Little Walter - King Of The Harp: The Complete Chart Hits 1952-59

Marion “Little Walter” Jacobs was possibly one of the most important blues artists of the post-war era. He not only revolutionised harmonica playing by using amplification to compete with the growling guitars of the Chicago blues movement, he changed the way the harp was perceived and opened up a new world of instrumentation. For this reason, he sits quite happily alongside blues greats such as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker. 

Walter purposely pushed his amplifiers beyond their intended technical limitations to explore and develop radical new timbres and sonic effects previously unheard from a harmonica or indeed, any other instrument. This natural distortion opened musicians ears to the possibilities of their own instruments and, in many ways, laid the foundations for the blues boom that was to come along in the sixties. Such was his prowess and virtuosity on the harmonica he became a key sidesman for the biggest names in blues, most notably the frequent sessions and recordings he did with Muddy Waters.

Walter was the first, and to this point, only artist to have a No.1 hit with his self-penned, harp led instrumental Juke. He went on to have numerous R&B chart hits before succumbing to his wild, violent and hard drinking life-style. 

This LP features all Little Walters biggest R&B chart hits from 1952-59 including the debut No.1 Juke, Sad Hours, Blues With A Feeling, May Babe and concluding with his last chart entry in 1959, the ironically titled Everything Gonna Be Alright. 

Tracklisting

Side A
1 Juke
2 Mean Old World
3 Sad Hours
4 Off The Wall
5 Tell Me, Mama
6 Blues With A Feeling
7 You're So Fine

Side B
1 Oh, Baby
2 You'd Better Watch Yourself
3 Last Night
4 My Babe
5 Roller Coaster
6 Who
7 Key To The Highway
8 Everything Gonna Be Alright