Music of Waters

Ellen Kushner, producer, WGBH Boston
"...I have this CD playing all the time, and no visitor fails to comment on how beautiful it is!

Product Description
Classically trained and internationally recognized as one of the world’s top early music performers, Shira Kammen explores a different musical persona in her first solo release, Music of Waters. As a string player and recording artist with groups like Ensemble Alcatraz, Project Ars Nova and Fortune’s Wheel, Shira has travelled through the medieval universe from 11th century Crete to the dazzling court of the Spanish King Alphonso X, from ancient monasteries with mystical abbesses to the shores of the British Isles. But Music of Waters reflects a journey over a different, more rugged, terrain. As a white-water river rafting enthusiast, Shira found inspiration in the echoing canyons and shimmering waterfalls of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.

Music of Waters, which was recorded in the wild and beautiful side canyons of the Grand Canyon and in the Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim, features original modal compositions, as well as traditional songs and tunes. The music celebrates the vast and magnificent landscape of the Canyon and the Colorado River, and is influenced by Celtic and Eastern European and other folk styles, as well as by the music of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Shira is joined by Bay Area colleagues Peter Maund (known for his percussion work with Skyedance, Ensemble Alcatraz, Davka), Danny Carnahan (Wake the Dead, Caswell & Carnahan, etc), David Morris (Teatro Bacchino) on Viola da Gamba, and Cheryl Ann Fulton on harp.

Shira views the project as a natural synthesis of her musical and environmental passions. And as such, hopes that listeners will find it educational, in that the compositions convey definite musical (and spiritual) responses to the various geological, ecological and historical forces that have shaped one of the great wonders of the natural world. She also plans to donate a percentage of the sales to the National Parks Association, as well as to the Grand Canyon River Guides.

Music of Waters

Music of Waters,Shira Kammen,Bright Angel,Original modal compositions, as well as traditional songs and tunes, inspired by the Grand Canyon and Colorado Rivers.

Average customer rating: FOLLOW UP RELEASE Blues revival of the 1970`s HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG? Best blues album I've heard in a long time! RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: ?WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU MIX, MUDDY WATERS, COTTON & WINTER? ANSWER:" OLD-TIME COOKING BLUES!"

Breakin' It Up & Breakin' It Down Muddy Waters Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: In the Palace of the King Close as You Get Power of the Pontchartrain Old School Live at Theresa's 1975 ASIN: B000PA9Q6E Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

1. Medley: 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'

Amazon.com

Muddy Waters had his second coming 30 years ago, when longtime friend and disciple Johnny Winter and his Blue Sky label returned him--after a series of listless recordings aimed at the rock audience--to the raw, powerful authenticity of his timeless Chess material with a series of powerful albums. Beginning with 1977's acclaimed Hard Again, a subsequent tour produced Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live, recorded onstage in Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia with Muddy's band, Winter, and harmonica player/vocalist James Cotton. Enough live material remained for Legacy to release an expanded version with an entire second disc of unissued concert material. It seems even that wasn't the end. This collection returns again to those remarkable concerts, featuring Muddy on five tracks, among them a rousing "I Can't Be Satisfied," "Trouble No More," "Caldonia," and the closing "Got My Mojo Workin'." Winter and Cotton are no less powerful, Cotton redoing Jackie Brenston's hit "Rocket '88'" and Winter ripping up John Lee Hooker's "I Done Got Over It" and "Mama Talk to Your Daughter." --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews:

FOLLOW UP RELEASE.......2007-08-05

FOLLOW UP RELEASE (THIRTY YEARS LATER) OF THE MUDDY WATERS, JOHNNY WINTER, JAMES COTTON TOUR, CIRCA 1977, ALL LIVE CUTS IN THEIR RAW, HARD-EDGED, BLISSFUL FORM. THIS IS GREAT STUFF. IF YOU ARE A FAN OF ANY ONE OF THESE THREE ARTISTS, OR ALL THREE OF THEM ,THEN YOU HAVE GOT TO CHECK OUT THIS CD. IT IS GREAT. THEY JUST DON'T MAKE MUSIC LIKE THIS ANYMORE......................

Blues revival of the 1970`s.......2007-08-02

A raucous and pleasing concert for blues fans from 1977. Some of the singing gets a little crazy but overall a solid performance. Blues is not a large share of the commercial market and its up to diehard fans to keep supporting it.

HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG?.......2007-07-27

The record provides a glimpse of the 1997 tour by Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter and James Cotton, along with a crackling blues band.

This was one of the most celebrated blues-band tours ever, a tour de force and come-back of sorts for Muddy made after his very fine sides produced by Winter for Blue Sky. The record does not disappoint. The three headliners take turns on vocals, so that the sides ultimately lack some of the intensity and focus of the earlier-issued Muddy "Missippi" Waters Live, which features Muddy's singing throughout. Neither Cotton nor Winter can replace the greatest bluses singer of all-time. Nonetheless with sidemen such as Cotton on harmonica,guitar players Winter and Bob Margolin or piano player Pinetop Perkins, how can you go wrong.

The record features some wicked solos, especially by Perkins and Cotton and some very tight ensemble playing. Run right out -- or click right in -- and buy it now.

Best blues album I've heard in a long time!.......2007-07-23

What an awesome album! It is great to hear these live performances by Muddy, Johnny, and James back in the heyday. This album is a must.
Jay

RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: ?WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU MIX, MUDDY WATERS, COTTON & WINTER? ANSWER:" OLD-TIME COOKING BLUES!".......2007-07-14

This cd is a new release of a concert tour in 1977 with Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter and James Cotton. I vacillated for days before I bought this. I have deducted, that listening to the thirty second sound bites, are worthless, especially when making a decision on electric blues. In 30 seconds, the guy might not even be done tuning his guitar! I'm going to attempt, to help you, not to have to go through, the anguish, that I went through, before I made the decision to buy this cd. First of all, you can tell how much these three guys like each other. Since this is a live performance, you hear them kidding each other throughout each song. One guy sings: "Your mother ought to know..." And one of the guys not singing lead, is yelling: "Yea tell em!" or you hear enthusiastic screams like: "Ow!" "Yea" "Do it James!" "Do it Johnny", etc. I personally think James Cotton, and his mind blowing "harp" (For you non-experienced blues neophytes, that's his harmonica! Please make a note of that!) steals the whole show. That magic harp of his, is either screeching, scratching, waling, and always cooking. If I were to try to draw a verbal picture for you, of the type of blues these fella's are playing, I'd say, think about an old black and white detective movie, and you're inside a bar, smoke is slowly circling its way to the ceiling, and in the background you hear the blues. That's the kind of blues on this cd. James Cotton, when he's not blowing the "harp", showcases a voice, that sounds like its seen, a lot of cigarettes, a lot of whiskey, a lot of women, and left it with the blues. This entire cd, is old-time "roadhouse", feeling good, blues. There are 11 songs, totaling just under sixty minutes. This is a classic taste, of old-time jamming, ELECTRIC BLUES, with the "harp", being the pulse, that never misses a blue beat! Buy this!

