She's My Money Maker

She’s My Money Maker finds blues guitarist Joe Louis Walker returning to his soul/blues roots following the release of the jazz/Latin Pasa Tiempo. Most of the material was written (or co-written) by Walker except for the Nick Gravenites classic “Born in Chicago.” Walker works with a stripped-down lineup consisting of Robert Watson on bass, Geno Blacknell Jr. on keyboards, and Willy Jordan on drums. This is a mainly up-tempo disc with lots of Walker’s slide guitar which is especially strong on “Slow Down GTO,” “Borrowed Time,” and “Slide Her Up and Down” (a silly title but, you get the drift). Without a doubt, the two strongest moments are the final two tracks. “My Judgment Day” is a gritty solo vehicle for Walker and slide, and “Eight Years of Loving” features Walker on harp and Blacknell playing boogie woogie-style piano. – Al Campbell