Who was/is Joe Louis Walker ? - CDs, Vinyl LPs, DVD and more

Joe Louis Walker

HighTone's other major ‘80s electric blues guitar discovery was Joe Louis Walker. Although he couldn't quite muster the same pop crossover response as labelmate Robert Cray, Walker forged his own distinctive sound, beginning with his 1986 debut album ‘Cold Is The Night.'

Walker came into the world Christmas Day of 1949 in San Francisco. He soaked up the city's rich blues scene in his teens, absorbing his guitar lessons at the Matrix Club. "I used to play with the guys that came in. I played with Earl Hooker quite a bit. I sort of jumped onstage with Lightnin' Hopkins once and got kicked off,"says Walker."Freddie King, he let me play his guitar when he'd come to town. Sam, I'd see Magic Sam when he came to town. Hubert Sumlin, I've known Hubert quite a few years. When he was playing with Wolf, he'd come out and play the Fillmore, the Sunday matinees. Of course, Muddy. I was 16, 17."

Walker roomed with Michael Bloomfield in the Bay Area during the late ‘60s, leading to a 1969 Chicago jaunt. "Bloomfield sent me there,"says Joe."Said Otis Rush had a gig, which I didn't get. But just as well, because I wasn't really cut out to be, at that time, a Chicago guy." He didn't copy any of his heroes too closely. "I was told by many people, ‘Joe, don't try to be me, and don't try to be somebody else. Be yourself, because a bad version of you is better than you trying to have a good version of me.' I never was one of those guys to sit down and try to copy B.B. King note for note, or Albert King, or Freddy King. I enjoy the hell out of ‘em, but I figure if I'm gonna do this here, I might as well do it and put my own stamp on it."

Walker got away from the blues for an extended time, studying music at San Francisco State University and singing gospel with the Spiritual Corinthians. But a 1985 European tour as a member of the Mississippi Delta Blues Band got him back in harness, and when he returned to San Francisco, Walker formed his band, the Boss Talkers. He sent a demo tape to HighTone bosses Bruce Bromberg and Larry Sloven, and they brought him aboard the label. "He came to us, and he was a local artist to us,"says Bromberg."And we went up to see him. So we went for it."

Bromberg and Dennis Walker, the same pair that produced Cray at HighTone, also supervised ‘Cold Is The Night.' Its brooding, intense title track made a perfect introduction to Walker's haunting attack. The Boss Talkers (keyboardist Kevin Zuffi, drummer Steve Griffith, and bassist Eric Ajaye replacing Henry Oden on this track only) were stark and tasty throughout the LP, cut in Los Angeles.

Like the champion boxer of the same name, Walker kept on punching at HighTone with ‘The Gift' (1988), ‘Blue Soul' (1989), and two volumes of ‘Live At Slim's' in the early ‘90s before moving over to better-bankrolled PolyGram for a half-dozen discs later in the decade. His rough-edged vocals strike just the right balance with his electrifying fretwork, and he's highly adept on slide as well as single-string soloing.

Walker knows what his fans expect. "Basically, if I make a Joe Louis Walker record, it's not like ‘Joe Louis Walker plays this or that.' They're gonna like the record because of what I try to do,"he says."I think that people will enjoy it. I hope they do. If they don't, I always like to say, ‘It ain't my first record. It won't be my last!'"

 

Bill Dahl
Chicago, Illinois

PLUG IT IN! TURN IT UP!

Electric Blues 1939-2005. - The Definitive Collection!

Copyright © Bear Family Records®. Copying, also of extracts, or any other form of reproduction, including the adaptation into electronic data bases and copying onto any data mediums, in English or in any other language is permissible only and exclusively with the written consent of Bear Family Records® GmbH.

More information about Joe Louis Walker on Wikipedia.org

Close filters
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
No results were found for the filter!
Best Of The Stony Plain... (CD)
Joe Louis Walker: Best Of The Stony Plain... (CD) Art-Nr.: CDSPCD1375

Item has to be restocked

(2014/Stony Plain) 11 tracks
$7.87 $16.92
Blues Comin' On (CD)
Joe Louis Walker: Blues Comin' On (CD) Art-Nr.: CDCLO1714

Item has to be restocked

(Cleopatra) 12 tracks. 2020 release. Soulful blues phenom, and Blues Hall Of Fame inductee, Joe Louis Walker is joined by a host of talented friends and peers on this superb studio album. Features guest performances by fellow blues icons...
$24.84
Eclectic Electric (CD)
Joe Louis Walker: Eclectic Electric (CD) Art-Nr.: CDCL02391

Item has to be restocked

(Cleopatra) 11 tracks, digipack. This exceptionally diverse set features incredible new compositions like the bluesy opener Uptown Girl Blues and the brass-driven Bad Betty , as well as killer covers of Hotel California by the Eagles and...
$24.84
Blues Comin' On (LP)
Joe Louis Walker: Blues Comin' On (LP) Art-Nr.: LPCLO1714

only 1x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

(Cleopatra) 12 tracks. Limited white vinyl LP pressing. 2020 release. Soulful blues phenom, and Blues Hall Of Fame inductee, Joe Louis Walker is joined by a host of talented friends and peers on this superb studio album. Features guest...
$37.29
Weight Of The World (CD)
Joe Louis Walker: Weight Of The World (CD) Art-Nr.: CDFBR030

only 1x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

(Forty Below) 10 tracks The Blues Hall of Fame inductee and six-time Blues Music Award winner has been called "a legendary, boundary-pushing icon of modern blues" by NPR. His 2015 album, Everyone Wants a Piece, was nominated for a...
$19.18
Journeys To The Heart Of The Blues (CD)
Joe Louis Walker, Bruce Katz, Giles Robson: Journeys To The Heart Of The Blues (CD) Art-Nr.: CDVVNL32982

