Louis Joseph Walker
b. December 25th, 1949 in San Francisco (California)
GOD WILL PROVIDE
GK
1981 or 1985 ?
COLD IS THE NIGHT
Hightone
Ace
May 1986
Repéré par le producteur Bruce Bromberg, Joe Louis Walker s'inscrit, dès son premier album (produit par Bromberg et Dennis Walker), comme un excellent représentant du Blues contemporain à l'instar de Robert Cray : bon chanteur, guitariste remarquable au jeu varié, solides compositions. Un programme intense avec de superbes moments comme "Cold is the night", "Ten more shows to play", "Brother go ahead and take her", "Fuss and fight", "Gettin' even".
Spotted by producer Bruce Bromberg, Joe Louis Walker has established himself, since his first album (produced by Bromberg and Dennis Walker), as an excellent representative of contemporary Blues like by Robert Cray : good singer, remarkable guitarist with varied playing, solid compositions. An intense program with great moments like "Cold is the night", "Ten more shows to play", "Brother go ahead and take her", "Fuss and fight", "Gettin' even".
THE GIFT
Hightone
Ace
1987
Pour ce second album chez Hightone, Joe Louis Walker est cette fois son propre producteur. Ses compositions paraissent encore supérieures et méritent absolument l'écoute : "One time around", "Thin line", "Gift", "Shade tree mechanic", "Mama didn't raise no fool", "Everybody's had the blues". En grande forme au chant et à la guitare, il est supporté par un superbe groupe composé de Henry Oden (basse), Jimi Stewart (claviers), Kelvin Dixon (batterie) et les Memphis Horns. Un grand disque de Blues qui confirma l'exceptionnel talent de Joe Louis Walker.
For this second album on Hightone, Joe Louis Walker is this time his own producer. His compositions seem even superior and absolutely worth listening to : "One time around", "Thin line", "Gift", "Shade tree mechanic", "Mama didn't raise no fool", "Everybody's had the blues". In great shape on vocals and guitar, he is supported by a superb backing band made up of Henry Oden (bass), Jimi Stewart (keyboards), Kelvin Dixon (drums) and the Memphis Horns. A great Blues album which confirmed the exceptional talent of Joe Louis Walker.
ALONE (EP)
Ace
Fantasy
1987
BLUE SOUL
Hightone
Demon
1989
Encore une fois, Joe Louis Walker propose ici un remarquable programme rempli de compositions marquantes où brillent sa belle voix et sa guitare créative : "Prove your love", "TLC", "Since you've been gone", "Alligator" (dans lequel Joe montre ses qualités à la slide guitare), "City of angels". Il joue seul sur le morceau final "I'll get to heaven on my own".
Once again, Joe Louis Walker offers here a remarkable program filled with outstanding compositions where his beautiful voice and his creative guitar shine : "Prove your love", "TLC", "Since you've been gone", "Alligator" (in which Joe shows his skills on slide guitar), "City of angels". He plays alone on the final track "I'll get to heaven on my own".
LIVE AT SLIM'S vol.1
Hightone
Floating World
November 1990
Une soirée dans un club de San Francisco avec Joe Louis Walker au sommet de sa forme. Un concert bouillant, puissant où explosent son chant passionné et son jeu de guitare polyvalent. On peut retenir "I didn't know", "Moanin' blues", "Don't mess up a good thing" (un duo avec Angela Strehli), "One time around", "Don't know why".
An evening in a San Francisco club with Joe Louis Walker at his peak. A boiling, powerful concert where his passionate singing and his versatile guitar playing explode. We can retain "I didn't know", "Moanin' blues", "Don't mess up a good thing" (a duet with Angela Strehli), "One time around", "Don't know why".
LIVE AT SLIM'S vol.2
Hightone
Floating World
November 1990
Seconde partie de ce remarquable live dans un club de San Francisco. Même chaude ambiance avec des blues puissants et intenses comme "Don't you know", "Thin line", "Shade tree mechanic", "747", "Brother go ahead and take her", "Love at first sight".
