The cover of Jagger and Richards’ ‘Let’s Spend the Night Together’, is an appreciative doff of the cap to some of his biggest fans, while also attempting to connect with a sizeable slice of the youth market, but it’s the raw power behind Waters’ delivery that shines through. Listen to the skill he has in shaping his voice around the sharp edges on ‘Tom Cat’, or on the funky reworking of ‘Mannish Boy’, how he power-lifts the heavy rhythms with a single yell, and punches a hole through its armour plating with a “Yeah”, here and there.
![muddy waters electric mud songs muddy waters electric mud songs](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0554/4201/4416/products/afterthe_300x300.jpg)
‘Hoochie Coohie Man’, in particular, seems to synthesise Chess’ vision admirably, comfortably combining heavy backbeat, soaring guitar lines, pulsating bass, swelling organ and jazzy sax.īut it’s Waters’ innate musicality that wins the day and makes Electric Mud work. But, Waters does a lot more than just go through the motions, he puts in one of his most spirited studio performances. Marshall Chess brought his backing musicians in early, and so that by the time Waters arrived, all he had to do was come in at the right places identified for vocals and his few solos. He had previously worked with Muddy Waters at Chess a couple of years beforehand, providing arrangements for Brass and the Blues, a mostly successful reimagining of the Waters ‘canon’ in the style of well-selling bluesman BB King. Future Earth, Wind & Fire producer Charles Stepney took the electric organ seat, following up a busy period of arranging and composing for R&B vocalists The Dells, and the brilliant Psychedelic Soul group Rotary Connection, and jazz legends Eddie Harris and Ramsey Lewis.
![muddy waters electric mud songs muddy waters electric mud songs](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o2fwF93w-cg/WEHqzYzBwEI/AAAAAAAAaFg/mgEHQW8kMNYg68IbjFyfo-b7wJBr20rGgCPcB/s1600/1968%2BElectric%2BMud%2B-%2BMuddy%2BWaters%2B%2528C.D%2BJapan%2BChess%2BUICY-75952%2529%2B%25282%2529.jpg)
Here he would make up a trio of jazz guitarists alongside Cosey and Roland Faulkner the bass duties were handled by Chess-man Louis Satterfield.Īnother in-house man, producer Gene Barge, also brought his saxophone and arranging skills, while his and Satterfield’s colleague, Morris Jennings stepped in as drummer on the date. Also, much sought-after, bass player and guitarist Phil Upchurch came fresh from a run of jazz guitar gigs with Stan Getz, Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith and Woody Herman. Most notably was psychedelic guitarist Pete Cosey who would play a pivotal role in Miles Davis’ mid-70s electric period, in 1968 was a member of Sun Ra Arkestra. But persuade him he did, and Marshall made plans to set up the studio, and fill it with predominantly jazz-blues crossover musicians who were breaking into blues rock.
![muddy waters electric mud songs muddy waters electric mud songs](https://pixhost.icu/avaxhome/0e/17/0046170e.jpg)
Marshall Chess, son of Chess Records co-founder Leonard, had to work hard to persuade Muddy Waters of the benefits in recording Wading In Electric Mud, released on 5 October 1968. With ‘Electric Mud’ Muddy Waters took the blues in a new direction and managed to influence everyone from Chuck D to Jimi Hendrix.