Junior Walker, The Essential Collection

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Title: Junior Walker (The Essential Collection)

Ref: 544 050-2

Label: Spectrum

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This album begins with two of Walker's Classics, 'I'm A Roadrunner Baby', a song about a travelling man who refuses to let a woman tie him down and 'I ain't Going Nowhere' which, by contrast, is about a man who refuses to travel anywhere without taking his woman as an appendage. These two tracks set the tone for the entire compilation in which Junior 'soul shouts' his way above a hypnotic Motown beat regularly punctuated by a rollicking sax. This is an album which should have equal appeal to Motown, Northern and Classical Soul aficionado's alike.

The track selection is an interesting mixture of his better known cuts such as 'Take Me Girl I'm Ready' and lesser known tracks such as 'Urgent' and 'Anyway You Wanna'. It is not often said about an artist that his 'also-rans' are every bit as good as his successes, but on this album it is undoubtedly true. Walker has a tolerable voice but for me it is his sax playing which makes him special. It was inevitable therefore that I would love 'Probe Your Mind' and 'Nothing But Soul' because they are wholly instrumental. 'Right On Brothers And Sisters' is a civil rights song. On the one hand it calls for racial unity whilst on the other glorifies the fact 'We're Fightin Back' which does seem inconsistent. This track was not released until 1971 when the struggle was probably all over bar the shouting anyway.

Another track well worth listening to is 'Don't Blame The Children' which tackles the demise of family life. Junior sympathises with young tearaways who get into trouble by blaming parents and society. This is a wonderful album from a talented musician and anyone who loves the sound of Sax will absolutely adore it.