Saturday, April 4, 2009

'LITTLE WALTER' JACOB, "Juke"


Jimmy Rogers discovered Little Walter on Maxwell Street in 1947 playing the harp. He immediately brought Little Walter to Muddy Waters, where he played for him and immediately became a member of the band Muddy was forming.


Jacobs is regarded as one of the greatest harp players and was perhaps its greatest innovator in that he was the first player to truly incorporate a cupped mike played through a guitar amp, thereby revolutionizing harp playing. Little Walter utilized amplification to explore radical new timbres and sonic effects previously unheard from a harmonica


The song “Juke” was a massive hit and spent 8 weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts. Juke proved to be the only harmonica instrumental ever to become a #1 hit on R & B charts.


Together, with Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed and Muddy Waters they formed a band which became known as Head Hunters. The name formed because they had a reputation as being the best players in Chicago. They made a habit out of walking into performances unannounced and talking over and playing with the featured bands, a practice that became known as “cutting heads”.


His work earned him a spot in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, specifically for his work as a harmonica player.

Check out "Juke" here, http://www.last.fm/music/Little+Walter/_/Juke

Also, here is something really worth checking out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaqTyDC0TZg&feature=PlayList&p=7E8424FAD3CBCA4F&index=0&playnext=1
its Little Walter's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a slideshow tribute to his work

informational sources: http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/little-walter
Little Walter. Juke. Chess Record Label. October 1952
Re-released "The Blues World of Little Walter" from Delmark Records in 1993

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