Second part of this remarkable live in a San Francisco club. Same warm atmosphere with powerful and intense blues like "Don't you know", "Thin line", "Shade tree mechanic", "747", "Brother go ahead and take her", "Love at first sight".
RIDIN' HIGH
Hightone
November 1990
Ce disque reprend une sélection des titres déjà parus dans les deux volumes de "Live at Slim's". On trouve également trois morceaux inédits : "Alligator", "Prove your love" et "Personal baby".
This disc includes a selection of titles already issued in the two volumes of "Live at Slim's". There are also three unreleased tracks : "Alligator", "Prove your love" and "Personal baby".
BLUES SURVIVOR
Verve - Gitanes Blues
October - November 1992
Après une période dorée chez Hightone, Joe Louis Walker arrive chez Verve pour une longue et fructueuse collaboration. L'album est co-produit par Walker lui-même et John Snyder. Avec ses musiciens habituels, il délivre un programme solide, varié et consistant (même si certains titres sont trop longs) : "Help yourself", "Young girl's eyes", "Bad thing", "You just don't know", "Blues survivor", "Workin' blues".
After a golden period at Hightone, Joe Louis Walker arrives at Verve for a long and fruitful collaboration. The album is co-produced by Walker himself and John Snyder. With his usual musicians, he delivers a solid, varied and consistent program (even if some titles are too long) : "Help yourself", "Young girl's eyes", "Bad thing", "You just don't know", "Blues survivor ", "Workin' blues".
JLW
Verve - Gitanes Blues
October 1992 / July 1993 / January - February 1994
Toujours co-produit par Joe Louis Walker et John Snyder, cet album comporte de superbes réussites. Joe délivre un beau programme parfois teinté de Jazz ou de Gospel. On retient notamment "I can't get you off my mind" (avec Tower of Power), "I need your lovin' every day" (un gospel avec les Gospel Hummingbirds), "12 step lovin'", "Alone", "Lost the will to love me" et l'excellent blues acoustique "Going to Canada" avec l'harmonica de James Cotton.
Still co-produced by Joe Louis Walker and John Snyder, this album has some great moments. Joe delivers a beautiful program sometimes tinged with Jazz or Gospel. We can point out in particular "I can't get you off my mind" (with Tower of Power), "I need your lovin' every day" (a gospel with the Gospel Hummingbirds), "12 step lovin'", "Alone", "Lost the will to love me" and the excellent acoustic blues "Going to Canada" with the harmonica of James Cotton.
BLUES OF THE MONTH CLUB
Verve - Gitanes Blues
February 1995
Dans la continuation de ses deux précédents albums, Joe propose ici le même son de Blues contemporain auquel il mélange quelques influences extérieures comme le Gospel. En forme au chant et brillant à la guitare, il donne d'excellents morceaux comme "Blues of the month club", "You've got to lose", "Bluesifyin'", "Play 'em where they lay", "I'm not comin' over", "Your lyin' eyes".
In the continuation of his two previous albums, Joe offers here the same sound of contemporary Blues to which he mixes some external influences such as Gospel. In very good shape on vocals and brilliant on guitar, he gives excellent songs like "Blues of the month club", "You've got to lose", "Bluesifyin'", "Play 'em where they lay", "I'm not comin' over ", "Your lyin' eyes".
BLUES ROUTES
Smithsonian - Folkways
April 1995
On trouve ici une longue version live de son excellent morceau "Bluesifyin'".
We find here a long live version of his excellent track "Bluesifyin'".
