circa il blues di chicago x Rodrigoooo Big Mama Thornton - With the Muddy Waters Blues Band (1966) (CD 2004 riessue) 01 >00:00 Im Feeling Alright 02 >02:57 Sometimes I Have a Heartache 03 >06:42 Black Rat (Take 4) 04 >09:31 Life Goes On 05 >12:55 Everything Gonna Be Alright 06 >17:57 Big Mamas Bumble Bee Blues 07 >22:06 Gimme a Penny (Take 6) 08 >26:41 Looking the World Over 09 >28:51 I Feel the Way I Feel 10 >33:53 Guide Me Home 11 >38:14 Black Rat (Take 2) 12 >41:02 Wrapped Tight 13 >44:18 Gimme a Penny (Take 5) 14 >48:14 Big Mamas Shuffle 15 >51:49 Since I Fell for You 16 >56:19 Im Feeling Alright (Fast Version) Big Mama Thorton - Vocals Muddy Waters - guitar Otis Spann - Pian James Cotton - harmonica Sammy Lawhorn - guitar Luther Johnson - bass Francis Clay - drum Review by Al Campbell (ALLMUSIC) In the mid- 60s, Big Mama Thornton was a relatively obscure blues singer known mainly for her original recording of Hound Dog in 1953, three years before Elvis had a monster hit with it. Due to a lack of gigs, Thornton had a tough time keeping a steady band on the road and would scramble to gather consistently decent musicians. Fortunately, Arhoolie Records founder and president Chris Strachwitz had witnessed an amazing performance of the era which had Thornton backed by a group of Chicago musicians who included Buddy Guy on guitar. With that performance in mind, Strachwitz was determined to capture that excellence in the studio. He offered the gig to Muddy Waters, whom he met in San Francisco a few days prior to this session. Muddy accepted and brought with him James Cotton (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Sammy Lawhorn (guitar), Luther Guitar Junior Johnson (bass), and Francis Clay (drums). What came out at Coast Recorders on April 25, 1966 is presented on this 17-track disc including seven previously unreleased cuts. From the low-down gutbucket blues of Black Rat, and Big Mamas Shuffle (featuring both Thornton and James Cotton engaging in a battle of the harps), to the hazy, late-night atmosphere of Life Goes On, Since I Fell for You, and I Feel the Way I Feel, all of this material is absolutely timeless. One can only imagine what would have happened if Big Mamas hopes of recording a gospel album with this band had been fulfilled. Rewiew by Larry Kelp (arhoolie) Big Mama Thorton - Vocals; Muddy Waters - guitar; Otis Spann - Piano; James Cotton - harmonica; Sammy Lawhorn - guitar; Luther Johnson - bass; Francis Clay - drums Big Mama Thornton is one of the greatest Blues shouters of all time. Her music has influenced the likes of Janis Joplin and Elvis, who would later cover songs originally recorded by Big Mama. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1984. In 1966 she joined with the Muddy Waters Blues band to cut a classic album of down home shoutin blues for Arhoolie Records. This CD features 7 previously unissued tracks (#s 11-17). 1. Im Feeling Alright 2. Sometimes I have a Heartache 3. Black Rat (take 4) 4. Life Goes On 5. Everything Gonna Be Alright 6. Big Mamas Bumble Bee Blues 7. Gimme A Penny (take 6) 8. Looking The World Over 9. I Feel The Way I Feel 10. Guide Me Home 11. Black Rat (take 2) 12. Wrapped Tight 13. Gimme A Penny (take 5) 14. Big Mamas Shuffle 15. Since I fell For You 16. Im Feeling Alright (fast version) 17. Big Mamas Blues (My Love) REVIEW “Big Mama Thornton with the Muddy Waters Blues Band, arguably one of the all-time great blues recordings, has just been saved from oblivion, thanks to the man who recorded it, local folklorist and Arhoolie owner, Chris Strachwitz…The Big Mama/Muddy pairing happened only once on record, but nearly 40 years later, its sound grabs you with a sweaty vitality and creative urgency rarely heard in today’s music.” Big Mama Thornton - by Matteo (robertjohnson) Big Mama Thornton è davvero una delle grandi signore del blues. Purtroppo non ha mai avuto il successo che si sarebbe meritata, nonostante sia ritenuta, anche dalla critica, una delle voci più potenti ed espressive del blues al femminile. Per lei hanno però avuto successo le sue canzoni, reinterpretate da alcune tra le più grandi personalità non