DESCRIPTION: Born in 1937 near Lake Charles, Louisiana in the small town of Welsh, Phillip Walker’s earliest musical influences came via the Cajun and Creole rhythms he heard as a youngster. A second cousin to “Gatemouth” Brown, and a huge admirer of T-Bone Walker, Phillip began making a name for himself in the early 1950’s with his first recording session backing Roscoe Gordon, in addition to working on the road and in the studio as a member of Zydeco king Clifton Chenier’s band.
By the late ‘50’s Walker was out on the road with his own band. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1959 where he still resides, he cut his first record as a bandleader, the storming “Hello My Darling”, for Elko Records. In the early ‘70’s, with the help of long-time supporter and producer Bruce Bromberg, he cut an excellent LP “The Bottom Of The Top” for Hugh Hefner’s short-lived Playboy label. Throughout the last three decades Walker’s musical career has continued to pick up steam with numerous recording projects for Alligator, Black Top, JSP and Hightone Records.
On his Delta Groove debut, the legendary Gulf Coast guitarist goes back to his roots to explore the rich history of Louisiana, Texas and the West Coast on classic material by Lowell Fulson, Ray Charles, Lonesome Sundown, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Frankie Lee Sims and more. Walker is joined by label mates Al Blake, Fred Kaplan and Richard Innes of the Hollywood Blue Flames, along with support by Bay area guitarist Rusty Zinn, boogie woogie pianist Rob Rio, the versatile Jeff Turmes on standup & electric bass and tenor & bari saxophones, David Woodford on tenor sax, and Walker’s own bassist on the road, James W. Thomas.
“Phillip Walker has been one of the major influences on my career.” – Robert Cray
“Gut wrenching perfection, Phillip is one of the 10 most important blues guitarists living today.” – Guitar Player Magazine
"His solos inherently swing and his tone alternates between a sweet jazz fullness and a biting attack." – Washington Post
MUSICANS: Phillip Walker: vocals & lead guitar (except 3 & 5) Rusty Zinn: rhythm guitar / lead guitar – 3, 5, 9 / acoustic guitar – 6
(Rusty Zinn appears courtesy of Bad Daddy Records.) Jeff Turmes: standup & electric bass (except 1 & 13)
tenor & baritone sax – 1 / tenor sax - 13 Richard Innes: drums Fred Kaplan: piano – 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 James W. Thomas: electric bass – 1, 13 Rob Rio: piano – 5, 8, 11, 12, 13 Al Blake: harmonica – 6, 11 David Woodford: tenor sax – 2, 8, 12 / double tenors sax - 9
CREDITS:
Produced by Randy Chortkoff / Production Assistant: Andy Santana / Recorded and Enginered by Doug Messenger (Hard Drive Studios, North Hollywood, CA.) / Mixed by Randy Chortkoff and Doug Messenger / Mastered by Robert Hadly (The Mastering Lab, Hollywood CA.) / Photography by Anthony Peres, Anthony Peres Photography (www.anthonyperes.com) / Artwork, Design & additional Photography by Joshua Temkin (joshuatemkin@gmail.com) / Liner Notes by Scott Dirks / Radio Promotion by Frank Roszak / Retail: Jeff Fleenor / Business Affairs: Malcolm Wiseman
