Audio CD review:
Muddy Waters - At Newport

Muddy Waters - At Newport

Band: Muddy Waters Title: At Newport Rating: Release Date: 27 February, 2001 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: I Got My Brand On You 2: (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man 3: Baby, Please Don't Go 4: Soon Forgotten 5: Tiger In Your Tank 6: I Feel So Good 7: I've Got My Mojo Working 8: I've Got My Mojo Working, Part 2 9: Goodbye Newport Blues 10: I Got My Brand On You 11: Soon Forgotten 12: Tiger In Your Tank 13: Meanest Woman

Customer Reviews Perhaps my ears are defective... To be honest, I'm not really sure why. Recorded and released in 1960, Live At Newport is one of the most beloved albums in the Muddy Waters catalogue, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest blues records of all time. Don't get me wrong: It is by no means a bad album. In fact, some of the performances found here rank among Muddy's very best: The legendary, show stopping rendition of "I've Got My Mojo Working" is a total barn-burner, with its fiery vocals, grinding pianos, and surging rhythms. "Tiger In Your Tank" raves with a similarly infectious abandon, and "Baby Please Don't Go" is tight and muscular. Sadly, too much of this album is devoted to unspectacular, standard-issue blues. "I've Got My Brand On You" is an uninspired combination of generic songwriting and soulless instrumentation, while "I Feel So Good" doesn't deliver an ounce of the enthusiasm that its title promises. "Soon Forgotten" and "Goodbye Newport Blues" are slow burners that simply don't burn- the music is free of the tension that marks the best slow blues numbers. Perhaps the biggest dissapointment is "Hoochie Coochie Man. " In its studio incarnation, "Hoochie Coochie Man" is simply one of the greatest blues songs of all time. On this record, however, it's bland and unentertaining, devoid of the raw sexuality and smouldering passion that made the original such a classic. So, there you go. An incredibly dissapointing album from a great performer. . It Started Here For A Lot Of Rock and Rollers.. Creating rock and roll from pure live excitement from albums like this and another legend's stellar album, BB King's Live At The Regal LP are benchmarks for much that followed. Newport 1960, the mecca of a yearly festival of live Jazz that crossed over the greats of the day, and I do mean Greats,into a larger audience where the money and acclaim justifiably started to flow was not lost on this wonderful blues-man who with the likes of jazz men like Cannonball Adderley, Chet Baker and others did a lot of good for inspiring groups like the Stones and others whose homage to Muddy is clear. As to this wonderful CD, great sound, nice notes, mono studio bonus tracks found on the live portion makes this a worthwhile companion with historical importance while not forgetting the contributions made by Middy's band of pianist Otis Spann,the harmonica of James Cotton, an artist in his own right,and a special treat, the inclusion of the poet Langston Hughes within the proceedings. . A gem. Forget the labels, this is joyous rock n' roll. This is Muddy Waters rocking out! He is in fine voice, a force of nature, with a hard driving band. . You can see a complete list of all Muddy Waters discography, or go back to the Muddy Waters tabs