solo del blues, ma di tutta la storia della musica del ’900. Una per tutti, Hound Dog, resa famosa da Elvis Presley. Nata nell’Alabama, a Montgomery, come Willia Mae Thornton, fonda le sue radici sulla musica gospel, presentissima nella sua casa grazie all’influenza del padre predicatore e della madre cantante gospel. La prima esperienza come cantante professionaista avvenne da giovanissima, all’età di 15 anni, quando si unì agli Hot Harlem Review si Atlanta, Georgia, dove si era trasferita dopo la scomparsa della madre. Questa esperienza la formò notevolmente, migliorando l’uso e la tecnica vocale e imparando a cantare da vera professionista. Inoltre, impaò a suonare la batteria e l’armonica a bocca, che utilizzava spessissimo durante le sue esibizioni live. Poco più che ventenne venne messa sotto contratto dalla Peacock Records, per la quale registrò oltre 30 brani, spesso accompagnata dal trombettista Johnny Otis. Il successo arrivò poco dopo con il grande singolo Hound Dog, che l’ha fermata nella storia della musica. Jerry Lieber e Mike Stoller la scrisssro apposta per lei, e in effetti la potenza vocale di Big Mama non fece che dare fiato al successo del brano, che raggiunse presto la prima posizione della classifica R&B del 1952 rimanendoci per diverse settimane. Negli anni successivi collaborò con diversi e numerosi musicisti, fino alla fine degli anni ’50, m poi la sua stella cominciò a brillare meno, soprattutto in America, dove la sua attività si limitava a pochi live nei locali di S. Francisco. La prima metà degli anni ’60 regalò ancora un po’ di successo a Big Mama soprattutto in Europa, grazie alla partecipazione al Monterey Jazz Festival, che le regalò la possibilità di ottenere un contratto discografico per la registrazione dell’album Big Mama Thornton With The Muddy Waters Blues Band del 1966 e Ball and Chain, due anni più tardi, che contine la title track che Janis Joplin aveva già inciso poco tempo prima. Nel decennio successivo incise ancora alcuni live americani, ma la sua salute cominciò a peggiorare, portandola a terminare, a causa soprattutto dell’alcolismo, la sua carriera in modo abbastanza brusco. Big Mama Thornton scomparve infatti a causa di un infarto, non ancora sessantenne, nel 1984 nella sua casa di Los Angeles, portandosi con sè per sempre la sua fantastica e potente voce. Articolo di Svevo Ruggeri (eclipse-magazine) Big Mama Thornton Scritto da: Svevo Ruggeri febbraio 9, 2010 in Blues Skin Bigmama - La prima grande voce femminile del blues Se il popolo del blues dovesse decretare la prima vera regina della grande tradizione musicale dei Neri d’America, Big Mama Thornton, otterrebbe indiscutibilmente un consenso unanime. Vera icona delle origini del blues, Willa Mae Thornton nasce a Montgomery, nello Stato di Alabama, nel lontano 11 dicembre 1926. Passata alla storia per il suo inconfondibile timbro vocale, rude e al contempo passionale, Big Mama Thornton è sin da subito molto apprezzata dai critici e dai cultori del genere, non riuscendo tuttavia a raggiungere durante l’arco della sua intera esistenza la vera popolarità ed il grande successo commerciale. Dopo una lunga permanenza in diversi cori gospel, la cantante si trasferisce giovanissima ad Atlanta nello stato della Georgia, iniziando un sodalizio artistico con gli Hot Harlem Review di Sammy Green, un’esperienza che le consentirà di affinare la tecnica vocale e di imparare a suonare alcuni strumenti musicali come la batteria e l’armonica. Il suo primo contratto discografico lo ottiene nel 1951 con la Peacock Records, uno studio indipendente (in seguito chiamato Duca-Peacock) noto per appoggiare i più promettenti artisti soprattutto blues e gospel; sempre negli stessi anni si registra una proficua collaborazione con il trombettista Johnny Otis. Verso la fine degli anni ’50 la sua carriera attraversa una fase di profonda crisi, dovuta essenzialmente alla fine del suo contratto con la casa discografica che qualche anno prima l’aveva lanciata al grande pubblico. Negli anni ‘60 la cantante torna sui palcoscenici musicali più importanti partecipando al Monterey Jazz Festival (nelle edizioni del 1964 