2007年VOA标准英语-Joe Louis Walker - One of Today's Busiest Blues

By Doug Levine
Washington
03 June 2007

One of the today's busiest blues¹ musicians is Joe Louis Walker, a guitarist from San Francisco, California, who's been honing his skills for the better part of 40 years. VOA's Doug Levine has more on this versatile² Bay Area bluesman and his latest album Playin' Dirty.

Joe Louis Walker's Playin' Dirty

Like most great blues artists, Joe Louis Walker was a quick learner. By the time he was a teenager, he had mastered the electric guitar, playing everything from B.B. King tunes³ to traditional Delta⁴ blues by Howlin' Wolf. Already on his own at age 16, he gravitated toward San Francisco's legendary⁵ rock and blues scene. It was an eye-opening experience for young Walker, who was invited to perform with Jimi Hendrix, Steve Miller⁶ and The Grateful Dead. Before long, Walker had become one of the city's most sought-after bluesmen.

In 1975, Joe Louis Walker decided⁷ to give his whirlwind lifestyle a break. He shifted musical gears and spent the next 10 years performing in a gospel quartet called The Spiritual Corinthians.

A turning point came at the 1985 New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival, when Walker decided to get back to playing the blues. A year later, he returned to San Francisco, and began conquering the blues world with his group, The Bosstalkers. Keeping his rock and gospel influences intact, he's recorded more than a dozen albums on various labels.

Walker's new album, Playin' Dirty, embraces his rock and soul roots. It was recorded in Paris, France, and features Walker's signature "jump blues" sound on an original, titled Juicy Fruit.

1 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

2 versatile   

adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的

参考例句：

• A versatile person is often good at a number of different things.多才多艺的人通常擅长许多种不同的事情。
• He had been one of the game's most versatile athletes.他是这项运动中技术最全面的运动员之一。

3 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

5 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

6 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。