7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Music from Mr. Billy Joe Walker, Jr., August 7, 2003
This review is from: Life Is Good (Audio CD)
My introduction to the music of Billy Joe Walker, Jr. was hearing "Key West Skies" on a Jazziz Magazine CD sampler back in 1995. I was instantly hooked and have been ever since. I now own all of his CDs with the exception of his 1987 "Treehouse" CD, which I'm still looking for. A legend in the Nashville music scene as a top producer of primarily country music artists, his solo releases are very eclectic, and elements of jazz, country, folk, pop, and latin influences can be found in his work. His steel string guitar playing is very soulful. I suppose that within the vast realm of jazz music, his musical style may be considered by some to be 'light' (even though marketing categories such as "Smooth" or the now outdated "Newage" do not do this man's music justice), relative to jazz music in general, but he does tell wonderful stories with his music, and that's what counts in any musical style. What I really dig about his music is how he incorporates the elements of the natural environment into his compositions, or rather, how he is able to communicate his impressions of people and places. Listen to "Key West Skies", for example, and you are suddenly drinking a cold one while admiring a beautiful ocean sunset, getting ready to party down on Duval Street later in the evening. His music really conveys a feeling, takes you somewhere, as all great music should. Also recommended are his CDs "Painting Music", "Universal Language", and "Warm Front".
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