The T-Bone Walker Collection

Rating:
Summary: Stroll With Bones!
Review:
This is a great collection of some of T-Bone's best stuff. And all the cuts in this book; except for 'Bye Bye Baby', 'Vida Lee', and 'Low Down Dirty Shame Blues', can be found in the 90 track CD collection 'T-Bone Walker - The Original Source' by Proper Records. There's other discography given in the book, only not as recent as Proper's 4 CD box set, which goes for around $22. Such things I know for certain, as I got it just yesterday. 'Bye Bye Blues' and 'Vida Lee' may be found on the 'Complete Imperial' CD, although I don't know where the cut 'Low Down Dirty Shame Blues' can be found.

The transcriptions are accurate, which isn't hard to imagine, given T-Bones 'bare bones' technique. However, Walker's mastery was one one of tone, as opposed to tricky fingering or dazzling speed. T-Bone's forte was in his unrelenting rhythmic drive and sparse melodic interpretation, that yielded a sound which to this day, commands both appreciation and respect.

One of my favorite tunes here is 'T-Bone Blues', which has Walker singing, although the Hawaiian slide guitar solo is played by Frank Pasley; this tid-bit culled from the extensive liner notes of the Proper CD set.

So, with an investment of under $50 for this book and its associated sound recordings, you can obtain a large amount of material whereby to play some classic blues guitar. Enjoy!