Confessin the Blues [Bonus Track] [Remastered]

by Little Walter

Overview

This release is a little confusing, coming out as it does more than a year after the release of MCA-Chess' Little Walter rarities collection Blues with a Feeling, and two years after the double-CD anthology set that contains most of the best parts of this collection. Still, for those who can't afford either of those pricey sets, this disc, coupled with the two best-of volumes, and the other Walter compilations, fills in some holes that are well worth filling. Made up of songs cut between 1953 and 1959 -- none of which had ever appeared on LP before the original 1974 release of this collection -- the selection features Walter in his prime, playing alongside Robert Lockwood, Jr. and Louis Myers or Luther Tucker on guitar (with Muddy Waters present on slide on one indispensable track, "Rock Bottom"), mostly Willie Dixon on bass, and Fred Below on the drums, with Lafayette Leake or Otis Spann on piano. His harp work was never than first rate during the era covered by this collection, and there are some top flight instrumentals featured, but the material (check out "Crazy Legs," with its dazzling interplay between Walter on harp and Louis and Dave Myers on guitars) here also features some of Walter's best singing, including the romantic "One More Chance with You," the quietly raunchy "Temperature," and "Confessin' the Blues." The sound, as is usual on these MCA-Chess reissues, is superb, although certain tracks, such as "I Got to Go," seem slightly compressed. [A Japanese version released in 2004 includes bonus tracks.] ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	12/17/2013
Label:	Universal
UPC:	4988005792440
Rank:	86532

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Little Walter   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica
George Cook   Drums
Freddy Robinson   Guitar
Luther Tucker   Guitar
Louis Myers   Guitar
Otis Spann   Piano
Jarrett Gibson   Sax (Baritone)
Al Duncan   Drums
Muddy Waters   Slide Guitar
Jack Myers   Bass
Jimmy Rogers   Guitar
Lafayette Leake   Piano
Fred Below   Drums
Robert Lockwood, Jr.   Guitar
Buddy Guy   Guitar
Willie Dixon   Bass
Dave Myers   Guitar
George Hunter   Drums
Billy Stepney   Drums

Technical Credits

James R. Cobb   Composer
Gary Rice   Assistant Engineer
Walter Jacobs   Composer
Erick Labson   Remastering,Digital Remastering
Jay McShann   Composer
Leonard Chess   Producer
Walter Brown   Composer
Pete Welding   Liner Notes
Phil Chess   Producer
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup   Composer
Buddy Buie   Composer
Bruce Willis   Composer
Malcolm Chisholm   Engineer
Little Walter   Composer
Willie Dixon   Composer
Mike Fink   Design
Geary Chansley   Photo Research
Neil Terk   Art Direction
Bob Scerbo   Production Supervisor
Don Snowden   Liner Notes
Ray Flerlage   Photography
Swan   Editing,Producer,Compilation Producer
Joel Cohen   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Andy McKaie   Reissue Producer