Listening to a recording as good as "Not in My Lifetime" is bittersweet, knowing that there will be no more music from this marvelous soul and blues singer. Wee Willie Walker, who recorded for Goldwax Records decades ago, passed away three days after finishing recording this album. As a brief snippet of an interview with Willie that opens this album indicates, Willie went home feeling joyful after the music before dying in his sleep. It is a follow-up to "After A While," also with Anthony Paule leading the backing. I wrote about that album that it was "an imaginatively programmed and arranged recording, that showcases one of the last original soul singers. We should be thankful he is with us and still sings with all his vocal talent intact on a terrific recording."
Paule on lead guitar and electric sitar leads a backing band consisting of Tony Lufrano on keyboards, Endre Tarczy on bass, Kevin Hayes. On drums, Derek James on trombone, Bill Ortiz on trumpet, Charles McNeal on tenor saxophone, and Rob Sudduth on baritone saxophone. Background vocals are provided by Larry Batiste, Sandy Griffith, and Omega Rae, with The Sons of the Soul Revivers doing the background on one track. Jon Otis adds percussion to four selections, and Curt Ingram adds french horn to one track. There are ten originals, one an instrumental by Tarczy, and nine songs are by Christine Vitale, mostly in collaboration with Paul and Batiste. One of the covers revives one of his Goldwax recordings, and the other two are songs that go back to Little Willie John.
The music here is consistently top-flight soul and blues with a strong dose of Memphis with a touch of the Philly Sound. The Soul orchestra is tight and pushes a strong groove behind Walker's soul-drenched singing, starting with Walker exhorting his women to "Don't Let Me Get In Your Way," as she tells her friends Willie is not satisfying. The Memphis feel of that opening track shifts to the soul ballad, "Over and Over," with the vocal chorus evoking the Philly sound. Then there is a Latin groove for "Real Good Lie," which punchy horns from Tony Lufrano's horn arrangement while Paule musically dancing with his guitar solo.
"Darling Mine" conjures the classic era of deep Memphis soul with a vocal that has some of the power of the legendary Johnny Taylor. The Sons of the Soul Providers provides a gospel feel for the positive message that we are in this together on "I'm Just Like You," and we should try to find common ground. "Make Your Own Good News" has the feel of a classic Curtis Mayfield recording if it had been recorded at Memphis or Muscle Shoals. I am not familiar with the Goldwax original "Warm To Cool To Cold," but Walker was still preaching his soul at these sessions. It is great to hear the covers of Little Willie John's recordings "Heartbreak" and "Suffering With the Blues," sung with such conviction and backed so wonderfully.
Tarczy's "Almost Memphis" is a funky instrumental that allows the band members to stretch out, followed by "'Til You've Walked In My Shoes," a jazzy-flavored and sophisticated performance with Paule's carefully crafted guitar solo along with Walker's outstanding singing. "Not In My Lifetime" is a recording that will stay in the hearts of soul and blues lovers for many, many years. Wee Willie Walker left us with a stellar recording that is sure to be on many Best of 2021 lists.
I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a performance by Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra.
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