Jr. Walker & The All Stars - Walk In The Night (The Motown 70s Studio Albums) (Remastered) (2019)

Released in 2019 (Motown’s 60th anniversary), this stellar reissue (produced by SoulMusic.com’s David Nathan) featuring the ‘70s studio recordings by R&B Foundation Pioneer Awardee and Soul Music Hall of Fame inductee Junior Walker (who passed away in 1995) and his All Stars includes informative liner notes by renowned Motown expert and author Sharon Davis, first class mastering by Nick Robbins (with digital transfers directly from Universal Music Group) and stellar artwork from Roger Williams.

Junior Walker (born Autry DeWalt Mixon, Jr. in 1931 in Blytheville, Arkansas) was one of the most consistent Motown chartmakers and undeniably the global brand’s most successful instrumentalist from 1964 to 1978, racking up 25 US charted singles and 14 US charted albums. With his distinctive, rousing sax style and immediately identifiable vocals, Jr. Walker (with The All Stars – guitarist Willie Woods, keyboardist Vic Thomas and drummer James Graves) had the kind of raw’n’funky sound that captivated audiences worldwide.

Junior’s early success on Motown’s Soul imprint in the ‘60s with ‘Shotgun’, ‘(I’m A) Road Runner’, and a reworking of Marvin Gaye’s ‘How Sweet It Is’, established the dynamic sax man and his band as reliable groove makers. The 1969 release of the now-classic ‘What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)’ proved to be a game-changer for Junior, setting the stage for a new decade of recordings that clearly showcased his innovative ability to add his own musical stamp to a diversity of pop, rock, jazz and R&B material.

This superb box set spanning the years 1970-1976 features five original Motown albums and one album (1974’s “Jr.Walker & The All Stars”) which has only ever been released in its entirety in UK and Europe, all six making their debut on CD worldwide with this 2019 SoulMusic Records’ release.

Disc One comprises 1970’s “A Gasssss” and 1971’s “Rainbow Funk,” both produced by Johnny Bristol; the (20) tracks include ‘Do You See My Love (For You Growing)’, ‘Carry Your Own Load’ and ‘Take Me Girl, I’m Ready’ (one of Jr. Walker’s three UK hits of the ‘70s).

Disc Two (with the charted hits ‘Way Back Home’, ‘Groove Thang’, ‘Walk In The Night’ and ‘Gimme That Beat’) features 1972’s Johnny Bristol-produced “Moody Jr.,” and the 1973 set, “Peace & Understanding Is Hard To Find” which marked a change in creative direction with production by Motown stalwarts Hal Davis, Willie Hutch, Gloria Jones & Pam Sawyer and Junior himself.

Disc Three consists of 1974’s jazz-flavoured “Jr. Walker & The All Stars,” primarily produced by Clarence Paul (who worked consistently in the ‘60s with Stevie Wonder, who guests on two tracks, ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’ and ‘All In Love Is Fair’); and the 1976 Brian Holland & Lawrence Horn-produced “Hot Shot,” (which includes ‘I Need You Right Now’ featuring Thelma Houston).

Tracklist
DISC ONE

A GASSSSS / RAINBOW FUNK

A GASSSSS
1. DO YOU SEE MY LOVE (FOR YOU GROWING)
2. AND WHEN I DIE
3. I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER
4. CARRY YOUR OWN LOAD
5. SHUT UP, DON’T INTERRUPT ME
6. GROOVE AND MOVE
7. HOLLY HOLY
8. HONEY COME BACK
9. RIDING HIGH ON LOVE
10. HEY JUDE
11. AT A SATURDAY MATINEE
RAINBOW FUNK
12. WAY BACK HOME (INSTRUMENTAL)
13. TAKE ME GIRL, I’M READY
14. FEELING ALRIGHT
15. RIGHT ON BROTHERS AND SISTERS
16. TEACH THEM TO PRAY
17. SOMETHING
18. PSYCHEDELIC SHACK
19. PIECES OF A MAN
20. THESE THINGS WILL KEEP ME LOVING YOU

DISC TWO
MOODY JR. / PEACE & UNDER-STANDING IS HARD TO FIND

MOODY JR.
1. WAY BACK HOME (VOCAL)
2. I DON’T WANT TO DO WRONG
3. BRISTOL’S WAY
4. DON’T BLAME THE CHILDREN
5. ME AND MY FAMILY
6. GROOVE THANG
7. STILL WATER MEDLEY
8. NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE
9. WALK IN THE NIGHT
10. MOODY JUNIOR
PEACE & UNDERSTANDING
IS HARD TO FIND
11. I AIN’T GOING NOWHERE
12. I DON’T NEED NO REASON
13. IT’S ALRIGHT, DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO
14. IT’S TOO LATE
15. SOUL CLAPPIN’
16. I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW
17. GIMME THAT BEAT (PART 1)
18. GIMME THAT BEAT (PART 2)
19. COUNTRY BOY
20. PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING (IS HARD TO FIND)

DISC THREE
JR. WALKER & THE ALL-STARS / HOT SHOT

JR. WALKER & THE ALL-STARS
1. YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE
2. ALL IN LOVE IS FAIR
3. KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH THIS SONG
4. MY LOVE
5. BOOGIE DOWN
6. I AIN’T THAT EASY TO LOSE
7. DANCIN’ LIKE THEY DO ON SOUL TRAIN
8. BREAK DOWN AND SING
9. UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME (THAT’S WHAT I GONNA DO)
HOT SHOT
10. I’M SO GLAD
11. WHY CAN’T WE BE LOVERS
12. YOU AIN’T NO ORDINARY WOMAN
13. JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH
14. LOVE (KEEP US TOGETHER)
15. I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW – Featuring Thelma Houston
16. PROBE YOUR MIND
17. DON’T LOSE WHAT YOU GOT (TRYING TO GET BACK WHAT YOU HAD)
18. HOT SHOT