e del 1966) e girando l’Europa con l’American Folk Blues Festival. Dopo queste sue brillanti performances la Thornton ottiene un contratto con l’etichetta Arhoolie per la quale registra gli album “Big Mama Thornton With The Muddy Waters Blues Band” (1966) e “Ball and Chain” (1968). Big Mama Thornton esegue inoltre diverse registrazioni per Chris Strachwitz, produttore di Arhoolie Records: “Big Mama Thornton: In Europa” (1966); “Big Mama Thornton con la Chicago Blues Band” (1967), con Muddy Waters, Sam “Lightnin ‘ Hopkins, e Otis Spawn, e “Ball & Chain” (1968), una raccolta di lavori originali di Thornton, Hopkins, e Larry Williams. Questa straordinaria figura del blues delle origini, contraddistinta da una voce potente e al contempo vibrante, si è spenta nel 1984 nella sua casa di Los Angeles per un infarto, probabilmente causato dai suoi noti abusi di alcool. Recensione di Sugarbluz (bluesreviews) Big Mama Thornton with the Muddy Waters Blues Band Big Mama Thornton with the Muddy Waters BandQuando Bessie Smith morì nel lontano 1937, Willie Mae Thornton era nata da quasi 11 anni. È bello supporre che fu allora che Bessie le passò il testimone. Willie Mae, con un padre predicatore e una madre cantante in chiesa, era destinata a cantare il gospel, e invece all’età 14 anni, agli inizi degli anni 1940, lasciò la sua città natale, Montgomery in Alabama, e s’imbarcò nella rivista itinerante di Sammy Green con base ad Atlanta, Hot Harlem Revue. Vi lavorò per 7 anni girando i teatri del sud, cantando e ballando il blues, imparando a stare sul palcoscenico e continuando a suonare l’armonica e la batteria, strumenti che già in tenera età interiorizzò guardando gli altri. Verso la fine di quella decade decide di stabilirsi a Houston, attratta dal calamitante terreno del R&B texano, esibendosi nei locali della zona e dando inizio a due collaborazioni importanti per la sua carriera immediata e del decennio successivo: con Johnny Otis e la sua band, prevalentemente in tour sulla costa occidentale, e con il produttore/autore/impresario Don Robey, boss della texana Peacock Records. Diventò Big Mama dal momento in cui una locandina del teatro Apollo di New York, affissa per la pubblicità di un contest, recitava per contrasto: Big Mama Thornton and Little Esther, e comunque il soprannome le calzava. Là esordì con Have Mercy, Mercy, Baby, hit dei Dominoes, assicurandosi la serata dopo; la piccola Ester ovviamente era la meravigliosa Esther Phillips, e tutte e due erano pupille di Johnny Otis. È il 1953 il suo anno di svolta. Mentre è in tour con Junior Parker e Johnny Ace (1) esce con n. 1612 il suo ultimo lavoro per Peacock, registrato a Hollywood con la band di Johnny Otis: diventerà il suo unico, grande hit, e oggi oggetto di culto per i collezionisti di dischi. Da un lato c’è la spiritata Nightmare con Otis al vibrafono, dall’altra l’esplosiva, graffiante, esplicita Hound Dog, consegnatale scritta su un sacchetto di carta marroncina da due autori ventenni studenti di college, ebrei della costa est emigrati con la famiglia a L.A. negli anni 1950: Jerry Leiber e Mike Stoller, che già da teenager avevano riscosso un successo non casuale. Il testo è d’effetto pur trattando la comune materia della promessa d’amore infranta, e sorprende come due giovani bianchi della middle-class abbiano saputo cogliere l’arte espressiva nera, quella che con poche pennellate dipinge un affresco intero, pur sempre con i contorni sfumati. Solo una come Willie Mae, ormai un nome nel circuito del sud, poteva credibilmente interpretare con il suo fantastico strumento vocale, con il suo caratteristico growl, la parte della paladina contro l’uomo “segugio”, possessivo e controllore della sua donna. Big Mama Thornton, Nightmare Un segnale del successo del disco fu che subito dopo uscì un answer song maschile, Bear Cat di Rufus Thomas. Aveva la stessa melodia e fu un hit anche per lui e la neonata Sun Records, ma costò caro perché persero la causa intentata da Peacock per plagio, e anche in questo caso ora si tratta di rarità: il disco originale Sun 181 M di prima stampa vale 400 $. La canzone scritta è metà dell’opera, l’altra