Joel writes:
I've seen some debates on another list that has some serious blues
scholars as to whether or not BWH recorded with the Memphis Jug Band. He
would have had to be pretty young. <snip>
____________
The first question about Big Walter Horton's acoustic years revolves
around these legendary Memphis Jug Band sessions: did he or didn't
he? For years it has been rumored that nine-or-ten-year-old Horton
made his recording debut with them, and Big Walter always insisted
this was true. But then Big Walter was prone to, shall we say,
"embellishing" the facts. <g>
At least two books claim that he played on the Jug Band's 1927
recording of "Kansas City Blues," but a look at Godrich and Dixon's
'Blues And Gospel Records 1902-1942' suggests it's two other 1927
songs that may or may not feature him: "Sunshine Blues" and
"Sometimes I Think I Love You." Both of these list a harmonica
player by the name of "Shakey Walter." Could this be Horton? He did
play with them on occasion, but to my ear the harp player on these
tracks sounds more like Will Shade. Also the session took place in
Chicago, and it seems unlikely that Walter might have traveled all
the way there from Memphis to record at the age of nine or ten; but
then we'll probably never know for sure.
In any case Big Walter was recording by 1939, on sessions by the
mysterious guitar-playing dwarf Little Buddy Doyle for Okeh and
Vocalion Records. While early editions of Godrich and Dixon list
Hammie Nixon as the harp man on these sessions, Horton was working
with Doyle at the time and the newest edition of G & D has been
revised to confirm Walter's presence. In a later interview, Horton
said they were "just a couple of kids at the time." A listen to
these recordings reveals little of the Big Walter to come.... aurally
there is little question that it is Horton, but the harp playing on
them is very pedestrian. Nearly every song is the same pace,
features the same licks and is in the same key (A.)
Twelve years were to transpire before Horton would record again, in
1951 at Sam Phillips' legendary Sun Studios in Memphis. Evidently
he'd been playing a lot because by this time his acoustic style was
at least as impressive as that of Walter Jacobs, and likewise
featured a wide array of techniques; in particular a masterful
display of tongue-blocking.
As to how he made the transition -- well, let's just say that Horton
was an instinctive player who adapted to his environment. In
whatever context he was simply a blues harp genius with bell-like
tone.
cheers and hoisting a pint to Big Walter in absentia,