Muddy Waters - The Blue Sky Studio Recordings

In August 1975, Chess Records was sold to the All Platinum Records label and became a reissue label only, which left Muddy without a record label.  In 1976, Blues-Rocker Johnny Winter, who idolized Muddy since childhood and who had become a friend, signed Muddy to his label, Blue Sky Records.

From 1977 to 1981 Muddy and Johnny Winter had a fruitful collaboration, which created a new energy in Muddy's career.  He released his critically acclaimed, Grammy winning album 'Hard Again' in 1977, and the next year released one of his most timeless albums, 'I’m Ready'.  For several years Muddy enjoyed a large following of mostly white fans, which the genre’s popularity seemed to shift to, and he toured continuously with Johnny Winter.

Hard Again, 1977

The first thing you hear belting out of the speakers on this record is Muddy’s voice as he begins, "Mannish Boy". "Oooooh, yeah, everything, everything gonna be alright this morning…".  It’s one of the iconic moments in the blues.  This music is loud, brash, and so, well, joyful.  You can tell everybody involved is having a great time, when you hear the band shout back at Muddy in the call and response of the song.  

Muddy and Johnny Winter are on guitar along with Bob Margolin.  Legends Pine Top Perkins is on piano and James Cotton on the harp (alas Little Walter had passed years prior).  Willie "Big Eyes" Smith is pounding the drums and Charles Calmege is on bass.

This is big, old-school Chicago blues. There is not a bad moment here. Muddy revisits some of his older, iconic tracks here, like "Mannish Boy", and also "I Can’t Be Satisfied" (A rare acoustic blues moment here) and "I Want To Be Loved".  They also do some new material, the epic "Bus Driver" and "Deep Down In Florida".  This is simply one of the greatest blues albums of all time.  It was marketed as a "comeback" to proved, Muddy still had it.  As if that was ever in doubt.

I’m Ready, 1978

On 'I'm Ready', Muddy was reunited with a member of his classic, late 40s/early 50s band, Jimmy Rogers on guitar.  'Hard Again' gets all the attention, but I almost like 'I’m Ready' better.  The way Muddy and Jimmy weave together their guitars (much like Keef and Ronnie Wood do on 'Some Girls'), is mesmerizing.  Bob Margolin jumped over to bass.  You throw in Johnny Winters on guitar, and you have a pretty amazing trio of guitars.  

The title track opens things up, and it’s a great version of a Muddy classic.  Muddy not only wrote his own stuff, but he sang a lot of Willie Dixon’s songs, with the great "I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man" included here in a rousing version.  "33 Years" is another stand out blues track.  That good time, happy vibe continued over from the first album.  Muddy and band had found blues gold, and they kept it rolling on this second album of the trio.  This is another must have blues album from Muddy.

King Bee, 1981

After a live album (Muddy "Mississipi' Waters Live", which will be a future post), the group reconvened in the studio for the third and alas the final installment of this trio of superb records.  By this time, Muddy’s health had begun to fail, and he was forced more often than not to cancel his live performances.  His great touring band made most of their money from concerts, so if a show was canceled, they didn’t get paid.  This caused a fallout between Muddy and the band, his manager Scott Cameron, his road manager and guitarist, Brian Bisesi, "roadies" etc. etc.

The big party sound of the first two albums is gone, and Muddy sounds like he’s settled into a sadder, bluesier mood here.  It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just a farewell vibe.  They only managed to bang out part of the album and had to augment it with outtakes from the 'Hard Again' sessions.  But I still think this record is essential listening.  The title track is outstanding, and I love this version of "Champagne and Reefer".  Muddy’s favorite drink was champagne, and his drug of choice was weed, so why not sing about it, I mean, there are worse pastimes.

Today's freeload, is vinyl rips of the above albums.  They are the original release albums with 24bit/96kHz sonics, that sound much better than the CDs do.

For the freeload, what are some of your favorite so-called "comeback" albums?