Average customer rating: Best of Waters solo work Good CD The Final Cut Part 2 My Mind is Growing,.. I can feel it. A must have, incredible album

Amused to Death Roger Waters Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking Radio K.A.O.S. Broken China On An Island In the Flesh Live ASIN: B0000027I6 Release Date: 1992-09-01

Tracks:

1. The Ballad Of Bill Hubbard
2. What God Wants, Part I
3. Perfect Sense, Part I
4. Perfect Sense, Part II
5. The Bravery Of Being Out Of Range
6. Late Home Tonight, Part I
7. Late Home Tonight, Part II
8. Too Much Rope
9. What God Wants, Part II
10. What God Wants, Part III
11. Watching TV
12. Three Wishes
13. It's A Miracle
14. Amused To Death

Amazon.com

Amused to Death is perfectly titled; it conveys its maker's mordant humor and underlying pessimism. Roger Waters's third solo album allowed a faint but perceptible return to the sound of his estranged former band, Pink Floyd. There are moments here ("What God Wants," "Three Wishes") that recall nothing so much as the densely textured sound of Animals and The Wall. And like those works, this is a concept album--the concept (as ever with Waters) being the crappy nature of modern life. Fair enough, but as usual, his satire is blunt and the targets of his scorn obvious. Former Eagle Don Henley duets on "Watching TV," while Jeff Beck contributes taut, lyrical solos to a number of tracks, notably "It's a Miracle." Waters's voice, however, remains the same: a weary whisper, positively dripping with contempt. --Andrew McGuire

Customer Reviews:

Best of Waters solo work.......2007-08-03

I actually bought this on casette a week or two after it came out in '92 and didn't really care for it. It wasn't until Waters put out the live DVD a few years ago that I regained an interest in the album, since he did several of the tracks live on tour that year. I then picked up the CD from Amazon for less than $10 and started listening to it again. For some reason what I didn't get then seemes much clearer now almost 15 years later. This definitely is Waters best solo work, on par with "The Final Cut" or "Animals", though not as strong as "The Wall". Unlike KAOS, this album holds up well and almost seems more relavent now than when it was initially written. My favorite track is "The Bravery of Being Out Of Range". I guess it takes on a whole new mean in the neo-con Bush era. Hopefully now that David Gilmore has put out a new solo disc it will goad Roger in to matching him with a new CD.

Good CD.......2007-07-29

This is my second copy - I lost the first - Liked it enough to replace it.

The Final Cut Part 2.......2007-07-12

What a great album. Just goes to show the brains behind some of the majestic Pink Floyds's finest songs were Roger Waters. Genius

My Mind is Growing,.. I can feel it........2007-06-09

This album receives much criticism from "Pink Floyd" fans, who after knocking this amazing album probably pop in "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" and descend into the abyss of cheesy guitar solos and empty lyrics that is the post Roger Waters "Pink Floyd" (note the quotation marks). This album is proof that, after Syd left the band, Roger Waters WAS Pink Floyd. His band mates had an amazing sound, and they gave life to his visions, but he gave each record after Dark Side its concept, its substance, its life. On Pros and Cons, and Radio KAOS, Roger has trouble capturing the Floyd's sonic grace, but on Amused to Death, he captures the spirit of the Floyd perfectly. As Such, I consider this a Pink Floyd record, the first to come out after "The Final Cut" (another amazing record and a must listen if you enjoy this album). Jeff Beck is on Par with Gilmour on this album, especially on tracks like "What God Wants" (pts 1&3). This record is a tour de force, Roger Waters' requiem for the human race, and its message is still relevant a decade later. This is not an easy album to love, it takes repeated listens to understand its message, and by listens, I mean sitting down, listening to the entire record and thinking thorough each track, as another reviewier put it perfectly, you must give this record as much thought as Mr. Waters gave it to understand and love it. I recently saw Roger in Atlanta on his Dark Side tour, and it was indeed a Pink Floyd concert. David Gilmour fought Roger for the rights to use the Pink Floyd name, and after winning, released two albums, one Horrid, and one mediocre. Roger Waters, however, on albums like this, and on his exceptional tours, keeps the Floyd alive, despite Gilmour having hijacked the name. Thank you Roger, for your vision, your talent, and for the years of amazing music that is your gift to the world. Rock on Roger, keep the Floyd alive, and save us from "On An Island."

A must have, incredible album .......2007-05-21

This is Roger Waters at its best, it is one of the best album of the decade in my mind (the 90's) This cd is what we often call "a desert island cd" if you see what I mean.

Average customer rating: Brilliant but... Really great A Masterpiece...If You Remember to Keep it Simple The pros and cons of The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking The Pros And Cons Of Roger's "Pros And Cons"

The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking Roger Waters Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classic Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: Amused to Death Radio K.A.O.S. The Final Cut On An Island Broken China ASIN: B0000025ZF Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. 4:30 AM (Apparently They Were Travelling Abroad)
2. 4:33 AM (Running Shoes)
3. 4:37 AM (Arabs With Knives And West German Skies)
4. 4:39 AM (For The First Time Today, Part 2)
5. 4:41 AM (Sexual Revolution)
6. 4:47 AM (The Remains Of Our Love)
7. 4:50 AM (Go Fishing)
8. 4:56 AM (For The First Time Today, Part 1)
9. 4:58 AM (Dunroamin, Duncarin, Dunlivin)
10. 5:01 AM (The Pros And Cons Of Hitch Hiking Part 10)
11. 5:06 AM (Every Strangers Eyes)
12. 5:11 AM (The Moment Of Clarity)

Amazon.com

With Eric Clapton's valuable assistance, Waters takes the concept album to new heights on this 1984 masterpiece, his first LP after leaving Pink Floyd. Each of the 12 songs represents a scene of a surreal dream (nightmare?), and Waters brilliantly captures the pendulum of emotions. Periods of serenity and clarity accompany frenzied and distorted passages of chaos and moments of great irony and humor. Along the journey, Waters confronts murderous Arabs in Germany, a steamy sexual liaison, mundane family life, bikers, truckers, housewives, and strangers. He sucks you into his vision by blurring the lines between what's real and what's part of the dream. Meanwhile, his use of recurring themes gives the work cohesion. As the mood shifts, Clapton's guitar perfectly accents Waters's story, whether with fiery electric explosions or delicate acoustic touches. -- Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant but..........2007-06-01

...ain't it about time we got some frickin' remasters of Roger's stuff??!? The artwork and liner notes are as fuzzy as the music is!!! What's up mego music corporation?!? What about a remaster with the 7" and 12" b-sides and stuff??? LONG OVER DUE!!!

Really great.......2007-05-21

I am a fan of Roger Waters, I just love this album. If you like "The Wall" and "The final cut", you will love for sure this cd. This is a conceptual album, so the same melody is repeated frequently. You will recognize some riffs of "The Wall" and this is no surprise, there is a rumour going on that both concept has been composed at the same time.
Both projects have been proposed to the rest of the band (Pink Floyd) and the other guys chosed to go on with "The Wall". After Roger left the band, he decided to record the other project he had in mind few years before. Erci Clapton is doin a great job at the guitar (this ain't a surprise !) I have the chance to meet Roger during the "Radio K.A.O.S. tour and he put is autograph on my "Pros and Cons" cd so this is a real keeper for me I can tell !

