Blues For Big Walter

Various Artists

Ellersoul Records

This album follows on the success of 2013’s “Remembering Little Walter” released on Blind Pig Records. That Grammy nominated album was produced by Mark Hummel. It featured harmonica aces Hummel, Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, James Harman and Sugar Ray Norcia.

This new Big Walter tribute on Ellersoul records is produced by Ronnie Owens. Owens who is also the featured harp player on three of the sixteen tracks records for Ellersoul. In 2009 he released a Piedmont styled album with Terry Garland called “Live At The Canal Club”. Other albums by him include 2012’s Lil Ronnie and The Grand Dukes “Gotta A Strange Feeling” and 2014’s Lil Ronnie and The Bluebeats.

Big Walter Horton, or Walter “Shakey” Horton, was born in 1921 in Horn Lake, Mississippi. His first documented recordings were in a duo style with Little Buddy Doyle in 1939. Because of poor health Horton retired from making music only to return in the early 1950’s when he recorded for Sun Records. He played with Eddie Taylor, Johnny Shines and recorded one session with Muddy Waters in 1953. In the 1960’s he was a sideman for Taylor, Sunnyland Slim and Willie Dixon’s Chicago Blues All-stars. Dixon once called Horton “the best harmonica player I ever heard.” He also performed on recordings by Fleetwood Mac and Johnny Winter. Notable albums include 1977’s “Big Walter Horton and Carey Bell” released on Alligator Records in 1972 and Muddy Water’s 1977 album “I’m Ready” produced by Johnny Winter. Horton died in 1981.

Many of these tracks are older or unreleased recordings. The album opens with “Someday” sung by Big Jon Atkinson with Kim Wilson on harp. Included on that track are Bill Stuve, bass; and Bob Welsh, piano.

Bob Corritore plays harp on two tracks. The first was recorded in 1992. “She Loves Another Man” features Jimmy Rogers, vocal and guitar; Steve Willis on piano and Chico Chism on drums. The other tune “Rambling on My Mind” was recorded in 2001 and features Corritore with Robert Lockwood, guitar and vocal; and Chism on drums.

Sugar Ray Norcia plays a thirteen minute four song Big Walter Medley with Anthony Geraci, piano; Monster Mike Welch, guitar; Neil Gouvin, drums; and Michael Ward, bass. Mark Wenner plays on “Worried Life” and again on “Walking By Myself”. Steve Guyger plays on “If It Ain’t Me” and on “Little Boy Blue”. Hummel plays on both “Easy” with Sue Foley on guitar; and on “Hard Hearted Woman” with Welsh on piano and Charles Wheal on guitar. Other harpists included are Kurt Crandall and Andrew Alli.

The album closes with Owens playing “Think Big” from his “Live At The Canal Club” album. If you liked “Remembering Little Walter” you will love this.

Richard Ludmerer