LIVE AT THE W.C. HANDY AWARDS vol.1
Rykodisc
May 1996
GREAT GUITARS
Verve - Gitanes Blues
1996
Pour cet album produit par Steve Cropper, Joe s'est entouré de nombreux invités, surtout des guitaristes comme le titre l'indique. Il réussit à bâtir avec eux un programme homogène et inspiré avec de beaux morceaux comme "First degree" (avec Ike Turner), "Fix our love" (avec Otis Rush), "Cold and evil night", l'acoustique "In God's hands" (avec Taj Mahal) sans oublier un impressionnant blues West Coast "Mile-hi club" avec les guitares de Walker lui-même, Scotty Moore, "Little" Charlie Baty, Steve Cropper et Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
For this album produced by Steve Cropper, Joe surrounded himself with many guests, especially guitarists as the title suggests. He succeeds in building with them a homogeneous and inspired program with beautiful tracks like "First degree" (with Ike Turner), "Fix our love" (with Otis Rush), "Cold and evil night", the acoustic "In God's hands" (with Taj Mahal) without forgetting an impressive West Coast blues "Mile-hi club" with guitars from Walker himself, Scotty Moore, "Little" Charlie Baty, Steve Cropper and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
PAINT IT BLUE : SONGS OF THE ROLLING STONES
House of Blues
Ruf
1997
Une version totalement réinventé et convaincante du "Heart of stone" dans cet album hommage aux Rolling Stones.
A completely reinvented and convincing version of the "Heart of stone" in this tribute album to the Rolling Stones.
PREACHER AND THE PRESIDENT
Verve - Gitanes Blues
December 1997 - February 1998
Comme d'habitude, Joe Louis Walker parsème ce nouvel album de compositions personnelles percutantes et inspirées : "Preacher and the president", "Yveline", "Repay my love", "I'm not messin' around", "Uhh", "Tell the truth". Le disque - co-produit par Walker et Steve Cropper - a été enregistré aux studios de Muscle Shoals ce qui lui donne une coloration différente des précédents.
As usual, Joe Louis Walker sprinkles this new album with striking and inspired personal compositions : "Preacher and the president", "Yveline", "Repay my love", "I'm not messin' around", "Uhh", "Tell the truth". The disc - co-produced by Walker and Steve Cropper - was recorded at Muscle Shoals studios which gives it a different flavor from the previous ones.
SILVERTONE BLUES
Verve - Gitanes Blues
Blue Thumb
January 1999
Cette fois, Joe revient aux origines du Blues traditionnel avec quelques invités judicieusement choisis : Alvin "Youngblood" Hart, James Cotton et Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. Un programme, produit par Joe lui-même, inspiré et original avec des moments intenses comme "Runnin' from the devil", "Kenny's barrelhouse", "Change my ways", "Letting go", "Talk to me", le superbe instrumental "Silvertone blues". On note aussi que Joe joue de l'harmonica sur "Born in Mississippi" et du piano sur "Bad luck blues".
This time, Joe returns to the origins of traditional Blues with a few carefully chosen guests : Alvin "Youngblood" Hart, James Cotton and Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. A program, produced by Joe himself, inspired and original with intense moments like "Runnin' from the devil", "Kenny's barrelhouse", "Change my ways", "Letting go", "Talk to me", the superb instrumental "Silvertone blues ". We also note that Joe plays harmonica on "Born in Mississippi" and piano on "Bad luck blues".
BLUES POWER : SONGS OF ERIC CLAPTON
House of Blues
1999
Joe reprend "Roll it over" en compagnie de James Cotton, Alvin "Youngblood" Hart et Derek Trucks.
Joe covers "Roll it over" with James Cotton, Alvin "Youngblood" Hart and Derek Trucks.
WHOLE LOTTA BLUES : SONGS OF LED ZEPPELIN
House of Blues
1999
Joe chante une version peu convaincante de "You need love" avec James Cotton, Alvin "Youngblood" Hart et Derek Trucks.
Joe sings an unconvincing version of "You need love" with James Cotton, Alvin "Youngblood" Hart and Derek Trucks.
HELLHOUND ON MY TRAIL
Telarc
May 1999
SWEET EMOTION : SONGS OF AEROSMITH
Heavy Hip Mama
2000
LABOUR OF LOVE : SONGS OF NICK LOWE
Telarc
2000
GUITAR BROTHERS
JSP
August 2001
Après une longue et superbe collaboration avec Verve, Joe Louis Walker se tourne vers le label anglais JSP. Associé avec le guitariste Otis Grand, il livre un album entièrement dominé par la guitare, les deux musiciens se lançant dans de nombreux duels. On peut retenir dans ce programme inégal "Imitation ice cream man", "I like it this way", "I'm getting drunk", "Rude women".