metà sta nella personalità di chi la interpreta, ed è soprattutto da qui che parte o non parte il successo di una versione rispetto ad un’altra. Willie Mae la fa sua, cambia qualche parola, ci mette il suo hollerin’, la sua verve, il suo sarcasmo, con la banda che garantisce un’efficace percussiva e Carl Pete ‘Guitar’ Lewis (uno dei più grandi sideman del periodo, insieme a Jimmy Nolen e Wayne Bennett) che la marchia a fuoco con una serie di piccoli lick rimasti scolpiti nella storia del R&B. Lei però s’accorge d’aver sfondato solo quando sente annunciare per radio il suo nome e la canzone, per il resto l’affare economico le rimane estraneo; negli anni a seguire la canterà e registrerà molte volte, ma l’originale non dovrebbe mancare in nessuna collezione (si può trovare in un cd MCA del 1992, “Hound Dog: The Peacock Recordings”). Non si può parlare di Big Mama senza parlare di Hound Dog, non solo perché la identifica bene ed è il suo signature song, ma anche perché rappresenta un cliché sfortunato, occorso di tanto in tanto agli interpreti che si son visti soffiare un loro successo, e questo fu proprio quello che accadde nella carriera di una delle più grandi, se non la più grande, blues singer del dopoguerra, ponte di continuità con quelle degli anni 1920/1940. Il brano le permise un’immediata notorietà nazionale, ma non le garantì ricavi da diritti né gloria, nonostante vendette più di 2 milioni di copie: tutto quello che prese fu un assegno da 500 $, e dopo pochi anni fu totalmente dimenticata dal pubblico, eclissata dalla maggior fortuna che ne ricavò Elvis Presley, il quale nell’immaginario collettivo diventò l’unico e originale interprete della canzone, che tra l’altro perse il suo significato originario. Fu la generazione hippy a riscoprirla, indirettamente, al festival di Monterey Pop, grazie alla storica esibizione del 1967 di un’ancora relativamente acerba Janis Joplin, acerba rispetto all’evoluzione che ebbe in pochi anni. Joplin fu la migliore “spolveratrice” di Bessie Smith e Big Mama Thornton, vissuta sullo stesso filo esistenziale e d’evidente talento, nonostante agli inizi s’accompagnasse con una mediocre rock band come Big Brother. Monterey lanciò la cantante texana nel mito, e lì presentò un brano di Willie Mae, Ball and Chain, costruito su un sofferente canovaccio blues, quello della prigione. Negli anni 1960 Big Mama scontò il fatto di non avere un gruppo su misura per lei, e della mancanza di una continuità artistica e produttiva che la valorizzasse, dopo che Peacock la mollò alla fine degli anni 1950 perché considerata ormai fuori dalle tendenze musicali del periodo, e/o forse per bisticci economici. Inoltre, tra la fine degli anni 1950 e oltre la metà degli anni 1960, ci fu la prima grande crisi commerciale del blues, con la difficoltà a trovare buoni ingaggi anche per i colleghi uomini, da sempre meno penalizzati rispetto alle donne. È in quel periodo (1966) che Chris Strachwitz, insegnante e produttore californiano impegnato a organizzare eventi dal vivo e sedute discografiche genuinamente blues attraverso la sua Arhoolie, e personaggio che ha giocato la sua parte nel favorire il blues revival della fine degli anni 1960, ha la possibilità di conoscere e di far suonare a Berkeley, in un campus universitario, Muddy Waters e la sua band, di passaggio a San Francisco per un concerto in un night club. La prima parte dell’evento vide Mance Lipscomb, Clifton Chenier e Lightnin’ Hopkins, la seconda Muddy e il suo gruppo. A quel punto Strachwitz, essendo stato l’anno prima in Europa per AFBF con Thornton, Fred McDowell, Eddie Boyd e Buddy Guy, si ricordò di quanto bene era stata Big Mama accompagnata dai musicisti di Chicago in seduta d’incisione a Londra (il cd è Arhoolie 9056, Big Mama Thornton In Europe). Big Mama Thornton, T-Bone WalkerCosì, quando anche lei appare a S. Francisco, il produttore non si fa scappare l’occasione di metterla insieme alla band di Muddy, soprattutto dopo che vide sfumare la possibilità di accoppiarla con ‘Gatemouth’ Brown (suo compagno d’etichetta e di tour negli anni 1950). Come conferma Strachwitz nelle note, Muddy ha interesse a