Muddy Waters: live

Hi.
This is a great clip of Muddy Waters (and his band) playing the song 'Long Distance Call' live. From what I can gather, it was at the 1968 Copenhagen Jazz Festival. I could be wrong about that, but the info that was provided about this footage seems to 'check out' fine.

Anyway, I love this song; and I love this particular version of the song! So I think one could easily call this a 'win-win situation' for me, haha!

Muddy's band cooks here. I love the Guild guitar that Muddy is playing! Otis Spann is even sitting at the piano in Muddy's band, at this point in time, which is a cool, rare treat in itself! Most footage of Muddy's gigs with a full band comes from after Spann died.

The original version of 'Long Distance Call' was written by Muddy, and released by Chess in 1951.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Please let me know.

-- Mitch

Back in business: with Muddy!

It is my first music-related post in a while. And I had hoped to deliver something special to my readers!

I think I have found a gem.



The late, great Muddy Waters is interviewed here in 1972 , on the television program 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'. I found it really interesting to hear about Waters' reasons for moving from Mississippi to Chicago. (Many black musicians of this era made similar choices to move to urban areas, like Chicago. As the musicians adapted to new environments, so did the music. Chicago then became the birthplace of urban or electric blues.)

Also, it was fascinating to hear about the reasoning behind the switch from using acoustic instruments, to playing with electric instruments. These are all points of real social interest, for me!

We also get insight into what Muddy believes the future of the blues would be (as it stood then). This is gold!

Mitch's Playlist: Edition 0.1

As you may have been able to deduce, this is the second edition of Mitch's Playlist. I believe in keeping things interesting; so each new edition of the Playlist won't necessarily follow the same template. I could talk about artists in general, videos I am watching.

At the moment, I am feeling a sweet relief of having just been released from hospital. Every time this happens, I 'rediscover' music!

• Kansas City Powerhouse -- Count Basie. Hot, big band jazz.
• New Orleans Piano -- Professor Longhair. A fantastic pianist, with an uncanny sense of time!
• Hard Again -- Muddy Waters. Muddy's comeback album; featuring James Cotton and Johnny Winter.
• His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) -- Little Walter. This man changed blues forever.
  

The Anthology: 1947-1972... Muddy

allmusic ((( The Anthology: 1947-1972 > Overview )))

This is a fantastic album. Anyone who has an interest in the blues, and loves the music, should own this! This will hopefully be the first in a long line of album reviews. I am pretty sure this was the first Muddy Waters album that I ever owned. It is very difficult to overstate the importance of Muddy's music, within the landscape of popular culture. The figure of the man is immense. His body of work is so good, it's intimidating.

It is difficult to find weak spots in this anthology, or to say bad words about it. There have been many compilations made of Muddy's music -- this may be the best.

If I have not convinced you yet, there are the many equally talented musicians, to were featured on this album, to back Waters; like Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, Little Walter... etc.

The Beatles can make all the difference

 Well, my life rolls on. I have managed to survive the latest medications (I am kind of joking).

In the course of the last few years, my half-developed belief in God, has blossomed into a commitment. I would consider myself a Christian now. I have always loved the reading and writing of poetry; and I consider the various holy scriptures of the world to be poetry of the highest form. It was naturally the message of Christ, and not just the style of language, that sealed the deal.

Now that I'm set up properly, I'll continue to pen my autobiography. It has been an arduous, but rewarding, process. I should point out that I'm not finished yet. Writing, in almost any form, as many joys. I have been writing poetry and short stories for as long as I can remember. Lyricists and song writers were my first source of inspiration. Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Ray Charles, and many others. I was also saturated with the radio of the 90s; Pearl Jam, Nirvana, even Matchbox Twenty.

Later on (around puberty), I was exposed to the rock music of the 1960s and 70s. I devoured what I heard: Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix.

Even later, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker... and others. I need to finish this, early. I'll be back soon.