By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 04:21 pm:

Question for Kev

I was playing Walter's excellent "Let Me Come
Back" and wondered if
a) the rumoured complete Brunswick album does in
fact exist
b) if there's a chance we might see a CD issue

Davie

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 05:16 pm:

((((((((((WALTER JACKSON)))))))))))))

By stephanie (64.63.221.59) on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 05:46 pm:

I just love Walter Jackson and that album he did Welcome Home I think its his best...
Stephanie

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 06:35 pm:

Davie:
Walter had released two singles for Brunswick (and a couple on Cotillion prior to Brunswick). All were produced by Carl Davis.

I would have to check whether this unreleased album does exist (the BRC tape vault is a huge space if you could imagine). Give me a couple of days to find out.

Would I love to see a Walter Jackson/Brunswick collection released? You bet.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By medusa9e (66.73.14.137) on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 06:58 pm:

Walter Jackson, the Man with the instrumental Baritone voice, that man could sinnnnnnng!
Nice 2 mention him...

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 04:03 pm:

Kev,

Thanks - I'm keeping my fingers crossed :-)

If anybody from Legacy is reading his - a 2cd set
of all Walter's Okeh tracks would we very welcome
- Walter deserves at least the same props as Major
Lance.

Good to see some other Walter fans out there -
he made songs I usually loathe sound listenable
-as for songs I like his versions were usually
faultless. I prefer his version of "Angel" to
Aretha's - WHAT a singer "!

I'm saving hearing his version of "No Easy Way Down" as a future present to myself :-)

Davie

By Common (209.2.55.170) on Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 05:03 pm:

Hello everyone,

Is the same Walter Jackson that sang "Feelings"? If so, he recorded a beautiful rendition of it.

Peace!

By LG Nilsson (213.89.29.157) on Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 05:10 pm:

Hi,

Legacy Records has already issued a great "Best of" CD-album by Walter Jackson "Welcome Home: The Okeh Years". It was released 1996. Wonderful music. Fantastic voice.

Tracks:
1. My Ship Is Comin' In
2. What Would You Do
3. It's All Over
4. That's What Mama Say
5. Suddenly I'm All Alone
6. It's An Uphill Climb (To The Bottom)
7. Tear For Tear
8. After You There Can Be Nothing
9. Speak Her Name
10. Lee Cross
11. Moonlight In Vermont
12. Funny (Not Much)
13. A Corner In The Sun
14. There Goes That Song Again
15. Welcome Home

... but a second album with the rest of his Okeh sides would be nice of course.

I have not seen a Cotillion album.

Later albums:

Feeling Good (Chi-Sound, 1976, prod. Carl Davis
I Want to Come Back as a Song Chi-Sound, 1977, prod. Carl Davis
Good to See You United Artists, 1978, prod. Carl Davis

Send in the Clowns 20th Century, 1979, prod. Carl Davis

I have got one of the Chi Sound albums but the Okeh sides are a lot better.

Lars

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.9) on Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 05:59 pm:

Nice one Lars,
great selection.
Wheres my uk Columbia 45s of Walters?
mel.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 06:01 pm:

Davie:
The gang at Ace/Kent reissued Walter's "There's No Easy Way Down" on their compilation "New York Soul Serenade" (issued in 1997) which also contains Tony Drake's classic "Let's Play House"

Common:
Yes, it's the same Walter that recorded Morris Albert's "Feelings" (made you forget the original!).

Lars:
If you get a copy of "Welcome Home: The Okeh Years" you'll see a familar name from the S.D. Forum in the "special thanks" section listed in the back of the booklet....
It is a fine collection with definitely could've been a two CD'er.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Mark Speck (65.56.60.56) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 01:01 am:

I think that if the "lost" Brunswick LP should ever be issued, that the Cotillion, USA and Wand 45s should be added as bonus tracks.

That would pretty much complete Walter's output on CD, with the Okeh material on an Epic/Legacy disc and the Chi-Sound/Kelli-Arts material on an import disc from Westside.