A Masterpiece...If You Remember to Keep it Simple.......2006-11-13

I won't take up your time trying to explain all the various nuances of 'The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking' but in a sense, don't try to think of this album as a mixed-up nightmare but rather a dream of a middle-aged man going through a mid-life crisis. Many musicians have written about mid-life crisis before (Pete Townsend's 'Slit Skirts' immediately comes to mind for some strange reason...but I digress).

The story essentially takes the main character through a dream which really turns into an odyssey. The trip only takes a short period of time (as dreams always seem to do...accomplishing so much in such a short amount of time) which is why I believe Roger Waters uses the dream sequences to pull everything together. The songs seem disjointed until you realize that dreams really are the same way (disjointed but understandable most of the time). The crisis the character goes through would be considered normal for a middle-aged man. Man goes through a marriage, with a job and kids, house in the suburbs, etc..., then starts to wonder if that's all there is.

Then comes the usual things used to replace that middle-aged curiosity...hot cars, fast women and not to be forgotten ... the guilt for even thinking about it. The character realizes that he is like every other person in the world, someone looking for answers and meaning in life. He realizes, in the end, that it becomes all about how you live your life. The answer, arrived at 'The Moment of Clarity', is fleeting (like so many dreams). For me, the answer is...it's not what value other people bring to your life, but rather what you yourself bring to the table that really matters.

If you keep the themes simple, you will find this album to be a great record of a part of the human condition. And you'll find this an album to listen to from time to time...finding new understandings along the way.

The pros and cons of The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking.......2006-09-01

Awesome album!! For those of you who don't know too much about Pink Floyd, this is from the mastermind behind the "stories" of Floyd's songs. Roger wrote great lyrics while David supplied the awesome guitar riffs. This solo album of Waters is a must have of any Pink Floyd fan. I strongly recommend it!

The Pros And Cons Of Roger's "Pros And Cons".......2006-08-28

Having said goodbye to Pink Floyd with "The Final Cut," Roger Waters kicked off his solo career with 1984's "The Pros And Cons Of Hitchhiking," a concept album about a sleeping man's journey through various dreams and nightmares (Roger also did "Music From The Body" back in 1970, but that was a collaboration with Ron Geesin). Like other reviewers have said before me, "Hitchhiking" is an album that I feel very two-sided about. On one hand, I appreciate Roger's ambitiousness with this work. It has it's powerful moments, and it also has two really great songs on it: the catchy title track, and the pounding rock of "Sexual Revolution." But Waters' overabundance of lyrics---reportedly 370 lines worth---is just too much at times, and much of it is rambled or screamed. With all those words, rambling and screaming, the music is hardly given any room to breathe (even special guest star Eric Clapton isn't allowed any *great* guitar parts to play here). Still, you gotta admire Waters' bravery with "The Pros And Cons Of Hitchhiking." At the very least, it's an interesting album with an intriguing concept (and a nice cover, too---I gotta be honest!), but I think Roger could've made "Hitchhiking" a whole lot better with some much-needed musical and lyrical polishing. But being his very first solo album without Pink Floyd, perhaps Roger didn't want any additional help or advice in the composing department. Luckily for Waters, he would get right back on track with his next release, the excellent "Radio K.A.O.S." As it stands, "The Pros And Cons Of Hitchhiking" is a decent, acceptable Roger Waters album. You may not play it all that much, but it's still worth having.

Average customer rating: Some of the reviewers sound like haters Same Ole Thing!! Kim Waters!!!! Kim Waters simply does it with this CD Would somebody please get this guy a live band?

You Are My Lady Kim Waters Manufacturer: Shanachie ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: Stay with Me Ladies' Choice Ready for Love White Sand Born 2 Groove ASIN: B000MM1F96 Release Date: 2007-03-27

Tracks:

1. So Sick
2. Got To Give It Up
3. The Closer I Get To You
4. Flying High
5. Two Keys To My Heart
6. Secret Romance
7. You Are My Lady
8. East Coast Strollin'
9. Inseparable
10. I Want You Tonight

Customer Reviews:

Some of the reviewers sound like haters.......2007-06-26

It's a very nice album complete with vocals and very smooth jazz in the form of a saxophone. Probably someone from his competitors cooked up some dumb idea to slam his music. He should be getting a lot of solid five stars.

Same Ole Thing!!.......2007-06-18

I'M A JAZZ LOVER FROM BACK IN THE DAY. I'VE SEEN ARTIST COME AND GO. SOME HAS THE REAL TALENT OF LONGEVITY. IN MY OPINION IF KIM WATERS WOULD USE LIVE STUDIO PERSONELL HIS MUSIC WOULD SOUND BETTER. I GUESS ME BEING FROM THE OLD SCHOOL ALL THESE ELECTRONIC MACHINES JUST DON'T GET IT WITH ME.

Kim Waters!!!!.......2007-05-13

I have to always give it to Kim Waters. Everything he does is always over the top.

Kim Waters simply does it with this CD.......2007-04-11

I feel this is one of his best CD's. The tracks and his saxophone are crisp, discreet, and moving. The funky opening tune will get you in the grooves and his remakes of "The Closer I Get to You", "Inseparable", and "You are My Lady" will make you want to break out that bottle of wine with someone special. Trust me on this one. The minute I played it for the Mrs. it was on and I just wish we had a fireplace. Mello, Mello, Mello, with great sax. Don't miss this one.

Would somebody please get this guy a live band?.......2007-04-03

Well, well...another lame CD from the "King of Drum Machines". KW is a great sax player, but I wish that he would hire a back up band instead of relying on drum machines and other electronics to produce music. This stuff sounds like karaoke music or something that my 4-year-old plays on her toy keyboard. I do, however, like his rendition of Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up", but still it would sound so much funkier if the song were performed by a live band instead of a computer. Anyway, if you like poorly produced "electonica", then you may enjoy this CD. Ohterwise, try some Sanborn, Najee, Kirk Whalum or Boney James for your "saxual" pleasure.

Average customer rating: Excellent for cramming it all onto one disc. Definitive indeed! How Muddy Is The Water Papa?

The Definitive Collection Muddy Waters Manufacturer: Geffen Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Definitive Collection Howlin' Wolf: His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James The Very Best Of John Lee Hooker The Ultimate Collection ASIN: B000ERU856 Release Date: 2006-05-23

Tracks:

1. I Can't Be Satisfied
2. I Feel Like Going Home
3. Rollin' & Tumblin', Part One
4. Rollin' Stone
5. Louisiana Blues
6. Long Distance Call
7. Still A Fool
8. Turn Your Lamp Down Low (Baby Please Don't Go)
9. (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
10. I Just Want To Make Love To You
11. I'm Ready
12. Mannish Boy
13. Trouble No More
14. Forty Days And Forty Nights
15. Don't Go No Farther
16. Got My Mojo Working
17. Rock Me
18. Walkin' Thru The Park
19. Take The Bitter With The Sweet
20. You Shook Me
21. My Home Is In The Delta
22. The Same Thing
23. You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had
24. Crosseyed Cat

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for cramming it all onto one disc........2007-05-25

Ever notice that you're seeing more and more of these "best of" collectons out there now? Now there is UMVD's "The Definitive Collection" of numerous artists from that same unforgettable era featuring 20 or more top tunes of the featured artist crammed onto one disc. Sometimes these single-disc collections fail to make the grade because of so much essential material that ends up being left off for reasons of space alone and the rest of it is the same predictable fare. An exception in this case would be this: Muddy Waters' Definitive Collection. This collection runs through Muddy's premiere years featuring his swampy, slide guitar sound and musical style then continues through the '50s and early '60s when he began to make his significant impact on blues music and eventually would be regarded as one of the most highly respected names in blues music. So many of his best tunes like "Hoochie Coochie Man", "I'm Ready", "Forty Days and Forty Nights" and "Got My Mojo Working" were covered by so many bands so many times that these tunes are really timeless and have becomes standards in blues. You really do get and stay interested for the entire length of the album. It is a little slow to start, but it picks up quickly and the bulk of the action happens with tracks 8-18. "Crosseyed Cat", recorded in 1976, is something you really got to hear. It is swampy, raw and tough. A 6 minute jam session, basically. This "Definitive Collection' lives up to its name overall, and is absolutely essential for the blues fan if the 2-disc anthology is a bit much.

