Walter Wolfman Washington Releases Smoldering New Album 'My Future Is My Past'
“’Wolfman’ Washington’s album is deeply New Orleans,” the Associated Press simply yet perfectly stated in their review of Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington’s soulfully smoldering new album My Future Is My Past, out today. Order it HERE.
Washington has always embodied both the wildness and sophistication of New Orleans, but this set of songs reflects the yin to Walter’s bring-the-party yang. Producer Ben Ellman (of Galactic) helped create a space for the Wolfman to express a new side of himself on this record. The Wolfman is known for his impassioned vocals and cutting guitar tones - that isn’t gone here, but it’s been refined into a smoother style that goes down like a lover’s caress. Washington embodies both ends of the African American vocal tradition: the impassioned cries of Howlin’ Wolf and the urbane lines of a Nat King Cole.
“Oh man, it was really a thing,” the Wolfman smiled and explained. “I had never done something like that. I had to really discipline myself where I couldn’t really underplay and really overplay, so I had to stay really in the middle which was a trick for me. I was amazed at my own self at how it turned out.”
Reminiscent of an old Jimi Hendrix performance, watch Walter perform the subtle and heartfelt album track “Lost Mind” in a bare white room - just his voice and his guitar - HERE.
The Wolfman’s extensive list of spring and summer tour dates are listed below, including a set at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on May 6 and a special opening slot on Trombone Shorty, Galactic and Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s nationwide summer + fall Voodoo Threauxdown tour, celebrating the 300th anniversary of New Orleans.
Tour Dates
4/19 - New Orleans, LA - 3 Keys Ace Hotel
4/21 – New Orleans, LA – Maple Leaf
4/21 – New Orleans, LA – Peaches in-store Performance
4/25- New Orleans, LA – d.b.a.
4/30 - New Orleans, LA - Crawfish Fest
5/1 – New Orleans, LA – LAMF on Frenchmen Street in-store Performance
5/2 – New Orleans, LA – d.b.a.
5/3 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Blues Tent
5/4 - New Orleans, LA – Republic with Samantha Fish
5/5 - New Orleans, LA - Fontaine Palace
5/6 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Congo Sq Stage
5/9 – New Orleans, LA - d.b.a.
5/12 – Natchez, MS – The Bluff-Natchez
5/16 – New Orleans, LA - d.b.a.
5/19 – Baton Rouge, LA – Kenny Neal Family & Friends Blues Highway Festival
5/20 – New Orleans, LA – Bayou Boogaloo
5/23 - New Orleans, LA – d.b.a.
5/24- New Orleans, LA -3 Keys Ace Hotel
5/30 - New Orleans, LA – d.b.a.
6/7 – Niceville, FL – Mattie Kelly Arts Center
6/8 – Tallahassee, FL – Bradfordville Blues Club
6/9 – St. Petersburg, FL – The Hideaway Café
6/21 - New Orleans, LA - 3 Keys Ace Hotel
6/22-New Orleans-Tipitina’s Free Fridays
6/28 – Irving, TX – Big Beat Dallas
6/29 – Irving, TX – Highway 61 Blues Club
6/30 – Austin, TX – Antone’s
Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown
8/2 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest
8/3 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion
8/4 – Boston, MA – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
8/7 – Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
8/8 – New York, NY – Central Park SummerStage
8/10 – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
8/11 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
8/12 – Philadelphia, PA – Penn’s Landing River Stage
8/14 – Buffalo, NY – Artpark Amphitheater
8/16 – Ocean City, MD – The Freeman Stage at Bayside
8/17 – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap
8/18 – Raleigh, NC – North Carolina Museum of Art
8/19 – Atlanta, GA – Chastain Park Amphitheatre
8/22-Grand Rapids MI- Meijer Gardens Amphitheater
8/24 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Center at The Heights
8/25 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend
8/26 – Chicago, IL – Ravinia Festival
9/8 – Portland, OR – Edgefield
9/7-Jacksonville OR- Britt Festival
9/9 – Seattle, WA – Woodland Park Zoo
9/11 – Missoula, MT – Kettlehouse Amphitheater
9/12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
9/14 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre UC Berkeley
9/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
9/16 – San Diego, CA – Harrah’s Resort SoCal
9/19 – Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre
9/21 – Denver, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheater
9/22 – Taos, NM – Kit Carson Park