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Johnny Winter - Breakin' It Up & Breakin' It Down Audio CD

A fair review of the Johnny Winter "Breakin' It Up & Breakin' It Down" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Johnny Winter reviews here, or go back to the Johnny Winter tabs.

Johnny Winter Band: Johnny Winter
Title: Breakin' It Up & Breakin' It Down
Rating:
Release Date: 2007-06-05
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Black Cat Bone/Dust My Broom [#] 2: Can't Be Satisfied [#] 3: Caledonia [#] 4: Dealin' with the Devil [#] 5: Rocket 88 [#] 6: I Done Got Over It [#] 7: How Long Can a Fool Go Wrong [#] 8: Mama Talk to Your Daughter [#] 9: Love Her with a Feeling [#] 10: Trouble No More [#] 11: Got My Mojo Workin' [#]

What a wonderful concert CD!
Waters and Winter also play guitar, and James Cotton is referred to as "Superharp" in the notes accompanying the CD. What a concert CD! "Breakin' it Up, Breakin' it Down" features the vocals of three pretty good bluesmen--Muddy Waters, James Cotton, and Johnny Winter. Also in the group: Bob Margolin (guitar and vocals), Pinetop Perkins (vocals and piano), Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (drum), and Charles Calmese (Bass). They play awfully well together. . . .

Bob Margolin wrote to notes. At one point he says of this CD: "[The CD] showcases each of these [three] blues legends leading the band, but more important historically, and much more fun, we find them jamming together, pushing, teasing, and inspiring one another. "

Let's take a look at a few examples of the cuts on this live CD. . . .

"Black Cat Bone/Dust My Broom. " The authorship of this song is split among Winter, Elmore James, and Robert Johnson. This is a rocking version of this song! There is fine guitar work, good keyboards, and terrific harmonica. It is taken at a rollicking pace. The three central vocalists take turns in vocals--to good effect.

"Can't Be Satisfied. " One of Muddy Waters' hits, covered by many others, including the Rolling Stones. There is cool guitar work at the outset, and Waters' singing does justice to this song. There is a sense of improvisation and spontaneity, as the three central players interact with one another. Lots of fun.

"Rocket 88" is one of Cotton's songs, about his car. It starts up with some great harmonica work. This work is taken at the quick pace and there is a sense of joy to Cotton's vocalizations.

Another Waters' classic closes out this concert CD--"Got My Mojo Workin. '" The three principal artists share in the vocals, but this is Muddy Waters' song. Love the lyrics!

"Got my mojo workin',
Just don't work on you.
So bad I just don't
Know what to do. "

A real lively version, with the crowd getting involved. Harp, drums, guitars work well together. There is some nice jamming among the musicians in the middle. What a way to close out this CD.

So, my judgment? If you like the blues, this would be a fine addition to your library. I rate this highly.
.


Great Find
Why was this stuff hidden away for so long--I love this CD--a great addition to my collection.


Muddy Winter
Still, if you are a blues fan, you must add this important collaboration to your collection. As a Muddy Water's CD, I've heard him do better, but as a Johnny Winter CD it's some of his best work.


IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS!
Some have lamented that Johnny Winter and James Cotton sings part of these tunes. This was a match made in "blues heaven". . . somehow they just don't understand that all of these men are true legends of the blues.

I saw Muddy Waters as the headliner in 1970. Ten Years After stole HIS show! He was going through the motions, but he pretty much "phoned in" his set. He looked and sound whipped. I saw this group at the Palladium in Los Angeles, CA. on 03/04/1977 (I still have the stub). Johnny Winter was producing and resurrected Muddy. Ever since Johnny had struck gold with The AND Band, he was a huge personality in the Rock and Roll genre and with the blues crowd. Muddy was a new man compared to what I saw in 1970. To this day, the show I witnessed in LA, was one of my all time favorite blues shows (and I seen dozens).

Toss out the 2 star guy, he obviously doesn't understand the importance of this offering. If you LOVE THE BLUES, or you enjoy any of these featured artists, buy this one, you'll have no buyer's remorse.


Winter-Cotton-Margolin riding Water's Mud Flaps
Unless you want to hear James Cotton imitate a young man singing like a girl, pass this up and head for the real deal that this tour sprung from, the excellent Muddy Waters "Hard Again" disc. You thought this was a Muddy Waters CD? Not so, majority of the vocals here are Winter and Cotton, with Muddy Waters singing some or part of only 5 songs on this 11 song disc. Even "Got My Mojo Workin'" begins with Johnny Winter singing vocals on the song Muddy Waters made into a classic.


You can see a complete list of all Johnny Winter discography, or go back to the Johnny Winter tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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