Muddy Waters - Classic Concerts [DVD] [1960]

Newport features Otis Spann, Pat Hare, James Cotton, Andrew Stephenson and Francis Clay in glorious black and white and reduced sound quality - but they swing. So much so they are joined by a bunch of others including a brief but memorable vocal by Betty Jeanette along with Jimmy Rushing and a bunch of others. The thing here is they are having fun, big fun, with Muddy a little younger and letting his hair down on stage. The set is far too brief though.

Copenhagen is in colour with slightly better but still disappointing sound, with Spann, Pee Wee Madisson, S P Leary, Luther "Snake" Johnson and Sonny Wimberley. Eight tracks in all.

Molde is in colour and the sound is great, all instruments coming through clear, which is a bit of a shame cos Muddy’s playing is a bit rough at times, although nothing else is. The band is similar to the one he worked with Johnny Winter in his later career, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin, Luther "Guitar" Johnson, Willie Smith, Jerry Portnoy and Calvin Jones. Eight fine tracks here with the band enjoying themselves and sounding just great with Muddy in perfect voice.

A good selection of what you’d want to see with enough for archivists, fans and newcomers. While the sound quality disappoints at times, which is understandable given the times (but I just keep imagining what it would sound like now if they had the technology back then), this still rates five big stars. It’s Muddy Waters and some of the greatest blues players that have ever lived - what other rating could you give it ?


Muddy Waters - Classic Concerts [DVD] [2005]   March 16, 2010
Phoenix (London UK)
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Muddy Waters - Classic Concerts [DVD] [2005]

It's Muddy Waters of course it's brilliant