Bob Margolin Thanks (CD)

(Vizztone) 10 tracks, digisleeve

Bob Margolin says THANK YOU in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his Muddy Waters Band. He plays the same Gibson archtop electric guitar he played alongside Muddy and The Band in The Last Waltz on every song here. He has recorded a song by Muddy from 1952 and one that he and Muddy wrote together in 1977. He sings "The Shape I'm In" by The Band as a blues with four-part harmony. He interprets Willie Dixon's "Who," first sung by Little Walter but later performed by R&B legend Nappy Brown with Bob. He covered "Hard Working Man" by his friend Jimmy Rogers, a Chicago blues legend who played guitar with Muddy 25 years before Bob. He rearranged Paul Gayten's "For You My Love," which Bob played with piano legend Pinetop Perkins when they performed with Muddy until Pinetop died in 2011 at age 97. And he played four of his own songs, which he rearranged to play now on this Gibson archtop.

Old songs, old guitar, new fire. Bob created every sound on the album, with the exception of the joyous barking of Levon Margolin, Bob's border collie, during the guitar solo in "No Consolation" He recorded, mixed, mastered and produced the album. It is a very personal labor of love and a journey through five decades. Bob's time in Muddy's band ended in 1980 and Muddy died in 1983. Muddy's unique spirit and voice are no longer there, but he deliberately brought Bob into the band to follow, watch and learn. Especially on slide guitar, Bob can imitate Muddy. Six months after he left Muddy's band, he opened a show for Muddy. Afterwards, Muddy put his hands on Bob's shoulders and said, "You keep the old school alive."