Artist: David T. Walker
Album: David T. Walker
Genre: Funk
Label: Ode Records
Released: 1971
Quality: FLAC (tracks)
Tracklist:
- Never Can Say Goodbye (Davis) - 4:04
- Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever (Hunter-Wonder) - 3:10
- On Broadway (Stoller-Leiber-Mann-Weil) - 3:33
- I've Never Had the Pleasure (Preston-Greene) - 3:16
- I Believe in Music (Davis) - 3:29
- I Want to Talk to You (Walker) - 3:10
- Hot Fun in the Summertime (Stewart) - 3:36
- Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Young) - 3:53
- What's Goin' On (Haye-Cleveland-Benson) - 4:53
- The Real T. (Walker) - 3:26
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- Personnel:
- David T.Walker - guitar
- Joe Sample, Jerry Peters, Billy Preston, Clarence McDonald - keyboards
- Paul Humphrey - drums
- Wilton Felder - electric bass
- Bobbye Porter - percussion
- Curtis Amy - saxophone
- Paul Shure, Jack Shulman - concertmaster (strings)
- Merry Clayton, Patrice Holloway, Stephanie Spruell, Annesther Davis, John Lehman, Jim Gilstrap - voices
The same subtlety and generosity that made David T. Walker such a superb session guitarist proved his Achilles' heel as a leader -- even with his name out front, he refuses to dominate the spotlight, and as a result his solo efforts never quite catch fire. Walker's self-titled Ode debut is no exception: a supremely tasteful and nuanced collection of soul-jazz instrumentals featuring a stellar supporting cast including keyboardist Billy Preston and drummer Paul Humphrey, it's impeccably played and frequently beautiful, but at times unnervingly bloodless, as if technique alone is enough for transcendence. Walker is far too deferential to his colleagues and vice-versa, and with no one in full command, familiar melodies like "What's Goin' On" and "Never Can Say Goodbye" go nowhere fast -- a frustrating listen, to say the least.
Review by Jason Ankeny