Muddy Waters Live At Rockpalast 1978 (2-LP)

(MIG Records) 17 tracks

Muddy Waters had a good feeling for talent and accordingly almost always an excellent band behind him, but his backing band from 1974 to 1980, which can be heard on these recordings, was one of his very best: Pianist Pinetop Perkins joined the band already in 1970 after the death of Otis Spann, with drummer Willie Big EyesSmith Muddy even worked together since 1964.

The solid bassist Calvin Jones joined in 1971, and in 1973 the two guitarists Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson and Bob Margolin. The band was rounded out in 1974 by the excellent harmonica player Jerry Portnoy, who later became, among other things, the first blues harp choice for Eric Clapton. Permanent touring made this line-up a top-rehearsed troupe, which optimally supported the charismatic leader when they entered the stage of Dortmund's Westfalenhalle for the Rockpalast recording on December 10, 1978. Muddy Waters himself was still at the height of his creative powers at that time, his powerful vocals and great stage charisma captivating the audience.

Muddy's guitar playing came into its own especially during his typical slow blues slide guitar solos on the Fender Telecaster electric guitar played in normal tuning - and rarely did Muddy have such a hot sound as on these WDR television recordings. The evening's song selection consisted of some of his greatest hits, which probably belonged to the mandatory repertoire every night (Hoochie Coochie Man, Walkin' Thru The Park, a terrific version of the macho anthem Mannish Boy and of course the immortal Got My Mojo Workin'), but also more rarely played titles like Soon Forgotten by St. Louis Jimmy Oden or "Country Boy", both atmospheric slow blues with slide.