Muddy waters

Folk singer

I'm no afficionado, I only have a Best Of and Folk Singer. Folk Singer sounds amazing, you won't go far wrong. You can hear everything - in fact, think I'll put it on now

+1 Folk Singer

If you use a gramophone, seek out 'Folk Singer' on MFSL vinyl.

Personally I prefer Hard Again, the album he made with Johnny Winter producing and playing.

But then again my absolute favourite is the utterly mad "psychedelic" album he made for Chess's black psych subsidiary label Cadet Concept in 1968 - Electric Mud. It features (amongst others) Chess's master session guitarist Phil Upchurch and Pete Cosey (Miles Davis) psyching out all over Muddy classics and an unforgettable cover of Let's Spend The Night Together. It's not remotely purist but I believe it was Muddy's biggest selling album.

And here's that Stones cover.

Hard Again and Folk Singer are primo Muddy Waters. I had the pleasure of seeing him several times and he was one of the best live acts ever. Always had top notch supporting players.

Just bought Hard Again and Folk Singer, and both are excellent, but prefer (and only just) Folk Singer.

Wish I'd known that it was available of MFSL vinyl.

Any idea where you can get this from in the uk?

MFSL Folk Singer.

Joe

Bit of a cheat, but I'd suggest the "Chess Box". Covers everything over 3 cds and seems to have been mastered quite well considering the age of some of the early stuff.

regards,

Giles

Thanks to all replied I will check out folk singer and stus cd tel

You can pick up a new Folk Singer on 180gm vinyl on Ebay at the moment. BIN says £15 but I bought it for £12.50, so not too bad. Not MFSL I know but hopefully it will be a decent copy.


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The best Muddy Waters on vinyl is his first album "The Best of Muddy Waters". There are reprints available (Speakers Corner or Japanese P-Vine). I am fortunate enough to have an original Chess pressing (don't even ask what they go for!).

With that said the next best way to listen to Mr. McKinley Morganfield is the spectacular box set which was issued several years ago by Hip-O-Select - Hoochie Coochie Man: Complete Chess Masters 2 1952-58. The box set is EXQUISITE and the remastering is excellent. Although out of print there appear to be affordable copies around via Amazon etc.

There was a volume 1 which is considered to be the first part of the set (although not done by Hip-O) which contains all of his Aristocrat label sides (Aristocrat was the forerunner to Chess). That CD, although not a box set, is effectively "unobtainum" as copies (when they appear) on Ebay go for several hundreds of dollars.

I was fortunate enough to have seen Muddy at the legendary Apollo Theater in NY on a triple bill - together with B.B. King and Bobby "Blue" Bland. As potent as the King of the Blues was - and his cousin Mr. Bobby Blue - it was the voice of Muddy which remains etched on my brain even today.

It all started with Muddy.

Best
Gregg

"The blues had a baby and they called it Rock 'n' Roll" Mckinley Morganfield aka Muddy Waters

Glevethan is bang on the money. Below are some of my favourites and are all easily accessable, most are live - the way i like muddy:









atb
kk

just listening to this also:



a little more expensive but worth finding out.

Where's Max Bass (fellow Naimite) when you need him. His Father or Grandfather, never sure which Ralph Bass produced the Folk Singer album.

I am a great lover of Folk Singer but proper blues aficionados will tell you it is not his best as it wasn't representative of Chicago Blues at the time.

However you can't go wrong with any of the Johnny Winter albums, Hard Again, King Bee and I'm Ready (the current cd's of these sound good) or the Live at Newport(get the original issue without the bonus tracks as the latest remaster bleeds my ears). If you want a comp get the Anthology 47-72 one as it is supposedly the best.

Ha ewemon . . . you called me out on this one! Thank you for mentioning my uncle, Ralph Bass who produced over at Chess from 1960 til it's demise in the '70's. He produced many of the great artist's there. Especially Etta James, whom there was a strong affinity between the two. One of her best, as well as all time great blues recording's being "Etta James Rock's the House".
Previous to Chess, Ralph worked at Federal Records in Cincinnati where he is credited with discovering/signing James Brown. Their first hit single "Please, please, please" sold over a million copies!

quote:

Originally posted by ewemon:
I am a great lover of Folk Singer but proper blues aficionados will tell you it is not his best as it wasn't representative of Chicago Blues at the time.

Folk Singer . . . where to begin . . .
Muddy Waters music may be classified as post-war, Chicago blues. The sound is electric guitar, harp, piano, and drums playing the "Chicago shuffle". That is to say, diffrent from the Texas shuffle (or double shuffle) in that it has a nice thick crack on the snare at 2 & 4. It's a hard drivin' blues, and laid back at the same time.

Unfortunately, I listened to "Folk Singer" once again today, just to check if there are ANY redeeming things to say . . . . No F@#%in Way! I Absolutely abhor this Record! It's like nails on the chalk board!!! A complete aberration of the Muddy Waters sound, and a waste of my time!
A dixiland style trio blowing clarinet and trombone while James Cotton blows back up harmonies, and no Solo!?! What were they thinking!

There are some really great recommendations given on this thread, including "Hard Again", "Muddy at Newport". "The Complete Chess Masters"? Haven't heard but am sure is excellent, and would really like to hear it! "Lost Tapes" also looks good.

I humbly submit to the OP the above cited albums as among his best . . . and would like to apologize for the long rant.

Max

Max

What an honor to know that you are a fellow Naim owner! As a collector of Southern soul and Black gospel LP's I have quite a few of your uncle's productions. The house band and production on many of the gospel recordings in particular was SPECTACULAR! This is a genre of music that many do not know but should check out.

Sorry however I cannot help but interject my two cents since you mentioned Miss Peaches. The BEST album by Etta James-one considered amongst the most definitive in Southern soul- is "Tell Mama". The Chess brothers sent Etta down to Muscle Shoals to tap into some of Rick Hall"s production genius.

An "unknown" masterpiece of the genre (unknown to many who are not aficionados) is the album "Love More Than Pride" by Laura Lee. Although about half of the cuts were also recorded down in The Shoals by the esteemed Mr. Hall the other half were recorded at Chess Studios with the Chess house band. I am sure your Uncle must have had a hand somewhere in that one!

Sorry for the digression however when the topic turns to Southern soul I just can't help myself

Gregg

Hey Gregg,, thanks for the kind words. And "Tell Mama" IS the definitive Etta James. I only cited "Rock's the House" because it's a great album, and Ralph is on there as well.

You must be a big fan of Stax . . . soulsville USA!
I took the Stax tour when down in Memphis for the 2010 Blues Music Awards last May. Great tour, and a real highlight of the trip . . . some really great history was made there. Apart from a few scant things from Sam Cooke, Sam & Dave, Booker T & the MG's, Isaac Hayes, don't really know much about Gospel & soul.

I'm going to check out "Love more than Pride", but was wondering if you'd care to share/start a thread with recommended Gospel/Soul listening. I'm sure other members here would be very interested since . . . "This is a genre of music that many do not know but should check out."

Best,
Max

I'm going to check out "Love more than Pride", but was wondering if you'd care to share/start a thread with recommended Gospel/Soul listening. I'm sure other members here would be very interested since . . . "This is a genre of music that many do not know but should check out."

Best,
Max[/QUOTE]

I'll sign up for the southern soul recommendations. Hurry up Gregg

atb

kk