His ethnic background, a blend of Creole, French and Indian, would colour the unique guitar technique which was to become the signature style of Louisiana born Phillip Walker. In the early 1950’s Walker, drawn by the magical sound of the blues, began to explore the local juke joints and dance halls, playing frequently with local bluesmen and travelling musicians. He got his first big break on a professional level when he met the legendary zydeco accordionist Clifton Chenier, who took him on the road. The artistic path he followed was paved with success. He provided his pupil Robert Cray with the song Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark, which would become the title track for Cray’s million selling album of the same name. In 1999 he got together with old buddies Lonnie Brooks and Long John Hunter to record the aptly named album Lone Star Shootout, which reaches both blues and country charts. Highlights are too many to mention. Currently Mr. Phillip Walker can look back on an impressive career. He is not afraid of breaking rules and may consider himself a true innovator. But most important of all he is still on the road drawing huge blues minded crowds everywhere, with satisfaction guaranteed.
The dvd is completed with a biography, a backgroundstory about Swingmaster and a picture gallery with unique historic and recent pictures of Phillip Walker.
The concert was recorded in Groningen (The Netherlands), november 1990. Swingmaster tapes vol. 1 The Swingmaster series consists of unique blues recordings, made by the owners of the Dutch record shop Swingmaster, a household name for aficionados all over the world. The owners have a finely honed sense for talent, recording well known artists as well as more obscure musicians. The recordings were made in concert halls, but also in the back of their store or even in their own homes. They are not made with the latest techniques, but they are unique and compulsory material for everybody who loves great, timeless blues sounds.
contents
• concert
• biography
• picture gallery
• previews
• Swingmaster story
technical data dvd-video
vision NTSC, 4:3
sound stereo
region code all regions
subtitling none