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Nashville soul titan Charles Walker may be best known for his work with R&B revivalists the Dynamites (cf. the great Kaboom), but he has a career stretching back to the 50s, with singles released on Chess, Champion and various European labels along the way. His latest solo album Soul Stirring Thing downplays the hard funk that characterizes his work with the Dynamites for a smoother, bluesier but no less compelling atmosphere. Walker instead concentrates on gritty blues (“My Buddha,” “Time to Kill,” “One Step Closer to the Blues”) and soul balladry (“Tomorrow Night,” “San Diego Serenade,” the title track), with a veneer of sophistication barely covering seething emotions. Reminiscent of the late, great Johnny Adams, Walker’s velvety pipes glide gloriously over a warm cloud of guitar, organ and an old-fashioned R&B rhythm section, bringing the songs to life with just the right balance of pain and dignity. Soul Stirring Thing may refer to what moves Walker, but for us it’ll always mean the sounds coming out of the speakers while the disk spins.