After a long and superb collaboration with Verve, Joe Louis Walker turns himself to the english label JSP. Associated with guitarist Otis Grand, he delivers an album entirely dominated by the guitar, the two musicians embarking on numerous duels. We can retain in this uneven program "Imitation ice cream man", "I like it this way", "I'm getting drunk", "Rude women".
PASA TIEMPO
Evidence
2002
Cet album, produit par Brian Brinkerhoff et Carla Olson pour le label Evidence, délaisse un peu le Blues pour un mix entre musique Latino et Jazz. Mais le programme manque singulièrement de flamme. Joe revient au Blues sur une reprise soporifique de "It hurts me too" ou sur un instrumental sympathique mais peu original ("You can't sit down").
This album, produced by Brian Brinkerhoff and Carla Olson for the Evidence label, forsakes the Blues a little for a mix between Latino music and Jazz. But the program is singularly lacking in flame. Joe returns to the Blues on a soporific cover of "It hurts me too" or on a nice but unoriginal instrumental ("You can't sit down").
IN THE MORNING
Telarc
January 2002
SHE'S MY MONEYMAKER
JSP
October - November 2002
Second album pour le label anglais JSP. Joe Louis Walker se focalise ici sur la slide guitare à laquelle il brille tout au long de l'album. Il produit l'album lui-même et est entouré d'un groupe resserré avec Geno Ellis Blacknell Jr (très en vue aux claviers), Robert Watson (basse) et Willy Jordan (batterie). Un disque puissant et intense avec d'excellents moments comme "Poor man blues", "Ghetto life", "My judgement day", "Hookers blues" sans oublier l'impressionnant "Slide her up and down".
Second album for the english label JSP. Joe Louis Walker focuses here on the slide guitar on which he shines throughout the album. He produces the album himself and is surrounded by a tight backing band with Geno Ellis Blacknell Jr (very prominent on keyboards), Robert Watson (bass) and Willy Jordan (drums). A powerful and intense disc with excellent moments like "Poor man blues", "Ghetto life", "My judgment day", "Hookers blues" without forgetting the impressive "Slide her up and down".
NEW DIRECTION
Provogue
Blues Bureau
2004
Comme le titre l'indique, Joe Louis Walker donne ici à son Blues contemporain une approche plus Rock et plus commerciale. Malgré cela, il délivre une poignée de bons titres qui méritent l'écoute comme "Do you love me", "Custom cars Gibson guitars", "New direction", l'instrumental "Mr G's boogie".
As the title suggests, Joe Louis Walker here gives his contemporary Blues a more Rock and more commercial approach. Despite this, he delivers a handful of good titles that are worth listening to like "Do you love me", "Custom cars Gibson guitars", "New direction", the instrumental "Mr G's boogie".
PLAYIN' DIRTY
JSP
2006
Troisième et dernier opus pour le label JSP de John Stedman, enregistré pour l'occasion à Paris (France). Joe Louis Walker continue dans un style inégal entre Blues et Rock qui ne convainc pas vraiment. Un programme sympathique mais peu original, loin de ses meilleures réussites.
Third and last opus for John Stedman's JSP label, recorded for the occasion in Paris (France). Joe Louis Walker continues in an uneven style between Blues and Rock which does not convince really. A nice but unoriginal program, far from his best achievements.
WITNESS TO THE BLUES
Stony Plain
Dixiefrog
2008
Produit par Duke Robillard, Joe est ici entouré de Bruce Katz (claviers), Jon Ross (basse) et Mark Teixeira (batterie). Bien que le programme soit souvent un peu long, on trouve des moments sympathiques qui méritent une écoute attentive comme sa reprise de "It's a shame" de J.J. Malone ou sa composition "Hustlin'". En outre, Joe ne se montre pas aussi à l'aise vocalement que d'habitude.
