"Folk Singer" by MUDDY WATERS featuring Buddy Guy on Guitar, Otis Spann on Piano, Willie Dixon on Bass and James Cotton on Harmonica (1999 MCA/Chess Expanded CD Reissue – Eric Labson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Put Me In Your Lay Away Plan..."

Muddy Waters hadn’t seen chart action since 1958. But what was chewing up American Radio and the burgeoning live circuit in colleges and campuses across the country was a huge renewed interest in downhome Folk music as sung by their 'tell the truth' artists – people like The Kingston Trio, The Rooftop Singers and the hugely popular Peter, Paul & Mary. Against all the Pop odds (and with Dylan causing such an impact too) - these groups, these storytelling singers and custodians of history were all regularly making the top ten – and in some cases knocking on that big number one chart door on several occasions.

Being record men, part-time pimps and full-time genre hustlers - Leonard and Phil Chess thought – to hell with it – let's get Bluesman Muddy Waters in for an 'acoustic' session – get some old guy from down in the Delta who knows how to play Acoustic Slide on lead – get Willie Dixon on Bass and Clifton James on Drums to be the rhythm section and record the whole sucker cheaply in a few loose days in September 1963. So that's what they did...

Although Buddy Guy was literally cursed out by the infamous dynamic duo on the morning he arrived to do the session (both Leonard and Phil considered him 'too young' to know what to do) – Muddy insisted on his presence and once they heard his incredibly accomplished playing – the canny Jewish men cursed Buddy Guy again (but in a nice way) and the tapes started rolling. And thus the most unlikely part of Morgan McKinleyfield's career got the shot in the arm it needed and a recording/audiophile legend was born.

The January 1964 Chess album "Folk Singer" should actually read "Folk Blues" – because this is a long way from the heavy riffing of "Mannish Boy" and the loud Electric Guitar Blues of the 40s and 50s. But man oh man does it work. Deftly produced by WILLIE DIXON and RALPH BASS – "Folk Singer" has always been an Audiophile recording to me (unusual for the Blues genre of the time) and the kind of recording Mobile Fidelity have put out on 180grams reissue LP. But what sends this superb 1999 CD reissue into the stratosphere is not just the truly stunning ERICK LABSON Remastered sound quality - but five very cool bonus tracks which count among their numbers - what I feel are his best ever sides. "The Same Thing" and "You Can't Lose What You Never Had" are the A&B of Chess 1895 from May 1964 – a genius combo with "You Can’t Always..." used extensively by Director Martin Scorsese on his "Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey" TV Series in 2004. And as if that's not enough – like some neglected masterpiece few seem to know exists – "Folk Singer" is on sale in some places for less than three quid! Let's say hello to little schoolgirls and big-legged women (and try not to get arrested in the mean time)...

US released July 1999 – "Folk Singer" by MUDDY WATERS on MCA/Chess CHD-12027 (Barcode 008811202729) is an Expanded Edition CD reissue and plays out as follows (48:51 minutes):

1. My Home Is In The Delta [Side 1]

2. Long Distance

3. My Captain

4. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

5. You Gonna Need My Help

6. Cold Weather Blues [Side 2]

7. Big Leg Woman

8. Country Boy

9. Feel Like Going Home

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Folk Singer" – released January 1964 in the USA on Chess LP 1483 and May 1964 in the UK on Pye International NPL 28038 (Mono). All tracks feature the following four – Muddy Waters on Lead Vocals and Lead Guitar, Buddy Guy on Lead Guitar, Willie Dixon on Bass and Clifton James on Drums – except "Feel Like Going Home" which in Muddy Waters on Guitar and Vocals only.

BONUS TRACKS:

10. The Same Thing

11. You Can't Lose What You Never Had (tracks 10 and 11 are the A&B-sides of a May 1964 US 7" single on Chess 1895)

Tracks 10 and 11 recorded 9 April 1964 with Otis Spann on Piano, James "Pee Wee" Madison on Guitar, Willie Dixon on Bass and S.P. Leary on Drums.

12. My John The Conqueror Root

13. Short Dress Woman (tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides of a November 1964 US 7" single on Chess 1914; track 12 previously unreleased on US LP)

14. Put Me In Your Lay Away – A-side of a May 1965 US 7" single Chess 1921. Its B-side is "Still A Fool" from 1951 - so isn’t included on this CD.