Definitive indeed!.......2007-04-13

You want to know about Muddy Waters? This is a wonderful introduction to his work. No single work, of course, can contain all the best songs of someone like Muddy Waters (nee McKinley Morganfield). But this CD is awfully satisfying.

And the first cut is the classic "I Can't Be Satisfied" (later covered by The Rolling Stones). The instrumentation is remarkable simple--guitar and bass. But Waters' singing is primal and gives this cut life.

The 1950 tune, "Rollin' Stone," gave the English rock and roll band their name. The music is raw, but compelling. One line: "I wish I was a catfish, swimming in the deep blue sea, I would have all you women's comin' after me." At another point, he sings that his mom says to his dad that I got a boy child comin', gonna be a Rollin' Stone. A must listen to piece.

Willie Dixon wrote the words for another song, a Waters' classic, "(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man." First, what a backing group! Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, and Fred Below. This is a great blues tune topped off with Muddy Waters' great blues singing.

Another Willie Dixon song, "I Just Want to Make Love to You." Also covered by the Rolling Stones. . . . Listen to this version. A wonderful blues song.

And then there is "Mannish Boy" (talk about a greatest hit!). Again, great instrumental work and a terrific backing band. The song begins with him singing "Everything's gonna be all right this mornin.'" The insistent theme, "I'm a mannish boy," recurs throughout. One set of lines hearkens to other classic music:

"I'm a man,
I'm a Rolling Stone.
I'm a man,
A hoochie-coochie man."

Then there is "Got My Mojo Working." An uptempo romp with a great backing band.

So, do you want to know what Muddy Waters was all about? Try this CD. It will give you the introduction to his body of work.

How Muddy Is The Water Papa?.......2007-03-20

No one has to say anything about a Muddy Water's collection. The music speaks for itself. There is a reason "the man" is rated as one of the best blues artists ever - his music speaks volumes. Enough said. ...April, 28 2007 - I can't believe anybody would even want to read a Muddy Waters review...man that cat needs no reviews...HE IS THE KING OF THE BLUES. The one neophyte who read my initial review and didn't think much of it must not know about the Mud Man so I will add some more commentary for those who evidently are new to the blues. My favorites on this cd were "Rollin & Tumblin: Part One." Those is the know that is the original black euphanism for "sex" or "rock-n-rollin" before Allan Freed made it popular. "Rollin Stone" makes me want to be at a club watchin the man perform live. Muddy gets cookin on "Turn Down Your Lamp (Please Don't Go)." He doesn't usually get so up tempo and bring in the harmonica so ENJOY THIS ONE - IT'S CLASSIC. What can I say about "Hoochie Coochie Man" it is so good that it has been covered so much even to George Thoroughgood. THIS IS A STANDARD IF THERE EVER WAS ONE. "Mannish Man" is so great ... it usually goes by "I Am A Man" oh Muddy gets down on this one. Oh man I got off on "Got My Mojo Working" and I still almost wear this one track out by playing it over and over. How can you not like a song like "My Home Is In The Delta." Muddy talks bout leavin Chicago for the Delta mud .... he is really singin the blues on this one. "Crosseyed Cat" is the closest Muddy get to Jimmy "Harmonica" Reed or Slim Harpo or even somebody like Howlin Wolf.....this is a class song that is not your typical soulful Muddy Waters. Now for all you cats who read this review ... quit readin and start buying. You need Water, Hooker and Wolf to get your collection goin then start addin some Jimmy Reed, Slim Harpo, Hound Dog Taylor, Lightning Slim, Lightning Hopkins and don't ever stop ... but first listen to "Crosseyed Cat" and GET YOURSELF SOME WATER ESPECIALLY THIS DEFINITIVE COLLECTION....Joliet Jayke The Bluze Brother.

Average customer rating: WHAT A FIND! PURE GOLD! Shazam! A GREAT CD Lousy Title. Fabulous Music BLUES EN SU SIMPLE Y MAGISTRAL ESCENCIA

Folk Singer Muddy Waters Manufacturer: Chess ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: At Newport Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' in the Moonlight Fathers and Sons Hard Again Born Under a Bad Sign ASIN: B00000JNOJ Release Date: 1999-07-27

Tracks:

1. My Home Is In The Delta
2. Long Distance
3. My Captain
4. Good Morning Little School Girl
5. You Gonna Need My Help
6. Cold Weather Blues
7. Big Leg Woman
8. Country Boy
9. Feel Like Going Home
10. The Same Thing
11. You Can't Lose What You Never Had
12. My John The Conqueror Root
13. Short Dress Woman
14. Put Me In Your Lay Away

Amazon.com

Muddy Waters started out playing acoustic blues in the Delta, and it shows on this return to his roots, designed to appeal to the mid-1960s surge of interest in folk music. The back of the CD includes a photo of Waters with bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon, as well as a very young Buddy Guy, gathered around a single microphone. This particular CD reissue includes five bonus tracks, among which are "The Same Thing" and "Short Dress Woman," which take advantage of the longer CD running time. All of the other reasons to hear this one remain--Waters's strong, confident voice, the relaxed smoothness of the material, and the surprisingly clean recording, made even cleaner by the digital remastering. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

WHAT A FIND! PURE GOLD!.......2007-04-07

I found this in my friends cd collection, threw it on, noticed it had willie dixon, one of my all time faves, on stand up bass. It blew my mind!what a discovery. never had heard this before somehow altho i love blues. and have seen specials on muddy. get this immediately. stop everything you are doing right now and buy this lp. it is simply one of the best blues lps of all time. beautifully restored remastered in the 99 pressing. gold pure gold.

Shazam!.......2007-02-13

What a great blues album! I just received it in the mail, and this is one of those CD's that exceeds all expectations. First, I was floored by the sound quality - hi-res with beaucoups of air and a realistic soundstage. As I continued through the disc, it became obvious that this CD belongs on a short list of the best blues albums ever made because the performances were also incredible! No folk songs here - it's all acoustic blues with Willie Dixon on bass and Buddy Guy on guitar accompanying Muddy. The bonus tracks are all keepers too. This is absolutely essential blues, and music for the ages.