Produced by Duke Robillard, Joe is here surrounded by Bruce Katz (keyboards), Jon Ross (bass) and Mark Teixeira (drums). Although the program is often a bit long, there are nice moments that deserve careful listening like his cover of J.J. Malone's "It's a shame" or his composition "Hustlin'". Also, Joe isn't as confident vocally as usual.
BETWEEN A ROCK AND THE BLUES
Stony Plain
Dixiefrog
2009
Pour ce second album pour Stony Plain, Joe co-produit l'album avec Duke Robillard. On trouve de superbes morceaux comme le furieux "I'm tide", "Eyes like a cat", "If there's a heaven", "I've been down", le remarquable slow blues "Hallways" et l'acoustique "Send you back" (avec l'harmonica de Sugar Ray Norcia). Belle participation de Bruce Katz aux claviers.
For this second album for Stony Plain, Joe co-produced the album with Duke Robillard. We find superb tracks like the furious "I'm tide", "Eyes like a cat", "If there's a heaven", "I've been down", the remarkable slow blues "Hallways" and the acoustic "Send you back" (with Sugar Ray Norcia's harmonica). Beautiful participation of Bruce Katz on keyboards.
HALF NOTE JAZZ CLUB
Half Note
November 2009
ON THE LEGENDARY RHYTHM & BLUES CRUISE
Stony Plain
Dixiefrog
January 2010
Album live capturé sur la célèbre croisière musicale. Pour l'occasion, Joe Louis Walker s'entoure de nombreux amis invités comme Mike Finnigan, Johnny Winter, Curtis Salgado, Tommy Castro, Deanna Bogart, Kirk Fletcher, Watermelon Slim, Kenny Neal. On trouve quelques bons moments dans ce programme inégal et globalement trop long : "You're gonna make me cry", "Eyes like a cat", "A poor man's plea".
Live album captured on the famous musical cruise. For the occasion, Joe Louis Walker surrounds himself with many guest friends like Mike Finnigan, Johnny Winter, Curtis Salgado, Tommy Castro, Deanna Bogart, Kirk Fletcher, Watermelon Slim, Kenny Neal. There are some good moments in this uneven and generally too long program : "You're gonna make me cry", "Eyes like a cat", "A poor man's plea".
HELLFIRE
Alligator
2012
La collaboration entre Joe Louis Walker et Alligator aurait du déboucher sur un meilleur album que celui-là : son saturé, jeu de guitare excessif, chant forcé. Un album de Rock puissant mais sans aspérité, sans feeling, sans émotion produit par Tom Hambridge (co-compositeur de la plupart des morceaux avec Joe Louis Walker).
The collaboration between Joe Louis Walker and Alligator should have resulted in a better album than this one : saturated sound, excessive guitar playing, forced vocals. A powerful Rock album but without roughness, without feeling, without emotion produced by Tom Hambridge (co-composer of most of the tracks with Joe Louis Walker).
HORNET'S NEST
Alligator
2014
Second album pour Alligator réalisé dans la parfaite continuité du précédent et avec la même équipe. Joe Louis Walker et son producteur Tom Hambridge ont reconduit le même cocktail de Rock saturé et impersonnel, puissant mais froid.
Second album for Alligator produced in perfect continuity with the previous one and with the same team. Joe Louis Walker and his producer Tom Hambridge have renewed the same saturated and impersonal Rock cocktail, powerful but cold.
EVERYBODY WANTS A PIECE
Provogue
2015
Joe Louis Walker retourne chez Provogue (chez qui il avait délivré "New direction") et travaille avec le guitariste producteur Paul Nelson. Le programme manque vraiment d'originalité en particulier ses compositions personnelles. En revanche, on peut retenir une reprise de "Wade in the water" intense et pleine de feeling.
Joe Louis Walker returns to Provogue (where he delivered "New Direction") and works with guitarist producer Paul Nelson. The program really lacks originality in particular his personal compositions. On the other hand, we can point out an intense and full of feeling cover of "Wade in the water".