Item has to be restocked

(Munich Records) 12 tracks Joe Louis Walker: Guitars, Vocals Bruce Katz: Piano Giles Robson: Harp Guitarist, singer, Grammy winner and Blues Hall Of Fame member Joe Louis Walker, virtuoso pianist Bruce Katz and British harmonica ace...
$19.18
Cold Is The Night - The Gift (2-CD)
Joe Louis Walker: Cold Is The Night - The Gift (2-CD) Art-Nr.: CDFLOAT6131

Item has to be restocked

His first two albums, originally released on Hightone, re-issued on this 2-CD set.
$15.56
Every Wants A Piece (180g, 2-LP,)
Joe Louis Walker: Every Wants A Piece (180g, 2-LP,) Art-Nr.: LPPRL74741

Item has to be restocked

(2015/Provogue) 11 tracks. When Joe Louis Walker have an entry in the Blues Hall of Fame, four Blues Music Awards and a half-century stage experience on the credit side. With his new album 'Everybody Wants A Piece' underpinned the...
$28.24
Electric Electric (LP, Colored Vinyl, Ltd.)
Joe Louis Walker: Electric Electric (LP, Colored Vinyl, Ltd.) Art-Nr.: LPCLO2391

Item has to be restocked

(Cleopatra Records) 9 tracks, gatefold cover, colored (red) vinyl. Joe Louis Walker, one of the most celebrated and respected blues musicians working today, returns with some of the most electrifying recordings of his four-plus decade...
$33.89
Blues Comin' On (LP, Colored Vinyl, Ltd.)
Joe Louis Walker: Blues Comin' On (LP, Colored Vinyl, Ltd.) Art-Nr.: LPCLO2736

only 1x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

(Cleopatra Records) 9 tracks, gatefold cover, colored (red) vinyl. Joe Louis Walker, one of the most celebrated and respected blues musicians working today, returns with some of the most electrifying recordings of his four-plus decade...
$39.55 $45.21
Weight Of The World (LP)
Joe Louis Walker: Weight Of The World (LP) Art-Nr.: LPFBR030

only 1x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

(Forty Below Records) 9 tracks The Blues Hall of Fame inductee and six-time Blues Music Award winner has been called "a legendary, boundary-pushing icon of modern blues" by NPR. His 2015 album, Everyone Wants a Piece, was nominated for a...
$39.55
Guitar Brothers
Joe Walker Louis & Otis Grand: Guitar Brothers Art-Nr.: CDJSP8821

only 1x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

Re-issue. Both were musically raised in San Francisco's blues scene. And this is where their first and only duo album was recorded. Backing is supplied by Joe's then regular band. They sound somewhat stiff; but the guitar players are...
$14.66
Hornet's Nest
Joe Louis Walker: Hornet's Nest Art-Nr.: CDAL4959

Item has to be restocked

(2014/Alligator) 12 tracks. "Fine and fierce ... gritty gutbucket blues, joyous Stones-style rock and aching R&B" - Billboard
$19.18
Playin' Dirty
Joe Louis Walker: Playin' Dirty Art-Nr.: CDJSP8801

only 2x still available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

This album was recorded live in the studio in Paris, France. Walker did a couple of overdubs; the sound is very good. Walker covers a lot of ground, from country style blues to mighty urban sounds, and rock'n'roll. A good one. JOE LOUIS...
$14.66 $20.31
Hellfire
Joe Louis Walker: Hellfire Art-Nr.: CDAL4945

Item has to be restocked

Surprisingly, Joe Louis Walker has joined Alligator's great roster of artists. This kind of rather dull bluesrock appears to be a foreign body in the Chicago label's great catalog. Awful, like his recent performance at the 'Lucerne Blues...
$18.96
Witness To The Blues
Joe Louis Walker: Witness To The Blues Art-Nr.: CDDFG8651

Item has to be restocked

He performs mostly original blues and soul tunes. With this concept, Walker's still in demand on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. No real surprises here, but excellent craftmanship. Rock solid and entertaining. Digipak. JOE LOUIS WALKER...
$18.96
Between A Rock And The Blues
Joe Louis Walker: Between A Rock And The Blues Art-Nr.: CDDFG8673

Item has to be restocked

He's one oft the most-experienced artists on the blues circuit. Walker's a great player with a trademark vocal style. Duke Robillard has been producing. And I am somewhat disappointed. There are great moments on this CD like the powerful...
$18.96
Live On the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
Joe Louis Walker: Live On the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise Art-Nr.: CDDFG8695

Item has to be restocked

Recorded live during the 2010er Blues Cruise through the Caribbeans. Great live set featuring many of today's finest blues players. - Digipak. JOE LOUIS WALKER - gtr/voc, LINWOOD TAYLOR - gtr, KEVIN BURTON - kbds, HENRY ODEN - bass, JEFF...
$17.54
Live At Slim's Vol.2
Joe Louis Walker: Live At Slim's Vol.2 Art-Nr.: CDH8036

the very last 1 available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

(1990 'Hightone') (44:01/09)
$12.43 $18.05