Walter Trout has, with no word of hyperbole, done it all and seen it all. A veteran musician whose exquisite tone has seen him play with both Canned heat and John Mayall’s Blues breakers, Walter also succumbed to the siren call of narcotics and alcohol, risking it all in the process and turning around his increasingly excessive consumption only after a timely intervention by one Carlos Santana. With over thirty albums to his name, Walter is undoubtedly one of the great blues guitarists, his feel for his instrument natural and powerful as this album often shows, and, like all great bluesmen, the emotions that he pours into his playing ring out loud and clear with a blazing intensity that is as impressive as it is impossible to ignore. This is Walter’s first covers album and it is a direct tribute to Luther Allison, an inspirational figure for Trout who is pictured on the cover of the album standing with his hero. It is a wonderful collection, warm, beautifully played and, most importantly, not a mordant collection showcasing grief at the passing of a great man, but a celebration of his life and skills played with a fire that Luther would surely have found thrilling to have provided the inspiration for.
Featuring thirteen tracks, ‘Luther’s blues’ is a double LP that covers the gamut of the Blues, from the organ washed slow-dance of ‘just as I am’ to the sweat-soaked intensity of ‘I’m back’, and it is guaranteed to put a smile on the face of any blues aficionado from its opening notes right through to its fiery finish. ‘I’m back’ certainly is one hell of a start. You can hear that Blues Breaker’s feel in the way the band slam into the cut with all the energy and vitality of a group forty years their junior and you’re instantly transported to a time when Eric Clapton spent his time wailing on a Les Paul plugged through an overloaded Marshall Amp as Walter unleashes a series of blazing solos that sizzle across the surface of the track like molten fire. It is a simple, unbridled pleasure to listen to, and one that does not diminish with time, each listen providing the same electric jolt as Walter’s guitar blazes into view. ‘Cherry red wine’ is of a more sombre vintage, the playing smooth and creamy from the band whilst Walter’s excursions upon the guitar are utterly unmissable – this is real blues, each of the players digging deep to play with every ounce of soul at their command and it is impossible as a listener not to react I kind, connecting deeply with the warm layers of emotion that run through the song. ‘Move from the hood’ is another rip-roaring track that is kicked out with the manic energy of Buddy Guy whilst ‘bad love’ pulls the pace back a little, ending up an elegant, voluptuous number that is impossible to listen to without picturing crushed red velvet and firelight.
One element that ‘Luther’s Blues’ has in abundance is groove, but even so ‘big city’, with its stabs of organ and rich bass has a greater groove than most. Driven over the edge by Walter’s ecstatic soloing, this is the perfect song to kick back with a beer to and just appreciate the marvellous musicianship of Walter and his band – exemplary throughout, it shines ever more brightly the more you take the time to just sit and listen to the album unencumbered by other duties. ‘Chicago’ is similarly laden with a power and feel that demands movement no matter where you are when the song comes on. With a nimble bass line, a mid-section that drifts dreamily through the air before that essential groove kicks back in and blistering solos that smoulder and burn in the hot, summer air, the song is perfectly offset by the laid-back ‘just as I am’, a song that is loaded with gentle pathos and the poignant refrain “Will you love me, just as I am?” ‘Low down and dirty’ has a title that says it all, the mean groove the sort of thing the Blues Brothers would have used as a ram with which to batter their audience in to submission whilst the slide guitar work is a revelation. ‘Pain in the streets’ once more slows things down, the music the perfect soundtrack to a dimly lit and smoky bar, the type where you tell the patron your troubles over cheap whiskey as a dark figure cuts heroic figures on his aging guitar, his fingers slipping over the fret board with fluid grace despite the poor light.
Just to highlight the fact that Walter and his cohorts still have the power to surprise, the stunning guitar work of ‘all the kings horses’ is a highlight of the album, the raw, beautiful tone of Walter’s guitar bursting with vitality and spontaneity. Possibly the most poignant song on offer, ‘Freedom’ is a song that clearly meant a lot to its author and is similarly played here with a dark urgency that simmers underneath the laid back guitar work, whilst Walter’s voice, never less than impressive throughout the album, truly shines here. ‘Luther speaks’ provides a brief clip of the man speaking before the album ends with the heartfelt tribute ‘when Luther played the blues’ which is a beautifully played, written and arranged track that does more to pay tribute to the man in seven minutes than any number of conventional eulogies. With stinging solos and the band on fire behind Walter, it is the perfect album closer.
The blues has a proud tradition of reinterpretation and reinvention. Artists such as BB King, Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy, not to mention Luther Allison himself, have all spent time revisiting the works of earlier artists, and it is this spirit of keeping a great flame alive that makes the blues a uniquely wonderful genre. However, to hear an album such as this, fired by a burning desire to keep the name of one specific artist alive, is a revelation. The power of the music is increased tenfold by the obvious dedication and passion of Walter Trout – you can hear it in his voice as he pours his soul into inhabiting Luther’s lyrics and, more importantly perhaps, you can hear it in the way his guitar blazes with the fervent intensity that you’d expect from an artist taking his first steps in the industry. To hear an album in these modern times that is neither jaded nor cynical, but simply a celebration of a great artist’s life is heart-warming. Moreover the mix, handled by Eric Corne, is so perfectly done that you can almost hear Walter’s fingers tapping over the strings, and you can imagine that such a first rate job is borne out of the respect that Corne has for both Walter himself and the subject of the record – Mr Luther Allison. Records such as this are rare occurrences, and as Walter unleashes the elegant power of his guitar the only real way to enjoy this album is to sit back, close your eyes and allow the music to transport you far away. A powerful and moving tribute, ‘Luther’s blues’ allows Luther Allison’s spirit to soar once more, and it is the perfect addition to any music fan’s collection.
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