far lavorare la sua band quanto più possibile così, il 25 aprile del 1966, lui, Big Mama, James Cotton, Otis Spann, Samuel Lawhorn, Luther Johnson (al basso) e Francis Clay entrano ai Coast Recorders, per una seduta d’incisione forse promettente ma soprattutto improvvisata, aldilà dei brani che Thornton e il suo manager, Jim Moore, hanno in mente di registrare. In questo n. 9043 Arhoolie ha messo 17 tracce, le prime 10 catturate magistralmente e lasciate missate in stereo dal registratore a 3 piste originariamente usato, le altre 7 missate nel 2004 con meno effetto stereo, e mai pubblicate prima. Muddy, comunque, non sembra molto interessato, e la sensazione è che si defili e faccia lavorare i suoi, come si preannuncia dalla prima I’m Feeling Alright, nella quale Cotton fa un lavoro pregevole all’armonica, arricchendo il brano d’un sentimento incontenibile per chi ascolta, ma trattenuto da chi suona, aderente alla narrazione forte ma non sopra le righe di Big Mama. La band costruisce la classica polifonia di Chicago, con piccole frasi uscenti da Cotton, Spann e Lawhorn, fugaci come schegge di luce, mentre Francis Clay è esente da giudizio, ad un livello indiscutibile perché tutto quello che fa è pura estetica del ritmo. E dopo la gioia in previsione di bei momenti arriva Sometimes I Have A Heartache, dove Big Mama sembra sul punto di piangere, Spann e Cotton costruiscono attorno a lei una cornice perfetta, e le due chitarre (quella di Lawhorn e quella basso di Johnson) sembrano farle scendere i gradini dell’inferno. Ancora con bell’effetto sonoro è la superba Black Rat, presa da una musicista di forte ispirazione per Big Mama accreditata come Minnie Lawlars, in arte la grande innovatrice Memphis Minnie che firma con il cognome del suo terzo e ultimo marito, Ernest Lawlars, detto Little Son Joe (gli altri furono i più famosi Casey Bill Weldon e ‘Kansas’ Joe McCoy, quest’ultimo suo partner anche in numerosi duetti). Non è escluso che l’idea di Hound Dog sia stata ispirata da questa Black Rat (e nel campionario di Memphis Minnie c’è anche un Black Cat, tanto per non farsi mancare niente). Nella versione originale lui è rappresentato come un ratto, un animale sfruttatore che appena lei esce di casa s’intrufola nella sua cucina e nel suo letto, lasciando tracce evidenti del suo passaggio, ma qui Thornton, oltre al chorus, usa solo una delle tre strofe originali: dalla riduzione si ricava un ritratto accennato e fosco, quindi più cupo e privo di spunti comici. Big Mama Thornton, I Smell A RatLa parabola del topo che s’insinua sarà scritta anche da George Jackson, dandogli i connotati dell’infedeltà, vista da parte maschile con il grande soul singer Clarence Carter (per la cronaca, anche lui di Montgomery), il quale con il suo limpido baritono canta in I Smell A Rat della presenza invisibile di uno “sporco, meschino topo”, ma del tipo “con la testa grossa e due gambe”. Essendo però la frase I smell a rat un modo di dire comune, l’equivalente del nostro “sentire puzza di bruciato”, ha avuto largo uso in canzoni diverse. Big Mama incise la sua I Smell A Rat nel 1953, sulla falsariga di Hound Dog. Passa anche la ballata Life Goes On, lentamente distillata con l’aiuto di Spann, prima di sentire finalmente in Everything Gonna Be Alright il tipico intro di Muddy Waters, sormontato poi da un Cotton ispirato per tutta la sessione, e a ruota i segnali sparsi di Lawhorn, di Spann, e più avanti ancora di Muddy che tira giù piccoli fulmini zigzaganti dal cielo, tutti legati ad un’unica fune trainata anche da Johnson e dalla cantante stessa alla batteria. Il contralto arrochito e fremente di Big Mama si placa in questo slow di 5 minuti che riesce a evitare il latente rischio monotonia grazie solo a questi maestri del blues che piano lo snocciolano, quasi nell’attesa loro stessi di ciò che Willie Mae ha in mente di dire. E a proposito del suo dire è inevitabile notare la colloquialità del suo canto, la facilità e naturalezza con le quali s’esprime, come se parlasse, senza artifici. È bello il modo in cui arriva a dire everything gonna be alright, al min. 2:41. Le esce fuori così paziente ed espressivo da