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THEAllSDRS

Junior Walker and the All Stars parts. The joyous whoops and screams
Billy Nyx, drums; Willie Woods, guitar; which Walker uses to introduce numbers
Vic Thomas, organ - have been a and dimax phrases are germane both to
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chart topping combo since “Shotgun " vocal blues and the instrumental jazz of
won a Grammy Award as the best
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rhythm- and blues recording of 1965. artists like Archie Shcpp and Man ion
mention Sun Ra s
Brown
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(not to
Supposedly written in a Benton llarbor, saxophonists Marshall Allen and Danny
Michigan hotel room, “Shotgun " was Dim. who construct entire solos of
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much more than one of the most artfully diversified shrieks). Walker s
danceable records of all time. It marked drive is remarkable; his use of the tenor
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the maturation of Junior Walker s lyric saxophone as a rhythm instrument is in
and rhythmic style, and its pared- down the tradition of Big Jay McNeeiy. Sam
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instrumentation, tricky sixteenth note ‘The Man " Taylor and Arnett Cob, but
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patterns and dean, distinct lines became the keening lyricism and split second
a primary influence for numerous rock timing he employs are original contribu-
and r&b groups. tions. Often the guitar, drums and
Motown s biography furnishes little saxophone in Walker ’ s group engage in a
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concrete information about Walker ' s three way rhythmic dialogue over the
early life; it doesn ' t even give us his gently cushioning chords of Vic
given name. What details there are could Thomas * organ, creating a uniquely
easily have been imagined: musical vibrant pulsation that stays in the mind
talent became evident at age nine; long after the actual notes have faded
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formed the All Stars with high school away.
chums; played bars and clubs in Junior Walker s most recent hits have
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Michigan and Indiana; met Berry Gordy been “covers " of popular rhythm-and-
and began recording for Motown. blues numbers, many of them originally
Junior ' s first hit was “Cleo ' s Mood. a recorded by Motown groups like the
"
slinky sort of sax number that had the Supremes. Some featured string, horn
texture, but little of the rhythmic drive, and vocal arrangements to augment the
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of his later hits. Next came a succession sound, but Walker s distilled lines and
of finger-popping, up- tempo dance preaching vocals, and the energy of his
numbers which brightened mid- sixties group, always saved the records from
AM radio considerably and are still becoming run- of- -
the mill. The simplicity
among the most- requested records for of Walker ' s conception is stila one of his
dances and oldies radio shows. greatest strengths. Within the musical
Some of the best of these records - system he has created he can move an
besides “Shotgun " there were “Road audience, soothe them, or jerk them to
Runner," " Shake and Finger Pop,
"Shoot Your Shot. " "Hip City " and their feet and get them out on the dance
"
door. As his Motown biographer notes,
"Home Cookin . . » - have the classic "Remembering that it was a new dance
purity of a Bessie Smith 78 or a Five that set off the chain of events that led
Keys original. The group ' s extraordinary to the road to success, Junior Walker
unanimity of accentuation is matched has returned the favor. "
by Walker's clear, singing saxophone Robert Palmer
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