David T Walker - Press On

dusty sez:

Warmly chromatic and nicely tripped out guitar work from David T Walker – laid out over some great larger arrangements from the legendary Jerry Peters! The style here is a great blend of studio jazz and soul – a completely new recasting of the role of the guitarist in the soul instrumental field, and one that's clearly inspired by the styles of CTI and Kudu, yet a bit more straight ahead overall. Walker's guitar is amazing throughout – laidback, yet always filled with a strong sense of "voice" that really comes through – and other players on the set include longtime studio associates, like Harvey Mason on drums, Ernie Watts on alto, Tom Scott on tenor, and Oscar Brasher on trumpet. Titles are mostly covers, but done in really great versions – and tunes include "If You Let Me", "Superstition", "Work To Do", "Brother, Brother", "Press On", "Didn't I Blow Your Mind", and "If That's The Way You Feel".

barabara sounds sez:

Probably my favorite album of all from David T Walker, this funky joint from 1973 sees him lay down a fine groove from start to finish. A great cover too, with those sepia photos. Mr David T (as he's known over here) still visits Japan just about every year – and he's still playing with Clarence McDonald. This was the set list for last year's Xmas shows (check down the bottom of that page for English titles).