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Remembering
Little Walter is a tribute to Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and blues icon
Little Walter Jacobs from five of the greatest harmonica players currently on
the blues scene - Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, Mark Hummel,
James Harman, and Sugar Ray
Norcia. |
On this one-of-a-kind live harp showcase, each artist performs two tracks
from Jacobs' discography, then they collaborate on a spirited, jamming finale of
Walter's signature tune, "My Babe." Backing throughout is crisp and solid,
featuring Little Charlie Baty, world renowned guitar slinger and former
bandleader of Little Charlie and the Nightcats.
The virtuosic Little Walter is without doubt one of the most influential
blues harmonica players of all time.
AllMusicGuide said, "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. His influence
remains inescapable to this day -- it's unlikely that a blues harpist exists on
the face of this earth who doesn't worship Little Walter."
Said Hummel, "Walter changed all the rules and raised the bar so high that
nobody has yet surpassed him either in innovation or technical prowess.
Walter's original sides have become the holy grail all other harpers are still
trying to aspire to." Regarding the nomination, he said, "I was so proud of
both the performances that everyone gave on this disc and the mixing that Kid
Andersen accomplished that the Grammy nod was simply icing on an already
delicious cake but tasty frosting it is! I can't express how happy I am for this
great Blind Pig project."
Two of the artists on the recording, Charlie Musselwhite and Billy Boy
Arnold, actually knew and played with Little Walter. Charlie recalls that Walter
"started phrasing on harmonica like a saxophone. This phrasing combined with his
creativity and amplification really took harmonica playing to a whole new level
that hadn't been heard before." Arnold adds, "He was miles ahead of all the
other harp players on the scene. No one could touch him. He was creative,
innovative, and spontaneous. Little Walter is still the top and most influential
harp player that ever played."
Musselwhite had this to say about the nomination, "It feels real good to be
able to show Walter this respect. It's such a shame that he didn't live to see
the respect he earned and get the payback he deserves, but at least now I hope
with 'Remembering Little Walter' we can spread the word to more folks and help
keep his contribution to blues alive. I can see Walter's smile now."
Musselwhite and Arnold are joined here by three other harpists, each renowned
in his own right. Producer Mark Hummel has toured and recorded with Lowell
Fulson, Eddie Taylor, Charles Brown, Brownie McGhee, Jimmy Rogers and many other
blues legends. James Harman has been a mainstay on the scene for forty years,
having played with everyone from Canned Heat to ZZ Top. Sugar Ray Norcia is best
known for his lengthy tenure with the acclaimed Roomful of Blues and with the
Bluetones.
Living Blues magazine said of the release, "With a veteran lineup
like this and such rich source material to pull from, the live album sounds just
as good as one would expect," while
No Depression magazine called it
"an unequaled evening of reed-bending ecstasy."
To see a series of videos
from the Little Walter tribute show, please visit the Blind Pig YouTube channel
by clicking
HERE.
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