sembrare rassicurante come una madre che parla ad un bambino, con quel “andrà tutto bene, perché lo sento nelle mie ossa”. Torna il terreno più pittoresco insieme alla colorita fantasia della schietta Memphis Minnie, e torna il richiamo fisico, più che metafisico, ad un animale stavolta benevolo, il bombo, o calabrone, del quale sente la mancanza, con l’esplicita Big Mama’s Bumble Bee Blues, paradigma spinto che ai suoi tempi non mancò di provocare in Big Bill Broonzy una decisa risposta, su un veloce ritmo ragtime, Long Tall Mama: Big Bill e Minnie rivaleggiavano nei localacci del south side chicagoano. Gimme A Penny, del suo manager, è presentata nei take 5 e 6, ma Strachwitz precisa che non sono state fatte 6 take complete, piuttosto sono riportate con gli identificativi dati dal tecnico del suono, comprendenti le false partenze. L’effetto drammatico è garantito con la cantante che mendica un importantissimo penny, necessario per chiamare il suo uomo che sta aspettando, salvo poi cambiare idea sul finale della n. 6, smorzando con una virata inattesa, decidendo invece di farsi, con quello stesso penny, una bevutina, probabilmente sorprendendo lo stesso autore presente in studio. Altro bel prestito della famiglia Lawlars è la brillante Looking The World Over, registrata nel 1941 da Memphis Minnie per OKeh. Big Mama e la band, scoppiettanti d’energia mai sopratono, l’interpretano benissimo, come tutte quelle della pugnace cantante-chitarrista di Algiers, ma anche l’originale è da non perdere, sia per l’ottimo sonoro che per il talento mordente di Lizzie Douglas, che Thornton ha fatto suo. Non so se Arthur Crudup abbia preso da là l’idea per Look On Yonder’s Wall, o viceversa, perché sono simili. Big Mama Thornton and Muddy Waters BandI Feel The Way I Feel e Guide Me Home sono due lenti blues d’ispirazione chiesastica, il secondo più marciante. La scena è di Big Mama, il pianista e la sezione ritmica le stanno dietro cauti, assecondandola. Nonostante i poteri sovrannaturali di Spann di lettura nel pensiero le due non spiccano il volo, forse quel giorno Mama non era in spirito per il gospel. Wrapped Tight è un baldanzoso mid-shuffle chicagoano, in cui Cotton trilla e ventila come un vaporetto dove Mama è il comandante, Spann e Lawhorn i fuochisti, la base ritmica il motore, e al contempo conferma la miglior resa (in questo disco) della Sassy Mama sui ritmi sostenuti e pulsanti. Big Mama’s Shuffle è uno strumentale su uno schema boogie di Lawhorn con Johnson a fare i walkin’ bass, per un gustoso duello di armoniche tra Thornton e Cotton, mentre anche Since I Fell For You è attribuita alla cantante, ma si tratta del bellissimo standard sulla disillusione d’amore del pianista e direttore d’orchestra Buddy Johnson, ripresa trasversalmente da tanti, dai Sonics a Nina Simone, da Charlie Rich a Dr. John, da Barbra Streisand a Tom Waits, da Aaron Neville a Jimmy Witherspoon, da Mavis Staples a Nancy Wilson, da Bette Midler a Gladys Knight e molti altri, come ‘Gatemouth’ Brown. Sostenuta da Otis Spann, la big shouter qui però è come un pesce fuor d’acqua cercando d’adattarsi a quel croonerismo vellutato e sottile ideale per rivestire la canzone, alla Peggy Lee, o con lo smooth di Billie Holiday o Dinah Washington, e quest’ultima infatti l’incise nel 1947, con il suo solito, fulgido aplomb, nello stesso anno in cui uscì da Ella Johnson con l’orchestra del fratello Buddy, e da Annie Laurie con il trio di Paul Gayten. Chiude Big Mama’s Blues, una specie di lenta versione di I’m Feeling Alright, in cui duetta ancora con Cotton all’armonica, mentre sembrano ricomparire brevi guizzi dalla chitarra di Muddy. Il disco quindi non è scarso di picchi e di momenti buoni se non ottimi ma, giudicato nel complesso, ha una resa discontinua, un po’ per una certa aria svagata che aleggia tra i solchi (del resto siamo nella primavera californiana della beat generation) e un po’ per almeno 2 alt. take a mio parere inutilmente aggiunti (nn. 11 e 13), i quali dilatano l’ascolto senza tuttavia diversificare. Può rimanere infine un po’ di delusione in chi spera di sentire la slide di Muddy caratterizzare la maggior