A GREAT CD.......2007-01-09

This is a wonderful CD, it has several alternate takes of songs that we've all heard versions of, which I find very interesting. One of the most interesting qualities of blues music is that the performers rarely play the song the same way twice, that's what makes it exciting. Definitely a good CD for you collection!

Lousy Title. Fabulous Music.......2006-08-21

This is not a folk album; it's a blues album. And it's one of the best blues albums anybody ever recorded. I have a lot of Muddy Waters' CDs, and this one makes me stop and listen to how great his voice was, how well he could tell a story, how deeply he could hook you. You get that "back porch blues" feeling, like he's there with you on a hot summer night strummin' and singin' with a couple of friends he brought along.

This album is a must for any Muddy Waters--or blues--lover.

The remastered recording is quite clear and fresh, a great sounding album

BLUES EN SU SIMPLE Y MAGISTRAL ESCENCIA.......2006-06-17

Este album llego a mi por simple curiosidad en el 2000. Nunca imagine que alguien pudiese juntar tal talento en sus manos y voz como lo hizo Muddy para este album. La seccion de musicos que le sirven de soporte son nada mas y nada menos que. Buddy Guy y Willie Dixon. No hay palabras que puedan describir la magia que emanan de estas grabaciones, tan solo blues en su mas puro estado... es como trasladarse al delta de los 1930. Sonido puro y llanamente acustico con un entramado de guitarras magistral entre Muddy y Buddy Guy que sirven de fondo a la ya famosa interpretacion vocal de Muddy y eso sin contar con el solido sonido de Willie Dixon al bajo. Recuerdo que en una vieja revista de blues apuntaba sobre la existencia de este disco como una muestra de musica folk interpretada por quien se supone fue, es y sera la mejor voz y guitarra del blues americano... pero aqui no hay nada de folk, es blues delta en su estado mas primitivo. Maravilloso y dotado de una sencillez total que asombran por el resultado; PURA MAGIA. Se agregan una serie de bonus tracks que no deslucen del contenido inicial de la edicion original...pero los temas grabados en acustico son y seran la parte central de esta obra unica en su genero. Las fotografias que se incluyen en el inserto y en la propia caja del cd demuestran por su elegancia el disfrute de tres maestros del blues que nunca imaginaron que al juntarse para esta sencilla grabacion, crearian una de las mejores muestras del espiritu del blues delta. El album recoje algunos de los temas mas interesantes de la discografia del Mudddy;
Captain captain, Good morning little school girl, long distance callin'... ademas de otras gemas cargadas de sentimiento y la belleza del blues en un estilo unico donde predomina la improvisacion y la tecnica espontanea de dos de los grandes guitarristas bluseros de todos los tiempos.
Puede y debe catalogarse de grabacion escencial para todo amante de la musica y el blues... No dudes en obtenerla... nunca dejaras de escucharlo, de lo contrario no sabes de lo que te pierdes.
Saludos

Average customer rating: Best of da blues Once A Measure of Hipness Best Blues ONE OF MY FAVORITES BLUES RECORDS Great Moment in History

Fathers and Sons Muddy Waters Manufacturer: Chess ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Electric Mud Hard Again Hoodoo Man Blues Folk Singer At Newport ASIN: B00005R8GU Release Date: 2001-10-30

Tracks:

1. All Aboard
2. Mean Disposition
3. Blow Wind Blow
4. Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had
5. Walking Thru The Park
6. Forty Days And Forty Nights
7. Standin' Round Cryin'
8. I'm Ready
9. Twenty Four Hours
10. Sugar Sweet
11. Country Boy
12. I Love The Life I Live (I Live The Life I Love)
13. Oh Yeah
14. I Feel So Good
15. Long Distance Call (live)
16. Baby, Please Don't Go (live)
17. Honey Bee (live)
18. The Same Thing (live)
19. Got My Mojo Working Part One (live)
20. Got My Mojo Working Part Two (live)

Customer Reviews:

Best of da blues.......2007-05-15

The greats such as Otis Spann, Paul Butterfield, and Buddy Miles, who join "papa" Muddy Waters on this album make for some blues in the best tradition. I love jammin' with it on my harmonica. This became my favorite Muddy Waters album after the first time I listened to it. I think you will too.

Once A Measure of Hipness.......2007-04-10

Back when Fathers and Sons was originally issued, I was in the ninth grade. As kids in those days seemed to have broader musical tastes than many kids do today, whether or not you owned and liked Fathers and Sons quickly became a measure of musical hipness. Unfortunately, it seems that many of the older kids who were musically hip were also getting in trouble all the time, so it was a little difficult to be a big blues fan and not be seen as at least a potential troublemaker. But looking back, its amazing that we were sharp enough to detect the quality in the play of those who have stood the test of time.
Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield were both young white blues heroes of the time and they introduced many thousands of suburban white kids to the black "old masters" of the Chicago blues scene. Chief among these old masters were guys like Muddy Waters and Otis Spann, both of whom are featured on this album. The symbiosis that took place when guys like Butterfield and Bloomfield were on the front lines learning the blues became beneficial to both the old masters and the young turks. With the aid of guys like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, white blues players gained both invaluable on-stage experience as well as the acceptance and grudging respect of black blues aficionados. What the old masters gained was access to the ears and to the purchasing power of millions of young white kids who would otherwise have remained largely ignorant of the blues scene.
Fathers and Sons is one of the fruits born of that symbiotic relationship. Though both Bloomfield and Butterfield died young, they are still looked at today as titans of the blues renaissance of the late 1960s. As for Muddy Waters and Otis Spann, what real blues fan is not hugely familiar with their work? Throw in old session stalwarts Donald Dunn, Sam Lay and Buddy Miles and you have the ingredients for a smash album.
I don't really have any favorites here, yet there is not a single song I dislike. For a measly ten bucks or so, the listener gets not only the original album, but also four songs not on the original. Those who hadn't heard the album yet will find on listening that they are probably familiar with a few of the cuts that have been covered by others.
In retrospect, Fathers and Sons stands as one of the great albums of the 1960s. If you like the blues, particularly of the Chicago strain, then you should own this.

Best Blues.......2007-02-03

Fathers and Sons is a classic. I first owned it on vinyl, then 7 track, then cassette now CD. This is a classic for any blues and Chicago blues lover! How can you beat Bloomfield, Waters, Spann, Bloomfield, Booker T and Buddy Miles all together? Slide it in, lay back and go for an awesome trip back to the 60's when this sort of jam drove thousands wild!

ONE OF MY FAVORITES BLUES RECORDS.......2007-01-10

ALL BLUES LOVERS MUST HAVE THIS ONE, MUDDY AT BEST WITH PAUL BUTTERFIELD, MIKE BLOOMFIELD, BRINGS GREAT PERFORMANCES WITH EXCELLENT QUALITY SOUND. GREAT MUDDY CLASSICS. GET IT AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!

Great Moment in History.......2006-11-30

I love this CD. It really captured a moment in time when the torch was being passed to a new generation of bluesmen. Too bad that torch has for the most part gone out, as popular music has once again slid into forgetting it's roots. One hopes for a revival equivalent to the 60's when pop music last connected with it's soul. That being said, the performances on the studio portion of the CD are played a little too dispassionately -- with surgeon's precision but with a lack of excitement that the live tracks convey. Maybe this is because of the way studio albums are produced, but this is the impression I got. Nevertheless: if you don't have the CD, get it.

