This is the second time in less than a year that we've had the pleasure to work with Bobby "BlackHat" Walters. His new release "Wall Street Blues" is a double disc set that contains a CD and a DVD. I'll tell ya a bit about the DVD a little later, but let's get to the music first.
On the CD part of this package, Bobby "BlackHat" Walters on Lead Vocals & Harmonica is joined by Larry Berwald on Guitar & Background Vocals, Von Jose' Roberts on Bass & Background Vocals, Eric Shaw on Keyboards & Background Vocals, Dennis Wage on Keyboards, Jim Kolacek on Drums & Percussion and Randy Burt on Saxophone. Walters and Berwald are also writers and co-writers of all tracks.
The disc opens with the quite topical title track "Wall Street Blues". It's a slow, sullen sounding song about an equally sullen topic. The way Bobby sees it, it didn't matter if you voted Obama or McCain, everybody's feeling the pain. It's a depressing song about depressing times sung in a depressing tone. The lyrics and the vocals are this tracks highlights.
Ok, time to snap out of that mood and put your dancin' shoes on and there's no better way to do that than with the "BlackHat Boogie". This one rips. Bobby's tearin' it up on harp & sounding real happy on the vocals, the rhythm guys are jammin', and as usually is the case when there is a song with "Boogie" in the title and a piano player in the band - the piano player is "Boogieing" on piano.
"Put On Your Red Shoes", and while you're at it, a straw hat too. Then suck down a few rum runners and look for a limbo bar. That's what this track made me want to do....at least the rum runners part. Jim's drum & percussion along with Dennis Wage on organ highlight this hot island sounding number.
She's my "Honey Biscuit" and I'm her jelly jam. Sounds like a tasty relationship to me. This all too short track features some very great piano playing and excellent vocals and harp blowin' by Bobby. I could have handled a few more minutes of this.
"Crying In The Shower" is a soft, slow, and beautiful blues ballad. It's highlighted by Bobby's emotional vocals, Randy's intense saxophone solos and Larry's scorching blues guitar. This is the kind of stuff that lights my blues fire. For sure one of the discs best.
Other tracks on "Wall Street Blues", which offers a variation of many types of blues, include: "I Think, You Think", "Oh Baby, Oh Baby", "Memphis", "The Blues Ain't Got Me", "I Didn't Do Enough" and "Old Cold Bones".
The DVD, which is part of this double disc package, is sort of a triple treat. It's a live recording of a Bobby "BlackHat" Walters performance at Goodfellas in Hampton, VA. The disc features a lot of the songs from Bobby's first CD - "You Changed Your Mind Again".
You can check Bobby out by going to www.bobbyblackhat.com/. While you're there, make sure you pick up a copy of "Wall Street Blues". It's a heck of a lot of entertainment for your dollar. And, as the title track sings about, now is when you need it most. BTW, tell BlackHat Blewzzman sent ya.