parte dei brani, perché questo non succede: in quei tempi se la portava in giro, ma non la suonava tanto, e poi forse non ci teneva troppo a giocare fuori casa con registrazioni non sue, tanto più improvvisate. Rimangono però le testimonianze dei grandi artisti presenti: le ruspanti ma compiute, viscerali intonazioni della grande cantante, la pura ispirazione di un James Cotton motivato, l’intelligenza e l’intuito musicale di un pianista sempre al tocco giusto come Otis Spann, di un tipo speciale che difficilmente si riaffaccerà sulla terra, e l’arte di un maestro dell’accompagnamento ritmico come Francis Clay. Giudicate voi, se è poco o tanto. (Articolo originariamente pubblicato il 20 Gennaio 2008) Note: Johnny Ace, pianista-cantante già nella band di B.B. King e alla radio WDIA, sotto contratto con Duke Records di Memphis, scompare proprio agli inizi di una promettente carriera. La sera di Natale del 1954, mentre “gioca” con una calibro 45 durante una pausa all’Auditorium di Houston, si spara accidentalmente alla testa; tra i testimoni c’è anche Big Mama, la quale poi in sede ufficiale negò che egli stesse giocando alla roulette russa, dichiarazione però che non esaurì il mistero attorno a quella morte. [↩] Scritto da Sugarbluz //6 maggio 2010 >> Dischi, RECENSIONI Rewiew by .... (blues.about) If she is remembered at all by any but the most dedicated blues historians, Willie Mae Big Mama Thornton is best known for her 1953 hit single Hound Dog. The song spent seven weeks on top of Billboard magazines R&B charts and made Thornton a minor star on the SE/SW chitin circuit. Later appropriated by Elvis Presley, his 1956 recording of the song overshadowed Thorntons considerable success and launched Presleys career beyond the confines of Sun Records. The Arhoolie Years Its high time that modern blues fans rediscovered the talented Thornton. Signed to Peacock Records in 1951, Thornton released a number of singles for the label throughout the decade. None hit as big as Hound Dog, however, and Thornton was eking out a meager living through sporadic performances well into the 1960s. The singer with the giant voice hooked up with blues fan and Arhoolie label founder Chris Strachwitz for a handful of mid-1960s album releases that helped redefine her career. Strachwitz had recorded an inspired Thornton performance in Europe with a band led by guitarist Buddy Guy, and he thought that lightning might strike twice. He arranged for Muddy Waters band to back Thornton on these April 1966 sessions, Thorntons powerful vocals perfectly matched by the group of veteran performers. With The Muddy Waters Blues Band After all these years, the release of Thorntons With The Muddy Waters Blues Band - 1966 is a revelation. Thornton is in good form on songs like the soulful Im Feeling Alright and the dirty blues of Black Rat. Waters band - which included Otis Spann on piano and James Cotton soaring on harmonica - embraced the material, their immense skills amplifying Thorntons performances. Especially welcome is Waters himself on guitar, the blues giants often-overlooked six-string prowess on display in songs like Everything Gonna Be Alright and Sometimes I Have A Heartache. The gospel-tinged Guide Me Home foreshadows what might have been if Thornton had been able to record the album of spiritual tunes that she wanted to while Big Mamas Bumble Bee Blues is a more secular example of traditional blues double-entendre lyrics. Bonus Tracks Worth The Wait The long overdue CD release of With The Muddy Waters Blues Band - 1966 also includes seven previously unreleased bonus tracks, including alternate takes of Black Rat, Gimme A Penny and Im Feeling Alright. It is the new songs that really stand out, though. The lively instrumental Big Mamas Shuffle showcases Thorntons harmonica skills, an instrument she would use more and more on her work into the 1970s, the song becoming a literal battle between Thornton and the raging James Cotton. Since I Fell For You is an old-fashioned torch song, drenched in emotion and dripping with passion. The album-closing Big Mamas Blues is a slow, smoky Chicago-styled blues, Spann providing