It is understandable why some are not fans of live albums. Unless they contain rare or unreleased tracks, they don’t add anything new to the band’s repertoire. However, there are certain pros that live albums have, for they can capture the atmosphere of a gig, and feel more personal than studio albums. Blues Conspiracy especially, thanks to Joe Louis Walker’s undeniable personality, and along with his talent, has a very friendly and fun vibe to it.

Walker enlists the help of a great number of musical guests such as Mike Finnigan, Jason Ricci, Deanna Bogart, Paul Nelson, and many others, to present an evening of traditional rhythm and blues. On a boat. There are no egos here, just a shared desire to perform and have a good time.

“Slow down GTO” gets things started with some slide guitar and fancy finger work on the keyboard. Showing early on that the highlights on this album are the many jamming sessions that the musicians dive into at a moment’s notice. And because there are different guests on each track, each song is unique.

For example, “Eyes Like A Cat” benefits from both a trumpet and a saxophone solo, while “Ten More Shows” trails off into some quite excellent guitar work. However, it would be impossible to ignore the 10-minute journey that is “Sugar Mama.” A smooth beginning, fantastic fretwork, a harmonica solo by Watermelon Slim, and a climatic finish, ensures that you keep returning to this track.

Blues Conspiracy is everything a live album should be: atmosphereic, intriguing and, most importantly, intimate. With Joe Louis Walker and friends, it’s all about the music.

Conclusion: Blues how it should be.