DVD Review
Muddy Waters
In Concert 1971
(Vestapol DVD 13085)
by Tony Glover
Review date: March 2004
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"Keeping the Blues Alive Award"
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This footage, previously released on VHS, comes from a 1971 R&B tour that featured Muddy along with Big Mama Thorton, Joe Turner, J B Hutto, Bee Houston & George "Harmonica" Smith. It took place a couple years after Muddys auto accident, and a year past Otis Spanns death. His members were southside players pianist Pinetop Perkins, drummer Willie Big Eyes Smith, and guitarists Pee Wee Madison and Sammy Lawhorn. George Smith did his own spot on the bill, than blew on Muddys sets as well, filling a position he'd held several times before, though he hadn't appeared on any of Muddy's earlier hit records. The video comes from one of the two shows recorded, at the University of Oregon on Oct 20th. Muddy is in superb voice here and the band does a pretty good job of recreating his fifties ensemble sound. Muddy plays a lot of guitar, including slide on several numbers, sounding particularly slashing and funkier than the exaggerated "psychedelic" technique he used in later years. In his seven song set, Muddy runs down his standards including "Long Distance Call", "Hoochie Coochie Man" and a sly "She's Nineteen Years Old" before closing with a rocking "Got My Mojo Working". The guitar players get chances to do two-chorus rides --and tho George Smith is listed as "featured" he only takes solos on a little over half the numbers, and then only single choruses. The concert was originally a 16 mm color multiple camera shoot, so quality is good. Muddy is playing his trademark red Telecaster on most numbers, standing rather than sitting on a stool, and looks regally energetic throughout.
At 40 minutes, the concert alone would seem a bit short, but it's fleshed out here with 17:30 worth of historic black and white footage shot in July 1960 at the Newport Jazz festival. The Festival performances were originally used as part of three short films called "Jazz USA", which were distributed by the US Information Services. Here four of Muddy's numbers are included, starting with "Rolling Stone", one of his earliest hits, and the only tune filmed that was NOT on the Chess MUDDY WATERS AT NEWPORT live album. Muddy's band at the time included pianist Otis Spann, guitarist Pat Hare and harpist James Cotton-they're only glimpsed in the early numbers, "Tiger In Your Tank" and "Hoochie Coochie Man". But in Muddy's finale, "Got My Mojo Working" you not only get some brief glimpses of the men working out, and during a reprise Muddy goes over to Cotton and does a little dancing with him before returning to the mike to power out his last verse. Its a testament to Muddy's ability that he was able to fir e up a desultory
Sunday afternoon crowd-and its nice to finally be able to see how he did it.
Altogether a pleasant set.
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