| Description |
An entire album of previously unreleased material from the historic 1977 tour featuring some of the greatest live material ever recorded by Muddy Waters.
In support of the triumphant 1977 comeback album HARD AGAIN,a concert tour was launched in march 1977 and the tour became the stuff of legends.The album and tour revitalized modern blues and introduced Muddy Waters to a new generation.
TRACKS INCLUDED.
1. BLACK CAT BONE/DUST MY BROOM.
2 CAN,T BE SATISFIED.
3 CALEDONIA.
4. DEALIN WITH THE DEVIL.
5. ROCKET 88.
6. I DONE GOT OVER IT.
7. HOW LONG CAN A FOOL GO WRONG.
8. MAMA TALK TO YOUR DAUGHTER.
9. LOVE HER WITH A FEELING.
10.TROUBLE NO MORE.
11.GOT MY MOJO WORKIN.
Review from Amazon.com.
Anyway. The couple of professional reviews I had read suggested that this was a good but somewhat superflous live album, certainly not a must-have, except for the really serious fan. So, I wasn't expecting great things.
But I was pleasantly surprised, actually. This is a really fine album, with extensive recording information and excellent liner notes by guitarist Bob Margolin, and the vast majority of these songs do not usually show up on the many live albums left behind by the great Muddy Waters.
Muddy Waters shares the slide guitar parts with Johnny Winter, who had produced and played on Muddy's then-brand new comeback LP, "Hard Again", and they are backed by a terrific band: Bob Margolin, bassist Charles Calmese, drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, pianist and occational vocalist Joe "Pinetop" Perkins, and the great James Cotton playing the harp. Cotton, Waters and Winter share lead vocals about equally between themselves, and the highlights are numerous: Johnny Winter performs a great, swinging "I Done Got Over It", originally by Guitar Slim. James Cotton rips through "the world's first rock n' roll song", Jackie Brenston's 1951 R&B single "Rocket 88". And Muddy Waters completely steals the show with one magnificent slide guitar fest, a pulsating rendition of his first hit single, "I Can't Be Satisfied". Waters and Winter both play slide on this the finest cut on the album.
Other highlight include the opening medley, Johnny Winter's "Black Cat Bone" fused with "Dust My Broom" (it's basically the same song anyway), a driving, energetic performance of James Cotton's "How Long Can A Fool Go Wrong", the slow burner "Love Her With A Feeling", and of course the obligatory closer, "Got My Mojo Workin'".
But there are really no bad songs here. Great take on "Mama Talk To Your Daughter". Great "Dealin' With The Devil". Great stuff, great playing, and more lively, up-tempo numbers than on most live recordings featuring Muddy Waters, something which, to me at least, is a definite plus.
A funny thing, by the way: Muddy Waters sings part of Big Bill Broonzy's "Trouble No More", before another singer takes over. James Cotton, according to the liner notes, but Cotton's harp is frequently heard playing over the vocals. So I'm guessing Pinetop Perkins here.
You might argue that Muddy Waters seriously overshadows Winter and Cotton in the vocal department, and why doesn't he sing all the songs? Well, it's true that he is the best and most commanding singer of the three, even here a few weeks before his 64th birthday. But part of the charm of this album is precisely this loose and relaxed feeling...Johnny sings a verse, then Muddy sings one, then James Cotton sings one, etc.
To me, this is a very worthy addition to the catalogue of all three men, one of the most enjoyable live blues records I have listened to for a long time. I can't see anyone with an interest in the music of Muddy Waters, or blues in general, not liking this one.
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