Average customer rating: It Started Here For A Lot Of Rock and Rollers.. A gem. Fantastic look at a true legend One of the all-time classic live blues albums Not too shabby!

At Newport Muddy Waters Manufacturer: Chess ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Chicago Blues | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Blues | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Blues General | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Blues General | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Chicago Blues | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Chicago Blues | Blues | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Folk Singer Live in Cook County Jail Live at the Regal Hard Again Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' in the Moonlight ASIN: B000059T1V Release Date: 2001-02-27

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:

It Started Here For A Lot Of Rock and Rollers.........2007-05-21

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.
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.
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........2006-09-05

This is Muddy Waters rocking out! He is in fine voice, a force of nature, with a hard driving band. Forget the labels, this is joyous rock n' roll.

Fantastic look at a true legend.......2005-04-13

According to the liner notes from this one, Muddy had a tough time with Blues festivals. First he was too electric and loud. The next year he was too acoustic and quiet. From the sound of this one, he finally got it just right.

This is not a barn-burner. Oh, it has plenty of energy, but if you're looking for the jolt found on his Blue Sky-era recordings, you're going to be a bit disappointed. This is smoother blues. Not mellow, but not as rowdy. Remember, the younger Muddy Waters was trying to find wide-acceptance of his misic. (It is a shame he didn't find that until the last few years of his life)

The song selection is fantastic. "Tiger in your tank" is fun. "Got my mojo working" is a foot-stopmper. But, my favorite is "Goodbye Newport Blues", which was allegedly penned on the stairs to the stage and ad-libbed by the band. But, what a band to have ad-lib!

This one is must for those who want to move beyond blues/rock.

One of the all-time classic live blues albums.......2004-01-18

Muddy Waters' July, 1960 appearance at the Newport Folk Festival was recorded and issued as one of the first live blues albums, and one of the very best as well. A bit short at only nine songs (plus four studio recordings), but that's just about the only complaint you could possibly lodge against this classic recording.

The sound on the remastered 2001 edition is simply excellent...the original masters have been transferred in high-resolution digital audio, bringing up Andrew Stephenson's bass overall, and moving Muddy's singing several layers forward in the mix.
And the result is superb. The Muddy Waters Band of 1960 included top-notch harmonica player James Cotton, guitarist Auburn "Pat" Hare, drummer Francis Clay, and the great Otis Spann whose superb piano playing graced almost all of Muddy's 1960s recordings (listen to the swing he adds to "I Feel So Good"). And Muddy Waters himself is in his prime, his big, confident voice possessing tremendous power.

Talking about highlights is a meaningless excercise..."Muddy Waters At Newport" features the definitive renditions of the classic "Got My Mojo Working" and the swaggering "I Feel So Good", but literally everything is superb, from the hits ("Hoochie Coochie Man", Big Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go") to the little-known songs ("Soon Forgotten", the then-newly recorded "I Got My Brand On You" and "Tiger In Your Tank"). And the live portion of the album winds down with the slow lament "Goodbye Newport Blues", which is pretty generic and obviously slapped together for the occation, but it actually works quite well (and pianist Otis Spann provides a good lead vocal).

The original live recordings have been augumented by four bonus tracks recorded just prior to Muddy's Newport appearance, three of which appear "live" as well. Notice how the live recordings of "I Got My Brand On You", "Tiger In Your Tank" and the slow "Soon Forgotten" are almost twice as long as the studio versions.
The fourth song is one of Muddy's least-known songs...a mid-tempo blues shuffle anchored by a great rhythm section and with some superb harmonica playing by James Cotton. A fine little gem.

"Muddy Waters At Newport" is a must-have for any self-respecting blues fan, casual or fanatical, and one of the greatest items in Muddy Waters' catalogue.

Not too shabby!.......2003-09-10

I can't quite say I enjoyed this CD, but seeing as how this was my first Waters album, I have concluded it was a good place to start. It has some of his classics ("I Got my Mojo Working" and "Hoochie Coochie Man"), and a whole bunch of others.

Of considerable interest also would be the fact that not ALL of the tracks are live, both classics listed above are in pre-recorded format, along with another.

MUSIC ITSELF: 4
SOUND QUALITY 4
COVER, INSIDE SLEEVE: 5
OVERALL: 4

Average customer rating: The Definitive Starting place for Any Muddy Waters Collection.... A really good Muddy compilation This is the blues right here Great anthology Muddy's best

The Anthology: 1947-1972 Muddy Waters Manufacturer: Chess ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: Howlin' Wolf: His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) John Lee Hooker: The Ultimate Collection 1948-1990 The Complete Recordings The Very Best Of John Lee Hooker His Best ASIN: B00005NHLY Release Date: 2001-08-28

Tracks:

1. Gypsy Woman
2. I Can't Be Satisfied
3. I Feel Like Going Home
4. Train Fare Home Blues
5. Mean Red Spider
6. Standin' Here Tremblin'
7. You Gonna Need My Help
8. Little Geneva
9. Rollin' & Tumblin,' Part One
10. Rollin' Stone
11. Walkin' Blues
12. Louisiana Blues
13. Long Distance Call
14. Honey Bee
15. Country Boy
16. She Moves Me
17. Still A Fool
18. Stuff You Gotta Watch
19. Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man When I'm Gone
20. Standin' Around Cryin'
21. Baby Please Don't Go
22. (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
23. I Just Want To Make Love To You
24. I'm Ready
25. Young Fashioned Ways
26. I Want To Be Loved

Tracks:

1. My Eyes (Keep Me In Trouble)
2. Mannish Boy
3. Sugar Sweet
4. Trouble No More
5. Forty Days And Forty Nights
6. Just To Be With You
7. Don't Go No Farther
8. Diamonds At Your Feet
9. I Love The Life I Live (I Live The Life I Love)
10. Got My Mojo Working
11. Rock Me
12. Look What You've Done
13. She's Nineteen Years Old
14. Close To You
15. Walking Thru The Park
16. Take The Bitter With The Sweet
17. I Feel So Good (Live)
18. You Shook Me
19. My Home Is In The Delta
20. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
21. The Same Thing
22. You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had
23. All Aboard (Fathers And Sons)
24. Can't Get No Grindin'

Amazon.com

Muddy Waters should need no introduction. Not only did he provide a name for the world's greatest rock & roll band, but he also created the Chicago electric blues sound that's dominated the genre since he first hit the windy city in the late 1940s. His bands also featured what would become a who's who of electric blues: Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Spann, James Cotton, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, and the list goes on. The Anthology covers Waters's most important period: his first years at Chess through the late 1960s. All his best-known songs are featured in their definitive versions, providing the perfect introduction to a blues master who doesn't need one. --Mike Johnson

Customer Reviews:

The Definitive Starting place for Any Muddy Waters Collection...........2006-06-22

Arguably one of the most important Blues guitarist, to ever pick up a guitar....Muddy Waters has seen his profile have something of a re-evaluation, over the last few years, as bands with a heavy blues-influence (such as "The White Stripes", "The Black Keys" "Jon Spencer blues Explosion".....and even classic established bands like "Led Zeppelin" & "The Rolling Stones" ), have seen a rise...in the amount of people reacquainting or indeed seeking about the original sources of these artists that influenced such bands.

