Who is this solo acoustic blues musician with the Chicago styled name. Who is Little Toby Walker? Little Toby Walker is a Long Island born and bred musician who won the International Blues Foundations Blues Challenge in 2002 for Best Solo Acoustic Blues Performance.

Toby's third and newest cd captures him "Live at The Bottleneck" in Kent, England and we see that he is definitely a "natural", someone who is totally relaxed within his idiom. Toby opens with the traditional "I Know You Rider", his alternating bass and friendly voice makes you think "he sounds like someone I've heard before but I can't exactly place whom". The finger picking guitar technique is outstanding throughout the live set but especially on an instrumental which is actually a medley of two songs, "Hacksaw Rag" by Eugene Powell and "Cincinnati Flow Rag" by the Reverend Gary Davis. Toby Walker plays both a Martin and a National Steel Resophonic guitar and he is endorsed by both guitar companies.

Toby's version of the traditional "Matchbox Blues" dates back to 1927 as he learned it from a Blind Lemon Jefferson record. It's strikingly similar to the rockabilly "Matchbox" popularized by Carl Perkins but with darker more dramatic lyrics. Toby is not only a performer but he is also an educator as he enjoys discussing the origins of his material. He makes you feel that the Blues is alive and still in a metamorphosis. Other traditional tunes covered here by Toby include "True Religion", "Schoolboy Blues", "Glory, Glory" and "Corrina".

The track "Mainstreet Rag" is the first of six Toby Walker originals and it sounds like its fifty years old. Toby has the ability to sound both traditional and contemporary at the same time. Additional Toby Walker authored songs are included, they are "Devil Beatin on His Wife", "Son of a Mule Skinner Man", Who's Gonna' Be Your Sweetheart Tonight" and two of my favorites "Baby Who You Waiting For" and "Weak Willed". Also included is "Things I Used to Do All Night" a song written by the Rev. Billy C Wertz and Toby tells me as soon as he heard it he new he had to include it in his performance.

Toby performs Big Bill Broonzy's "Good Liquor" on his steel guitar and the runs are dazzling. Toby says that the music you hear as a child stays with you your whole life, this is true as I remember listening to Big Bill Broonzy and The Reverend Gary Davis. Toby Walker teaches a "Blues in The Schools" program as he is a firm believer that our young people need to hear about and learn of the origins of the blues. Before the program is over Toby has the students creating their own songs.

Learn more about Little Toby Walker from visiting his website at littletobywalker.com

Richard Ludmerer
Director, The New York Blues & Jazz Society
ricdale2@yahoo.com

(c)2005 Richard Ludmerer