I caught Austin singer/songwriter and producer Luke Walker in a low pressure acoustic gig as the first of two opening acts for headliner Paul Val recently, and I was very impressed with his original takes on well-known songs, and his selection of lesser-known tracks, all performed in a folksy style that harkens back to the great folk singers of days past.
Walker name-checked Bob Dylan and performed his original take on one of the folk singer’s classics, then sprinkled in a selection of other songs in the same vein, strumming along on his acoustic guitar and occasionally accompanying himself on harmonica.
It was quite a surprise when Walker mentioned during his show that he just learned to play the harmonica two weeks earlier, and he was rearranging many of the old songs he’s been performing for years to accommodate the harmonica. In one case, he even transposed a song’s key down one-half step to mesh with the harmonica’s tuning, and performed the song at the lower key, giving it a darker sound. Luke Walker is clearly an accomplished musician who isn’t afraid to experiment.
Unfortunately, I had an early event the next morning and had to leave before Paul Val’s set, so I did not get to see Walker onstage with Paul later that night, but I’m told it was great.
This show was acoustic, and I found it to be the kind of show that would be perfect for a date — musical and entertaining, but you could still talk. For those interested in a little more noise, Luke also has a band that he plays with live, and frequently collaborates with other artists, too, so see him if you get the chance.
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