Trading in a wide style of blues (Electric Blues, Slide Guitar, R&B, Delta Blues & Blues Revival....it's safe to say that if it's Blues that your after, Muddy Waters was a necessary required listening. This 2 Disk Anthology is probably without doubt the best one-stop purchase for anyone (Casual or otherwise), curious with the guitarist's prolific work. There is simply so much worthwhile material here, that it's one of those collections that cherry picks through pretty much Muddy Waters entire career, and for an artist that started recording from the 40's - 80's, it's a collection that is breathtaking in scope, track selection, sequencing and even the actual mastering of the disk is superb. Sometimes you'll find with blues recordings, that because the actual quality of the original recordings were anything less than stellar, that the CD format, sometimes merely highlights the recordings technical shortcomings. Well...not in this instance, because the label seems to have taken the time and effort to put together a disk that impresses greatly with the sound quality. And coupled with some of the most popular Muddy waters recordings ("Mannish Boy", I Can't Be Statifised", "Rollin And Tumblin Pt 1", "Louisianan Blues", "(I'm Your) Hoochie Choochie Man", "Just to Be with You", "Got Me Mojo Working", "Can't Get No Grindin"). If it's a popular or highly regarded regarded Muddy Waters track, that there's a likely chance that it'll feature on this Anthology.

The only thing that could possibly make you not consider picking up this amazing anthology, is due to the higher price (due to it being a anthology) or that you're a very causal listener, that wouldn't want to have so much material to digest. If you are the latter, then you'd be wrong....you can never have enough Muddy Waters, and if there two things that will hit home, when you buy this release is (1) The man, sure can play the guitar...and (2) you'll be surprised, how truly amazing it is, listening to this anthology in chunks...as it quickly grabs hold of you, and refuses to let go. Such is the brilliance of this Anthology, that it'll possibly, urge you to seek out similar blues artists (Howlin Wolf, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Magic Sam...etc). And the highlight exactly why so many acts today, are looking back at artists such as these, for inspiration. Truly amazing!!!

A really good Muddy compilation.......2006-06-17

The 50 songs included that date from 1947 to 1972 are first rate songs from Muddy's prime. They're not the only worthwile Muddy by a long stretch though: He did some good work prior to 1947, there were many more good songs in the 1947 to 1972 period, and he did some really good work after 1972 as well. To do a really thorough Muddy compilation, I think you'd need at least 4 discs but these 2 discs with 50 songs total do a great job of highlighting Muddy at his prime. The liner notes are excellent and are a great source of information also.
I had the chance of seeing Muddy live in concert as opening act for the Allman Brothers in the mid 1970's. Before seeing him, I knew some of his big hits and I knew he was a great influence on Allmans, Stones, Led Zeppelin and many top rock bands. After seeing him live, I became a much bigger fan as did many of the people who saw him in that period. Muddy deserves every bit of critical respect he enjoys today and these 2 discs are an excellent document of why.

This is the blues right here.......2006-02-08

Muddy Waters is one of the greatest blues singers of all time, if not the greatest. His classic 1950s tracks had a profound influence on music as we know it today, particularly rock and roll. If your music collection has no Muddy Waters, then there's a huge hole that needs to be filled. If you really want to get into this classic music, Muddy Waters' Anthology is a great place to start. I personally don't own it. I have the two Chess collections His Best: 1947-1955 and His Best: 1956-1964, both of which are excellent. However The Anthology would be a much better choice because it has nearly everything that's on those two CDs, plus many more songs that aren't on them. Particularly from the early years, there are many more songs here that aren't on 1947-1955. Anthology has 50 songs total, and the two His Best collections combined have 40, so you get ten more songs with Anthology. Those additional tracks may not exactly be classics, the most essential stuff is contained on the His Best collections, however any Muddy Waters music is worth hearing and the more, the better.

Muddy's early songs are mostly raw and stripped down. Muddy plays an awesome slide guitar which is all over the early stuff. There's very little harmonica and also no bass and very little percussion. The songs are significantly less melodic than the later stuff. It's simply electrified delta blues. Then the stuff later has a more prominent rhythm section and the songs tend to be more catchy and not quite as raw. Unfortunately, Muddy's slide guitar also disappears for the most part as Jimmy Rogers takes over guitar duties. However, the great Little Walter plays an excellent harmonica on many of the tracks which is always a welcome addition.

If you're looking for a first Muddy Waters purchase, here you go. This is a great place to start, but not a great place to stop. Once you get a taste of Muddy, chances are you'll want more. After the essentials, I would recommend picking up Hard Again (1977), At Newport (1960), Fathers and Sons (1969), and I'm Ready (1978).

Great anthology.......2005-05-06

If you don't want to get to get the 3 CD Chess box as a Muddy collection of Chess recorded numbers, get this one. The track selection is great, I'm especially glad to see 19 pre 1954 Muddy numbers which I especially like because of Muddy;s slide playing. The next few tracks have less prominent guitar, but arre somewhat more catchy and Muddy's voice got better , so I won't argue. You even get two live acoustic tracks -My home is in the Delta and Good morning little schoolgirls, as well as some latter day numbers, especially from number 17 on the second disc onward. Get it it's worth it.

Muddy's best.......2004-02-23

This is a comprehensive two disc set of the man who defined Chicago blues. Muddy Waters started out in the Delta working as a guitar playing farm hand but moved to Chicago in the 40's, where he took his delta styled playing and plugged in to make a new music that was loud, raucous, and yet retained the subtleties of the Delta. His powerful voice and his slippery slide-guitar influenced the rock and roll generation of Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, who took both their name and their hit "Satisfaction" from Muddy.

Average customer rating: Blues you can dance to! Classic Never mind the blues, this is as good as MUSIC gets Sweet Home Chicago As Good as The Blues Gets

Hard Again Muddy Waters Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: I'm Ready King Bee Fathers and Sons Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live At Newport ASIN: B00023GGGW Release Date: 2004-05-18

Tracks:

1. Mannish Boy
2. Bus Driver
3. I Want To Be Loved
4. Jealous Hearted Man
5. I Can't Be Satisfied
6. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock And Roll #2
7. Deep Down In Florida
8. Crosseyed Cat
9. Little Girl
10. Walking Through The Park

Customer Reviews:

Blues you can dance to!.......2007-04-02

A long, long time ago, I listened to a flatmate's LP of this title and immediately liked two songs in particular: "Mannish Boy" and "I want to be loved". So, when I saw that a Muddy Waters compilation [Anthology] was listed in promotional list of 100 cds you must own, I bought it. Trouble was, the music in Anthology was NOT like I remembered it in Hard Again. For that reason, I'd only give Anthology about two or three stars out of five.

So, I basically bought Hard Again on CD [the remastered version] to see if I had misrembered the sound of that cd. I hadn't. The sound is near flawless and has great presence. It is often bold and brassy. In "Anthology" the music is more sedate and not as present.

In this album, the music is the offspring of Blues and Rock, and it really is the blues as I now like it. Comparing "Anthology" to "Hard again" is like comparing Bob Dylan to Midnight Oil. Both are socially and politically conscious, but you can dance to Midnight Oil, which is why I always will prefer the Oils to the Bob. The tragedy of The Bob is that other acts always do the definitive versions of his songs...poppier or rockier.

