There was a time. Yes, there was a time before the blues. Speaking personally, my experience of the blues started with Alexis Korner’s radio show on the Beeb and my record collection grew exponentially thereafter from the seeds of Alligator’s (released on Sonet here in the UK) Living Chicago Blues series of albums. The blues has, of course, changed a bit over the years with the likes of Boo Boo Davis on the Black and Tan label bringing a thoroughly modern take on the genre.
So running through this album by Big Walker was something of a sentimental journey that reminded me of those old Alligator albums. There’s a mellow, reflective feel to the songs and to the performances that only seems to come with musicians that are at one with their music. As if to prove that very point, there is a line in “I’m Going To Write A Letter” – “I guess that’s the way it goes when you live to play these blues” – that illustrates that point. Showing that all that time spent exercising his talents on saxophone and harmonica as a sideman to better known bluesmen and women was certainly not a waste are the frenetic instrumentals like “Little Elijah Jane” and “Boogie Woogie Nighthawk” that are models of inspired conventionality that contrast nicely with the lyrically left of centre “My Favourite Tree”. Even on more delicate moments such as when duetting with Eric Bibb’s guitar on “Where Shall I Be”, Big Walker shows both passion and control.
I’m still a sucker for the female voice so my favourite tracks were those featuring the raunchy tones of guest vocalist Zora Young (“I Knew The First Time”, “I Don’t Want To See”) that also provide further proof of the spirit of musical generosity that pervades this album. All in all, a conventional blues album is what you get here but “Still Dream Walking” is also an album that leaves you feeling good. I doubt many would complain about that.