Joe Louis Walker - Between A Rock and the Blues - Stony Plain Records 2009

It just kind of worked itself out that the final CD Review this year would be Between A Rock and the Blues, the CD that, depending on who you ask, is the best of the year in the Blues world. Joe Louis Walker and his new album gained five nominations at the 2010 Blues Music Awards on the strength of the new disc, and that includes two of the top categories, Album of the Year and Song of the Year (For the opener, "I'm Tide.")

Walker, never a man to get complacent with his position in the Blues world, took a walk into that region between Rock and Blues music, just as the album title suggests, on this CD, and the final product was truly a success. The disc kicks off with the fast-paced "I'm Tide." The song is a ton of fun, sly and at times opinionated ("I'm tide of reading the paper and lookin' at TV"..."I'm tired of paying taxes and I'm tired of payin' dues.") The song just drives, relentless until the last attitude filled note.

"I'm Tide" is the first of a trio of very well written tracks on the disc that Joe Louis Walker penned himself, the others being the Soul-drenched "Black Widow Spider" and the stone cold Blues of "Prisoner of Misery." Both songs come from real life relationships in Walker's life. The combination of Walker's guitar tone, Doug James' saxophone riffs, and Bruce Katz's organ make this a beautiful, if not melancholic, tune.

Walker also co-wrote two of Between A Rock and the Blues's tracks with friend and Jay Leno "sidekick" Kevin Eubanks, the band leader of Leno's former Tonight Show band, which still serves as the house band on Leno's new program. Additional co-writers on the songs include Joe Russo ("If There's A Heaven" and "I've Been Down") and Ellis Eugene Blacknell Jr. ("I've Been Down.") "If There's A Heaven" is easily one of the heavier songs on the disc; but a very cool tune as well. It works well with the song's subject matter (The recurring line throughout being variations on the lyric - "If there is a heaven, I hope I don't have to go to hell.") I would argue with the Blues Music Award nomination committee that it's a better song than "I'm Tide," but, of course, that's just my opinion.

The pair of tracks Walker and Eubanks worked on together feature a different set of musicians than the rest of Between A Rock and the Blues and they certainly stand out from the other songs, as well. Walker produced the tracks at Eubanks' Los Angeles studio, where Kevin Eubanks also played guitar on the tunes, along with Henry Oden on bass, Blacknell Jr. on piano and organ, and Jeff Minnieweather handling drums.

Musicians on the rest of Between A Rock and the Blues's tracks include Bruce Katz (piano/organ), Jesse Williams (electric & acoustic bass), Mark Teixeira (drums & percussion), Doug James (saxophone), Carl Queforth (trombone), and Sugar Ray Norcia (harp).

Walker includes some cover tunes here, as well. Between A Rock and the Blues features Joe Louis Walker's versions of tunes by Ray Charles (the nealry seven-and-a-half minute, slow burning "Blackjack"), Roy Gaines ("Big Fine Woman"), and Travis Phillips (the jumping "Eyes Like A Cat").

The remaining third of Between A Rock and the Blues's dozen tracks are written by other friends of Walker. The Murali Coryell penned "Way Too Expensive" is filled with venom over the current state of our economy. The opening line sets the tone ("...Cost a hundred dollars to fill up my tank. Puttin' gas in my car, I may have to rob a bank.") A lot of folks will identify with this tune, which features some great horns (Doug James on sax and Carl Queforth on trombone.) The seven-and-a-half minute "Hallways," written by Steve Hall, is another fantastic tune to mention here.

Friend and label-mate Duke Robillard, who also produced 10 of the album's songs, wrote and plays on "Tell Me Why." Up to this point, I have neglected to mention the playing on Between A Rock and the Blues much, and that's not necessarily intentional, but at the same time, not much needs to be said other than it is terrific. Walker, Eubanks, Robillard, and all of the rest know Joe Louis Walker works hard, especially for this record, and did not want to disappoint their boss, passing with flying colors. Walker's slide is phenomenal on songs like "Tell Me Why" and "If There's A Heaven." The album's closer, "Send You Back" features simply Walker on acoustic 12-string guitar and Sugar Ray Norcia on harp, providing some excellent acoustic duo work to wrap up Between A Rock and the Blues in a smooth, drifting fashion.

So, Between A Rock and the Blues certainly has the lead headed into May's Blues Music Awards, because it's plain to me that this stacks up, from top to bottom, as one of the year's best Blues CD's; which, as I've said before, is no small feat, because Blues fans were treated to an amazing year of music, and a list of great albums. Reading press for this CD, I noticed a lot of quotes from Walker, mentioning how hard he worked on this record, and how he strives to expand his audience by pushing himself every time he goes in the studio. I can tell you first hand, having listened to Between A Rock and the Blues several times now with a critical ear, that he did just what he set out to do here; and if Walker walks away with an arm load of awards as a result of this CD, No One will be surprised. Buy this album.

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