Hornet's Nest

Bluesman Joe Louis Walker remains true to the music while modernizing the sound without losing its soul. Partial credit here goes to producer Tom Hambridge, who produced Buddy Guy’s GRAMMY®-winning albums *Skin Deep* and *Living Proof* and Walker’s previous album, *Hellfire*. A member of the Blues Hall of Fame, Walker employs a veteran group, with Hambridge on drums, Tommy MacDonald on bass, Rob McNelley on guitar, and Reese Wynans on Hammond B-3 organ and piano. From there, Walker essays dirty-blues guitar solos and sings like a man who treats every performance like it could be his last. At 64, Walker has plenty of road left, and beyond the flat-out blues numbers like the title track, the horn-assisted “All I Wanted to Do,” and the roadhouse fun of “Stick a Fork in Me,” he turns the obscure Rolling Stones tune “Ride On, Baby” into a modest rocker and helps hard rock finds a voice in “Not in Kansas Anymore.” Gospel takes root in “Keep the Faith.”

Joe Louis Walker is the John Henry of the blues, a guy who works hard and isn't afraid to put his back into his music.