THE LAST SHADE OF BLUE BEFORE BLACK
Severn
2017
Une reprise de "Don't go no further" chantée aux côtés du Blues Brothers Band.
A cover of "Don't go no further" sung alongside the Blues Brothers Band.
JOURNEYS TO THE HEART OF THE BLUES
Alligator
Munich
January 2018
Pour ce disque, Joe Louis Walker, Bruce Katz et Giles Robson tentent de faire revivre le Blues des années 30 : un blues orchestral mais pas encore électrique. Ils sont tous les trois producteurs et enregistrent cet opus au studio NRS de Woodstock (New York). Les trois musiciens parviennent à récréer cette ambiance particulière avec une inspiration sans faille. On trouve de superbes moments intenses comme "I'm a lonely man", "Murderer's home", "Feel like blowing my horn", "G & J boogie", "Poor Kelly blues".
For this album, Joe Louis Walker, Bruce Katz and Giles Robson try to revive the Blues of the 30's : an orchestral blues but not yet electric. They are all three producers and recorded this opus at the NRS studio in Woodstock (New York). The three musicians manage to recreate this particular atmosphere with flawless inspiration. We find great intense moments like "I'm a lonely man", "Murderer's home", "Feel like blowing my horn", "G&J boogie", "Poor Kelly blues".
VIVA LAS VEGAS LIVE
Cleopatra
2019
Concert enregistré dans un club de Las Vegas (Nevada). Une set-list beaucoup trop longue (79 minutes) et qui aurait mérité d'être un peu raccourcie. Joe Louis est en forme mais se perd parfois dans de longs solos de guitare et des sonorités ouvertement Rock.
Concert recorded in a club in Las Vegas (Nevada). A much too long set-list (79 minutes) and which would have deserved to be a little shortened. Joe Louis is in good shape but sometimes gets lost in long guitar solos and openly rock sounds.
BLUES COMIN' ON
Cleopatra
2020
Pour cet album produit par Joe Louis Walker et Scott Petito, le bluesman a réuni autour de lui de très nombreux artistes : Jorma Kaukonen, Eric Gales, Waddy Wachtel, Tom Hambridge, Jesse Johnson, Vanessa Collier, Carla Cooke (la fille de Sam Cooke), Keb'Mo, Mitch Ryder, Rick Estrin, Bruce Katz, David Bromberg, Albert Lee, Jellybean Johnson, Arlen Roth. Malgré tout, le disque possède une belle unité dans ce style de Blues contemporain parfois proche des sonorités Rock. "Feed the poor", "The thang" sans oublier la ballade Soul "Someday someway" figurent parmi les meilleurs moments.
For this album produced by Joe Louis Walker and Scott Petito, the bluesman brought together many artists around him : Jorma Kaukonen, Eric Gales, Waddy Wachtel, Tom Hambridge, Jesse Johnson, Vanessa Collier, Carla Cooke (Sam Cooke's daughter), Keb'Mo, Mitch Ryder, Rick Estrin, Bruce Katz, David Bromberg, Albert Lee, Jellybean Johnson, Arlen Roth. Despite everything, the album has a nice unity in this style of contemporary Blues sometimes close to Rock sounds. "Feed the poor", "The thang" without forgetting the Soul ballad "Someday someway" are among the best moments.
ECLECTIC ELECTRIC
Cleopatra
2021
Toujours produit par Joe et Scott Petito, ce troisième opus pour le label californien Cleopatra possède un programme inégal entre Blues et Rock (et des accents Country). Un sympathique premier morceau "Uptown girl blues", une reprise trop longue du "Hotel California" des Eagles, un hommage quelconque à B.B. King avec "Regal blues". En fait, l'album n'est pas mauvais mais manque cruellement d'inspiration.
Still produced by Joe and Scott Petito, this third opus for the californian label Cleopatra has an uneven program between Blues and Rock (and some Country accents). A nice first track "Uptown girl blues", an overlong cover of the Eagles' "Hotel California", a flat tribute to B.B. King with "Regal blues". In fact, the album is not bad but sorely lacking in inspiration.