Tracks 12, 13 and 14 recorded October 1964 with J.T. Brown on Tenor sax and Clarinet, Sam Lawhorn on Guitar, James Cotton on Harmonica, Otis Spann on Piano, James "Pee Wee" Madison on Guitar, Milton Rector on Bass and S.P. Leary on Drums

The 12-page booklet features a short essay of the album's genesis and history by noted Blues Historian Mary Katherine Aldin who did Hip-O Select’s annotation for their magnificent Volume 2 of Muddy Waters' complete Chess recordings "Hoochie Coochie Man..." in 2004. Pages 7, 8 and 9 reproduce the original liner notes by Producer Ralph Bass with the remainder taken up with reissue credits. Good names like ANDY McKAIE and BETH STEMPEL have coordinated the series – but the big news is new Remastering by ERICK LABSON at Universal. His credits list runs like a who’s who of Chess artists (Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Etta James, The Dells, Rotary Connection) as well as many prestigious Rock catalogues (Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Mamas and Papas, Neil Diamond, Wishbone Ash and The Who) to name but a few. The Audio here is mindblowingly good – and I think its safe to say remains one of my favourite Blues transfers ever. The casual yet tight feeling of these sessions is part of why I play it so often – and that same gorgeous Audio applies even more to the five bonus cuts. A nice touch is that there are sepia-coloured outtake photos from the sessions beneath the see-through inlay.

The album opens with a very slow and moody "My Home Is In The Delta" followed by the equally cool "Long Distance" (both Muddy originals). The sound is amazing – the slow whack of the drum – the double bass plucked – Guy playing those beautiful little flourishes while Muddy moans and lays into that slide at appropriate moments ("...hear my phone ringing...sound like a long-distance call..."). The eerie 5:13 minutes of "My Captain" is the only Willie Dixon composition on here and is so quite at times it almost feels 'bare'. There is natural tape hiss but nothing too much to detract. What you do get is that gorgeous Buddy Guy playing which is all feel and talent. Things are livened up big time with Sonny Boy Williamson’s "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" – which along with "My Home Is In The Delta" are the two tracks represented on the "Gold" 2CD anthology. The audio is awesome on this salacious tune – boogieing out of your speakers with those drum flicks and Guy’s zippy playing.

It’s straight into funeral Blues – slow and brooding with "You're Gonna Need My Help" – the interplay between the two guitars thrilling the air every few seconds. Things drop to quiet again with another McKinleyfield original "Cold Weather Blues" – the slight echo on Muddy's whoops giving the tune a huge otherworldly chasm vibe ("...going down south people where the weather suits my cold..."). Things get physically animated in the trouser area on the witty John Temple song "Big Leg Woman" where our hero implores his ladies to "...keep your dresses down..." lest he gets too excited and goes all bulldog on their jellyrolls (yikes). His long-suffering gal has to put up with Muddy excuses like "...don't say I don’t love you because I stays out all night long..." on the beautifully simple "Country Boy”. Both it and the final nugget "Feel Like Going Home" have some of the finest playing too – guitars squeaking and groaning as the necks get worked. "Feel Like Going Home" in particular is just him and his guitar and is truly fabulous stuff...all mojo man and Blues feeling dripping off every lick and moan...

The five Bonus Tracks are all studio efforts too – singles from April and October 1964 sessions – but this time with a full band in tow. With the added visceral power the beautiful remaster gives them – the extras come as a welcome addition after all that acoustic Blues. For me the double-whammy of "The Same Thing" b/w "You Can't Lose What You Never Had" on Chess 1895 is the one of the finest examples of Chess genius. The brilliantly witty Willie Dixon A-side has Muddy chronicling the downfall of all men – the lure of a big-legged woman – while "You Can't Lose What You Never Had" is one of those stunning atmospheric B-sides you hear about but can never locate. And while the boogie of "My John The Conqueror Root" is great – the Saxophone sounds ever so slightly out of place. Better fun is another naughty "way up around her knee" tune written by Saxophonist John T. Brown called "Short Dress Woman" which has an almost New Orleans vibe going on in there – both Otis Spann on Piano and James Cotton on Harmonica playing up a blinder.

"...Put me in your lay away plan...with just a small deposit down..." - Muddy Waters sings in the last track on this fantastic "Folk Singer" expanded CD – and that sounds like damn good advice to me...

This review and hundreds more like it are part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Books Series:

Check out the e-Book for Blues, Vocals Groups, R'n'B and R'n'R available from my Author's Page at...

“The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues” by HOWLIN’ WOLF [featuring Hubert Sumlin and Buddy Guy] (2002 Universal/MCA/Chess CD – Erick Labson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Three Hundred Pounds Of Heavenly Joy..."

'Look what you get' indeed. Don't let that big smiling face fool you. Standing at six foot three inches and with a neck as big as a tree trunk – Chester Burnett could scare the crap out of Beelzebub and out-sing his nastier brother too. But Howlin' Wolf was not just a musical force of nature (the real deal as Sam Phillips said when he first heard his famous vocal growl) – he was a mischievous and often very funny Blues Man. And never is that more evident than on this fabulous twofer that brings together two rare albums in the "Real Folk Blues" series Chess Records put out in the Sixties (1966 and 1967 to be exact). Both are studio sets and contain classics like "Killing Floor" (covered by Zeppelin on "II") and the 'look what you get' song "Built For Comfort". Here are the three hundred pounds of heavenly joy...

