Little Walter's fiery temperament came out in his searing, jazz-inflected, and always innovative electric harp playing, and whether paired with
Muddy Waters or on his own, he was simply the
Jimi Hendrix of the instrument in the postwar period. This two-CD, 47-track set collects his essential tracks from the 1950s, and no one seriously interested in the blues harp can be without them. Sides like "Mean Old World," "You Better Watch Yourself," "My Babe," and the title track here, "Rock Bottom," are classics by anyone's definition. Oh, and
Little Walter was a pretty good singer too, although that usually gets forgotten when he tears off into one of his amazing lead harp lines. ~ Steve Leggett
