Walls, VanIn The Evening1997Productions Bros.BROS-7002-2

Walls, Van - In The Evening - 1997 - Productions Bros. - BROS-7002-2

Written by Calvin Daniels

Vann Walls is a tried and true bluesman and In The Evening is certain to capture your attention.

Born in 1918 in Lynch, Kentucky, Walls' initial ties to Canada go way back. He was in Montreal in 1955 and as fate would have it, he met a lady named Ruth who would eventually become his wife. The couple married in 1963 and settled in Montreal, thus solidifying his connection to Canada.

The move north of the border did nothing to slow his musical career. Walls has earned a solid reputation for his ability to handle blues piano.

On In The Evening, Walls is teamed with Montreal's Stephen Barry Band (featuring vocalist Michael Browne) and the group provides a nice complement to Walls' piano stylings. He reaches back in his career for a few old favourites, including Chains of Love from 1951, and After Hours Sessions, a song recorded in 1949 by Frank Culley and based on Avery Parrish's After Hours.

The title cut comes from Leroy Carr's last session in 1935, where it was referred to as When the Sun Goes Down. Honky Tonk was a 1956 hit for Bill Dogget, while Misty is a jazz piece written in 1954 by Erroll Garner. Herbie Hancock's 1954 hit Watermelon Man is also here to enjoy.

Walls has seen a fair chunk of blues history unfold during his lifetime, and keeping that in mind, there is a definite feel to this CD. As Walls' career enters the twilight era, he is taking time to pay his respects to other performers he has come to enjoy while traveling his own path. For this reason alone, In The Evening is a compelling recording.

That the album could be among Walls' last also makes it one to have and to cherish. This guy knows how to play the blues, and you feel good about being along for the ride. There is a reason why Walls received a Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Award at its eighth annual gala in New York in 1997. You can hear that reason on every track of this album.

This is one clearly worth having in the collection. .

Copyright 2003. Review by Calvin Daniels.

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