US released March 2002 (April 2002 in the UK) – "The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues" by HOWLIN’ WOLF on Universal/MCA/Chess 088 122 820-2 (Barcode 008811282028) is part of Universal's "Blues Classics: Remastered & Revisited" CD Series and pans out as follows (66:43 minutes):

1. Killing Floor
2. Louise
3. Poor Boy
4. Sittin' On Top Of The World
5. Nature
6. My Country Sugar Mama
7. Tail Dragger [ Side 2]
8. Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy
9. The Natchez Burnin'
10. Build For Comfort
11. Ooh Baby Hold Me
12. Tell Me What I've Done
Tracks 1 to 12 are the LP "The Real Folk Blues" – released January 1966 in the USA on Chess LP 1502. Tracks 1, 2 and 6 were recorded August 1964 – Track 7 September 1962 – Tracks 8 and 10 are August 1963 – Tracks 11 and 12 are from August 1965 while the remainder are various Fifties recordings.

13. Just My Kind
14. I've Got A Woman
15. Work For Your Money
16. I'll Be Around
17. You Can't Be Beat
18. No Place To Go (You Gonna Wreck My Life)
19. I Love My Baby
20. Neighbors
21. I'm The Wolf
22. Rockin' Daddy
23. Who Will Be Next
24. I Have A Little Girl
Tracks 13 to 24 are the album "More Real Folk Blues" – released January 1967 in the USA on Chess LP 1512

The 12-page booklet features a short essay of The Wolf by the noted Blues Historian Mary Katherine Aldin who did Hip-O Select’s annotation for their magnificent Volume 2 of Muddy Waters' complete Chess recordings "Hoochie Coochie Man..." in 2004. Pages 6, 7 and 8 reproduced the original liner notes to both LPs from Willie Dixon and Paul Williams (of Crawdaddy Magazine) respectively while the rest is taken up with reissue credits. Good names like ANDY McKAIE and BETH STEMPEL have coordinated the series – but the big news is new Remastering by ERICK LABSON at Universal. His credits list runs like a who’s who of Chess artists (Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Etta James, The Dells, Rotary Connection) as well as many prestigious Rock catalogues (Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Mamas and Papas, Neil Diamond, Wishbone Ash and The Who) to name but a few. The Audio on the first album which is mainly in Stereo rocks throughout - but the second LP which features 1953 to 1956 Mono material is only as good as the recordings were – lively and full of rough Blues - but not the sonic blast the first record is. Considering what he had to work with – the Audio overall is great – full of presence.

As you can see from the details beneath the track listing – "The Real Folk Blues” album is made up of tracks from 1963, 1964 and 1965 with a smattering of older Fifties cuts (almost all were American Chess 45s) and it opens with a double from an August 1964 session. "Killing Floor" is a Blues tune probably more famous to Rock fans through Led Zeppelin who naughtily tried to rename it "The Lemon Song" on certain copies of "Zeppelin II" in 1969 (other copies correctly credit it as "Killing Floor" by Chester Burnett). In some ways they were both at it. It's arguable that Wolf's version is a radical update of "Hard Times Killing Floor" by Skip James that dates back to the Thirties. In 1969 Jimmy Page and Robert Plant over in England then take Wolf's re-working and do exactly the same – reshape it into yet another beast called "The Lemon Song". Either way what you do hear in Wolf's opening salvo is the fantastic band. Both Hubert Sumlin and Buddy Guy are on the Guitars, Lafayette Leak plays Piano, Arnold Rogers and Donald Hankins play the Saxophones with Andrew McMahon on Bass and Sam Lay on Drums. "Louise" has wicked guitar work too and a fantastic vocal and Wolf lyrics like "...Louise you’d better come home...somebody's been fishing in your pond...baby since you've been gone..."

"Poor Boy" is an oldie from 1957 where you get to hear the Wolf’s underrated Harmonica playing while his cover of "Sittin' On Top Of The World" from the same session gives The Mississippi Sheiks Okeh 78" a run for its 1930 money. The jaunty CB original "Nature" again opens with his shockingly good Harp playing and from there we're back to a 1964 winner "My Country Sugar Mama" (often shortened by future copyists to just "Sugar Mama"). The fab "Sugar Mama" is one of those gem B-sides (Chess 1911 in 1964 with “Love Me Darlin’” was on the A) that once again offers his sneaky Bluesy brilliance - the kind of 'look-out-ladies' hoochie-coochie Blues he was so effortlessly good at. The moaning guitar of "Tail Dragger" was put out as a 45 on Chess 1890 in 1964 (with "Hidden Charms" on its flipside) and features prominent axework from another Chess Records hero Hubert Sumlin. With Johnny Jones on the Piano and J.T. Brown on Tenor Sax, “Ooh Baby, Hold Me” has fantastic Audio - every instrument in your face - and for all the right reasons.