Best,

Mark

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 11:04 am:

Mark & Company:
I'll be at the Brunswick office tomorrow & I'll check the vaults for Walter's masters.
If the outside labels are to be included, that would require licensing and availability of masters (Cotillion is part of Atlantic Records so that's no biggie; the other labels are owned by different entities).
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By TonyRussi (68.210.2.125) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 12:29 pm:

I loved Walter Jacksons' voice. The only record I had by him is "Its An Uphill Climb(to the Bottom)" 45 on Okeh w/pix case.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 03:03 pm:

Tony:
In my book, "Uphill Climb" is the only Walter Jackson record you need - I consider the song his best next to "It's All Over" (1964 Okeh version).
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 04:03 pm:

Kev,

I really rate "My Ship Is Comin' In"

By dvdmike (12.84.120.28) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 04:40 pm:

I liked "A Corner In The Sun" (1966)

By stephanie (64.63.221.87) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 05:52 pm:

My record is Player in the Band!!!!! This is on the album he did a remake of Welcome Home..
Stephanie

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 06:05 pm:

Davie;
I agree on 'My Ship Is Comin In'. Usually 'big' sounding records aren't to my taste, but that one blows me away.

SteveK

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 06:19 pm:

Hey Folks:
We each have our own fave Walter Jackson and it's all good...
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By acooolcat (210.200.105.227) on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 11:24 pm:

Mine's "That's What Mama Say"
Graham

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Friday, April 11, 2003 - 07:06 am:

The last time I saw Walter perform live was at the WJPC picnic in Grant Park in Chicago in the summer of 1981. He sang his current hit, "Tell Me Where It Hurts". Also on the bill were Jean Carn, Jerry Butler, Sun, Michael Henderson and LaToya Jackson. Columbia Records soon after dropped him from the label as being "too old".

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, April 11, 2003 - 11:09 am:

dvdmike:
Wow..that was right before Walter passed.
I didn't know he went back to Columbia Records in the early 1980s.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By dvdmike (12.84.141.54) on Friday, April 11, 2003 - 05:19 pm:

Walter released one album, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" on Columbia in 1981. Carl Davis was the producer and Tom Tom 84 the arranger. I know he released a single or two on Columbia in the early sixties before the label assigned him to Okeh.

By Mark Speck (65.57.22.10) on Saturday, April 12, 2003 - 02:11 am:

I got turned on to the song "After You There Can Be Nothing" at the San Jose Soul Weekender a couple of years ago.

"They Don't Give Medals to Yesterday's Heroes" is a great record as well.

Best,

Mark

By dvdmike (12.84.106.240) on Saturday, April 12, 2003 - 09:07 am:

At Okeh, Walter had the benefit of a fantastic arranger like Riley Hampton.

By Soul Sister (65.43.153.219) on Sunday, April 13, 2003 - 10:33 pm:

Walter Jackson one of my favorite lost soul artists, I saw him at the Howard Theater in 1966, he blew me away!!! I love Welcome Home, My Ship Is Coming in, What would You Do, Tell Me Where It Hurts, and Funny, Not Much the best. Soul Sister

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 11:42 am:

Folks:
I checked the vaults at BRC and all we have are the single masters of Walter's releases. That doesn't mean an album was never cut - that tape may have been lost.

The next time I speak to Carl Davis I will ask him about this.

Like many of you, I will always love Walter's music and if a Brunswick album does indeed exist, I will do everything I can to get it released.

Yours,
Kevin Goins - KevGo
(PS - Paul Tarnopol feels the same way as well)

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.85) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 01:34 pm:

Kev,

Thanks for the info and all work you have done to get it... I also noticed your name on the Walter Jackson Legacy CD. Great! Keep on working with the good stuff!

I'll play my Walter Jackson 45's until the Brunswick/Cotillion CD is out...



Lars

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 03:16 pm:

Kev,

Thanks for your efforts - hopefully Carl or
Sonny will remember if they cut more than just the singles.

It's encouraging that Paul is interested - it helps when you don't have to convince label
owners that some of their back catalogue is
still of interest to a prospective audience.

I'll live in hope that there WAS a complete album
and that the tapes can be found - an album of
Jeffery Perry songs, produced by Carl and Sonny,
arranged by Tom Tom, sung by Walter - sounds
like another holy grail to me : - )

A few thoughts about the Cotillion / Wand / USA
sides. Ace - Kent have access to the WEA and
Scepter / Wand catalogues so licensing Walter's
tracks is at least possible. The USA tracks
might be a problem. The USA catalogue was in
limbo for nigh on thirty years until Sundazed
issued the Buckinghams' first album on CD. That said I can't think of legitimate releases of
any other USA material - anybody know who owns the catalogue ?

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 03:37 pm:

Davie:
I believe Varese Sarabande released a compilation of USA sides but the actual ownership is anyone's guess.

The Buckinghams' first album was bought out by Columbia when CBS picked up the group's contract from USA.

Paul T. is very well aware of Walter's legacy and would welcome a "lost album" to the catalog of "Brunswick Soul Men & Women" that has been released so far.

Kevin Goins - KevGo