"Hard Again" has spanking drums, a free-wheeling harmonica, electric guitar, bass, piano line-up, with perhaps a banjo and washer-board or some such on one song. It is also more up-tempo and energetic than the music in "Anthology".

"Mannish Boy" is still my favourite Waters' song, and this new version of the song is the king of them all y'all. It's boldy, brassy, swinging and with a big beat. It's a raucous party song.

Another song could be renamed "My ol' lady, she done run off with the bus driver blues". It includes an amusingly saucy line to the effect that his ol' lady would be 'riding' the bus driver tonight, or some such. The song features a very cool note picking guitar melody.

"I want to be loved" swings more in this cd than in "Anthology" and has that classic 50's style bass sound, which pops up in other songs in this cd. The song doesn't match my memory of it the first time I heard it [i.e.it's not as catchy as I remembered it, but maybe my tastes have changed].

"I can't be satisfied" is probably my second favourite song on this cd. It has a nice swing to it and some cool note picking on the guitar. Not sure if the "wa wa" effect on vocals is just Muddy or a glitch in the recording...not a major drawback if it's a glitch.

"The blues had a baby and they named it rock'n'roll" is good with some amusing lyrics...for instance "Queen Victoria said it-'you know the blues got soul'. Well the blues had a baby and they named him rock'n'roll".

"Deep down in Florida" marks a change of pace for Muddy-it's more sedate and has a heavy bass sound. Listening to "Anthology" you are struck by how nearly identical the music is in a few songs [the cliched Blues sound]. "Hard Again" doesn't fall into that trap...no recycled sounds.

"Crosseyed cat" is a whimsical song...not sure if the title is a slang term or innuendo of some sort. It does have another Blues trait though...repeating lyrics. This to me is less of a minus than recycling the same music for different songs.

"Walking through the park" is another track with the classic 50's style rock'n'roll bass sound. His woman in that song is not to be trifled with either..."My girl she may cut you. She may shoot you too". I'd feel safer with her in a walk through the park than with Muddy...at least I'd know she could handle herself if my big mouth got me into trouble with some unsavoury types.

I wont put up a review of "Anthology" as I am not particularly positive about it. But listening to it I wondered if my pick as the greatest rock band of all time, AC/DC, were influence by Muddy's Blues.
In tracks like "I'm ready", I think you can hear its echoes in AC/DC songs like "TNT", "Livewire" - I mean lyrical content wise. Muddy's song "You shook me" is perhaps more obviously echoed in AC/DC's classic [though by now flogged to death on Australian FM stations] song "You shook me all night long".

Since I'm not reviewing "Anthology" on its own, I'll just jot some of my notes on that cd here: I think one of my notes says that 5 or 6 songs have the same intro as "Louisana Blues". "Still a fool" has a cool sound with a good riff and cool gurgling/howling vocals. Track 23 [didn't jot down its title in my notes" Muddy's vocals are distinctly different-phlegmy, in fact.

Well, that's it for my review. I think Hard Again is the perfect marriage of Blues and Rock and would appeal to the rock crowd easily. Not sure how Blues "Purists" view this album, but to me it is Muddy Waters as I want him to sound.

P.S. I've also reviewed at this site Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Midnight Oil, amongst others [including punk cds and heavy metal cds].

Classic.......2007-03-13

Great album, great to listen to over and over whether in the background chillin with friends or on your own. Awesome for a comeback. Only wish it were longer...You may notice many now too-familar riffs from rock music today, that originated right here.
The Blues Had a Baby, and They Named it Rock N Roll!

Never mind the blues, this is as good as MUSIC gets.......2007-02-13

There's not really anything about this album not to like.

Muddy Waters? Forceful, energized, professional, singing with the same incomparable power and vigor he possessed in the 50s, and which he had struggled to recapture in the decade preceding this album. Moreover, he sounds like he's having the time of his life. The phrase "infectious enthusiasm" is very apropos here.

Johnny Winter? All he does is handle the equally demanding jobs of lead guitarist and producer, and does both flawlessly.

Bob Margolin, James Cotton, Willie Smith, Charles Calmese, Pinetop Perkins? All play in an inspired fashion, driving the songs like a freight train and pushing each other to new heights seemingly by the minute. Cotton's harp screams like no harp before or since, while Smith lays down the kind of pocket that guitarists and bass players dream about at night. Calmese's playing has just enough of a funky '70s edge to make the material sound contemporary and relevant while not detracting from its Chicago roots. Margolin plays with a tastefulness and restraint which belies his young age at the time, and Pinetop is...well, Pinetop.

Old songs? This isn't a popular sort of thing to say, but the reworkings of Muddy's '50s classics presented here (particularly "Mannish Boy" and "Walkin' Through the Park") sound as good or better than their original Chess counterparts. That's not an insult to Jimmy Rogers or Little Walter, it's just the way it is.

New songs? "Crosseyed Cat," "Jealous Hearted Man," and "The Blues Had a Baby" are as good as any blues music ever recorded. Ever.

In summation, if you don't already own this album, stop wasting your time with this silly review and buy the damn thing. Right now.

Sweet Home Chicago.......2006-12-21

There are many great bluesmen from Chicago and originally from the Mississippi delta. Son House, Ligtnin' Hopkins, Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, B. B. & Albert. For my money Muddy stands in the pantheon of the all time greats. But Robert Johnson is the greatest.

As Good as The Blues Gets.......2006-10-30

The Blues is the best and Muddy was the best the blues. He was the man to transform the blues from primative field music of the south to the electric Chicago sound we know today.

This is one of the best albums in Muddy's catalog. A must have for any collection. In the late 70's Johnny Winters pulled Muddy out of semi-retirement and produced three studio albums and one amazing live CD. Hard Again is the first in the series and when Muddy got back in the studio he said it felt so good that he was 'hard again. This CD has a great supporting cast and is recorded in a live to tape fashion that gives it a great live feel to the songs. The playing is loose and Muddy is feeling it through out. The more I play this album the more I enjoy it. Also recommended are the three CD collection that includes all the studio CD's from this series. Save yourself some cash and get the set up front. They are all great and this is the best of the bunch.

Rock Music:

1. Mvet Ai Mendzang: Music of the Beti
2. Mystic Fiddler
3. Nagauta Kabuki Theater Music
4. Native Music From Machu Picchu: Flute, Guitar and Harp of the Incas
5. Oceano [Import]
6. Passarinho Urbano [Import]
7. Passion of Pakistan [Original recording remastered]
8. Persone Silenziose [Import]
9. Pollution [Import]
10. Postcards From Spain

Rock Music

rock music

Recommended Music:

Hatfield & The North [Import] [Limited Edition]

Firenze Medicea

Handel: Oboe Concertos

Soft Samba Strings [Import] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]

In a beautiful place out in the country [CD-single] [Import]

High on You [Import]

Irish Folk Ballads

I Got You Babe & Other Hits

Hits of the 90's [Import]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 4

From the Basement [Import]

En Vivo Desde el Rio Nilo [Live]

Dyango

Once Again

The Freedom Sessions [EP] [ENHANCED CD]