His funniest tune "300 Pounds Of Joy" was issued as a masterpiece double-sided 45 by Chess in 1963 with the equally brill "Built For Comfort" on the flipside (Chess 1870). Both were wickedly hip at the time and remain so to this day – so much so that one or both will surely be flogging some luxury car in the next five years - as it comes sailing out of some wind-tunnel in a slick as snake oil TV advert. Dark and dangerous describes "The Natchez Burnin'" which comes at you with a hurt meanness. But my real crave is the album finisher - the properly Bluesy "Tell Me What I've Done" with Buddy Guy's accomplished guitar playing enriching everything – a fabulous A-side to Chess 1928 in late 1965.

You would have to say that the follow-up album released exactly one year after the first is not nearly as good – but still has moments that warrant purchase. It features old material recorded between 1953 and 1956 with Otis Spann at the Piano and a combo of Hubert Sumlin, Jody Williams and Lee Cooper on the guitars (Willie Dixon on Bass). The whole album is rough and grungy with his huge set of pipes almost distorting the tapes. And once again with tracks like "I'll Be Around" you hear his wicked Harp playing while the keyboard prowess of Otis Spann puts a boogie into "Neighbors". Axeman Lee Cooper gives "I'm The Wolf" and "Neighbors" some chugging riffs and shuffling guitar respectively (what a band they must have been live). "Rockin' Daddy" is barroom boogie too as he growls "...I can rock you all night long..." and means it. The LP ends on the salacious "I Have A Little Girl" where his latest lady love is 18-years old - but you can't help thinking that she isn't as innocent now as she was when she left momma's house...

Born in the Mississippi Delta in June 1910 and finally lost to us too soon in January 1976 – I can only tremble at the thought of Howlin' Wolf in the live environment – wailing like a cross between an alligator and a mad dog – whooping it up as the band tears into "Built For Comfort" (and 'not for speed') - literally climbing the onstage curtains at one infamous gig and driving the audience wild. Wow!

"...I got everything that a good girl need..." he sang. I don’t doubt that for a nanosecond Mister Burnett...be with the angels...

PS: Titles in the Universal US-Only "Blues Classics - Remastered & Revisited" CD Series are:
(1 and 2 are SUHA GUR remasters, 3 to 11 are ERICK LABSON remasters and I've reviewed most)

1. Bad News Is Coming - LUTHER ALLISON
(1972 Gordy LP, 2001 CD Remaster + Four Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks) - Universal 440 013 407-2 (Barcode 044001340727)

2. Luther’s Blues - LUTHER ALLISON
(1974 USA 9-track LP with 3 Previously Unreleased bonuses, 70:28 minutes)
Universal 440 013 409-2 (Barcode 044001340925)

3. Two Steps From The Blues - BOBBY BLAND
(1961 USA 12-track LP on Duke with 2 bonuses, 35:12 minutes)
MCA 088 112 516-2 (Barcode 008811251628)

4. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - JOHN LEE HOOKER
(October 1966 and September 1991 LPs on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 79:44 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 821-2 (Barcode 008811282127)

5. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - HOWLIN' WOLF
(January 1966 on Chess and January 1967 on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 66:45 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 820-2 (Barcode 008811282028)

6. Tell Mama: The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions - ETTA JAMES
(January 1968 US 12-Track LP on Cadet - 13-22 being bonuses, 57:11 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 518-2 (Barcode 008811251826)

7. Live At San Quentin - B.B. KING
(1990 13-Track Compilation on MCA, no extras, 64:09 minutes)
MCA America 088 112 517-2 (Barcode 008811251727)

8. At Newport 1960 - MUDDY WATERS
(1960 US 9-Track LP on Chess with 10-13 being 4 Mono Studio Tracks from June 1960 as bonus tracks, 44:41 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 515-2 (Barcode 008811251529)

9. Fathers & Sons - MUDDY WATERS (with Paul Butterfield, Otis Spann, Mike Bloomfield, Donald 'Duck' Dunn and Buddy Miles)
(Tracks 1-10 and 15-20 is the August 1969 2LP set on Chess in Full with Tracks 11, 12, 13 being previously unreleased - and 14 previously unreleased in the USA). (77:38 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 648-2 (Barcode 008811264826)

10. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - MUDDY WATERS
MCA/Chess 088 112 822-2 (Barcode 008811282226)

11. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON
(January 1966 and January 1967 LPs on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 65:28 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 823-2 (Barcode 008811282325)