harp. Walter was a supple, nuanced singer, the roundness of his voice standing in sharp contrast to his lacerating harp, providing an inherent tension within his records; when he sang "Mellow Down Easy," it sounded as if it were possible to ease into his funky groove, but that harp pulled you right out. Such kinetic inadvertent drama fueled his prime 50s recordings and almost everything he cut was of shockingly high quality, extending beyond the hits "Blues with a Feeling" and "My Babe" and into B-sides and forgotten sides. This makes The Complete Chess Masters consistently absorbing listening, hampered only slightly by a rather large preponderance of alternate takes that can sometimes slow the momentum of this set. Conversely, the appearance of Walters legacy winds up being bolstered somewhat by Chess over-recording of him at his peak and general avoidance of him in his decline. This five-disc set might be billed as stretching from 1950 to 1967 but thats misleading: all but 15 tracks here were recorded in the 50s, a fact that winds up camouflaging just how long Walter was in dire straits. His fall from Chess biggest star to being given charity sessions reflects the impact of rock & roll on blues sales -- not only did they wipe out crossover blues hits, but Walter couldnt adapt to the times, his electric harp too closely tied to Chicago blues. So, he wound up with only a handful of sessions in the 60s, all presented on the final stretch, none less than entertaining, none a patch on Walter at his peak. These final recordings are necessary to fill out the picture, but what remains are those 50s sessions, which defined what electric blues was and what it could do, and produced music that is still invigorating and essential -- and best appreciated here, where the true depth of Little Walters achievement is easy to behold. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 22 Title: Rock Bottom Released: 2011 Tracks: 47 Duration: 2:09:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 My Babe (02:34) 2 Juke (02:43) 3 Teenage Beat (02:56) 4 Youre So Fine (03:03) 5 Tell Me Mama (02:46) 6 Too Late (02:34) 7 I Hate to See You Go (02:16) 8 Off the Wall (02:49) 9 Sad Hours (03:10) 10 Mean Old World (02:54) 11 Who (02:23) 12 Blues With a Feeling (03:05) 13 Rock Bottom (02:16) 14 Oh Baby (02:46) 15 Last Night (02:43) 16 Key to the Highway (02:46) 17 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (02:50) 18 I Had My Fun (02:02) 19 Crazy Mixed Up World (02:00) 20 Break It Up (02:27) 21 Boom Boom Out Go the Lights (02:42) 22 Back Track (02:49) 23 Blue Midnight (03:00) 1 Youd Better Watch Yourself (03:04) 2 Roller Coaster (02:54) 3 One More Chance With You (02:47) 4 Mellow Down Easy (02:37) 5 Thunderbird (02:48) 6 Tonight With a Fool (02:53) 7 Temperature (01:59) 8 Quarter to Twelve (03:10) 9 Nobody but You (02:06) 10 Me and Piney Brown (02:33) 11 Flying Saucer (03:03) 12 Lights Out (02:44) 13 It Aint Right (02:55) 14 Rocker (03:06) 15 Thats Alright (02:48) 16 I Just Keep Loving Her (02:29) 17 I Got to Go (02:42) 18 Everybody Needs Somebody (02:53) 19 Dont Have to Hurt No More (03:03) 20 Confessin the Blues (03:03) 21 Take Me Back (03:06) 22 Ahw Baby (02:52) 23 Cant Hold Out Much Longer (02:59) 24 Blue Light (03:16) |
| Rock Bottom : Allmusic album Review : Little Walters fiery temperament came out in his searing, jazz-inflected, and always innovative electric harp playing, and whether paired with Muddy Waters or on his own, he was simply the Jimi Hendrix of the instrument in the postwar period. This two-CD, 47-track set collects his essential tracks from the 1950s, and no one seriously interested in the blues harp can be without them. Sides like “Mean Old World,” “You Better Watch Yourself,” “My Babe,” and the title track here, “Rock Bottom,” are classics by anyone’s definition. Oh, and Little Walter was a pretty good singer too, although that usually gets forgotten when he tears off into one of his amazing lead harp lines. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 22 Title: The Complete Checker Singles As & Bs 1952-60 Released: 2016 Tracks: 52 Duration: 2:24:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Juke (02:45) 2 Cant Hold On Much Longer (03:01) 3 Mean Old World (02:55) 4 Sad Hours (03:11) 5 Don’t Have to Hunt No More (03:01) 6 Tonight With a Fool (02:53) 7 Off the Wall (02:50) 8 Tell Me Mama (02:46) 9 Blues with a Feeling (03:06) 10 Quarter to Twelve (03:12) 11 Lights Out (02:45) 12 You’re So Fine (03:03) 13 Rocker (03:06) 14 Oh Baby (02:46) 15 Youd Better Watch Yourself (03:04) 16 Blue Light (03:14) 17 Last Night (02:45) 18 Mellow Down Easy (02:42) 19 My Babe (02:41) 20 Thunderbird (02:48) 21 Roller Coaster (02:53) 22 I Got to Go (02:42) 23 Too Late (02:41) 24 I Hate To See You Go (03:06) 25 Who (02:23) 1 It Ain’t Right (02:54) 2 One More Chance With You (02:54) 3 Flying Saucer (03:03) 4 Teenage Beat (03:02) 5 Just a Feeling (02:54) 6 Its Too Late Brother (02:38) 7 Take Me Back (03:06) 8 Nobody but You (02:07) 9 Everybody Needs Somebody (02:53) 10 Boom Boom Out Goes the Light (02:51) 11 Temperature (02:40) 12 The Toddle (02:36) 13 Confessin’ the Blues (03:04) 14 Key to the Highway (02:46) 15 Rock Bottom (02:18) 16 My Babys Sweeter (02:29) 17 Crazy Mixed Up World (02:00) 18 Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (02:50) 19 Back Track (02:49) 20 Me and Piney Brown (02:32) 21 Break It Up (02:27) 22 Ahw Baby (02:54) 23 I Had My Fun (02:02) 24 My Babe (02:33) 25 Blue Midnight (03:00) 26 I Dont Play (02:19) 27 Just Your Fool (02:22) |