rhythm on the ivories while Cotton plays off of Thorntons vocals with an impressive performance. It was well worth the almost three-decade wait to hear these tracks. The Reverends Bottom Line Remastered for CD from the original three-track (!) recordings, With The Muddy Waters Blues Band - 1966 sounds damn good for its age, suffering little from the digital transfer and playing loud, raw and vibrant. Hopefully some blues fans will pick up the album simply because of the Muddy Waters connection, or maybe the recent Janis Joplin tributes and revivals, which include Joplins version of Thorntons Ball And Chain, will cause some young listeners to seek out the original. Either way, theyll be rewarded with the ample talents of one of the blues most underrated and unique vocalists, Big Mama Thornton. (Arhoolie Records) review by Al Campbell (southernbluesrock.blogspot) In the mid- 60s, Big Mama Thornton was a relatively obscure blues singer known mainly for her original recording of Hound Dog in 1953, three years before Elvis had a monster hit with it. Due to a lack of gigs, Thornton had a tough time keeping a steady band on the road and would scramble to gather consistently decent musicians. Fortunately, Arhoolie Records founder and president Chris Strachwitz had witnessed an amazing performance of the era which had Thornton backed by a group of Chicago musicians who included Buddy Guy on guitar. With that performance in mind, Strachwitz was determined to capture that excellence in the studio. He offered the gig to Muddy Waters, whom he met in San Francisco a few days prior to this session. Muddy accepted and brought with him James Cotton (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Sammy Lawhorn (guitar), Luther Guitar Junior Johnson (bass), and Francis Clay (drums). What came out at Coast Recorders on April 25, 1966 is presented on this 17-track disc including seven previously unreleased cuts. From the low-down gutbucket blues of Black Rat, and Big Mamas Shuffle (featuring both Thornton and James Cotton engaging in a battle of the harps), to the hazy, late-night atmosphere of Life Goes On, Since I Fell for You, and I Feel the Way I Feel, all of this material is absolutely timeless. One can only imagine what would have happened if Big Mamas hopes of recording a gospel album with this band had been fulfilled. Rewiew by Dick Houff (mnblues) This album clearly demonstrates what the blues is about—raw and unpretentious. Also, hands-down, it would be criminal to deny this record a W.C. Handy Award as Best Re-Issue, and also as Album Of The Year for the seven previously unreleased tracks. However, politics seem to govern most award ceremonies—always have, but not with this album! What we have here is a George W. Bush Buster modestly priced at $10.98. You have to love Arhoolie’s mid-price series—they know your wallet is near empty (I know mine is). Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, blues singer and songwriter was born on December 11, 1926, in Montgomery, Alabama. Her father was a minister and her mother sang in the choir. It’s easy to see where those early influences came from. If you look at the history of the blues you’ll find a close link to the church and gospel leanings—and oh what voices they have—Big Mama, being no exception! Her first big hit was “Hound Dog” and the B-side was “They Call Me Big Mama.” The record sold over two million copies. Big Mama heard the record, went out and bought it along with a player, and later was paid $500.00. And three years later. Elvis had some nice wheels! The same deal occurred with “Ball And Chain,” Mama gets a hit with: “Gee, where the hell’s the money?” And then, Janis Joplin records the same song and buys a nice beach house. For these unfortunate warriors, they laid the ground work for generations of players that have no idea how they suffered. Their payment is in the preservation of what they contributed. The blues from the farm to city, a most beautiful gift. Big Mama Thornton, died of a heart attack on July 25, 1984. Rewiew by Goregirl (rateyourmusic) As far as women in blues music go, Big Mama Thornton is my favorite. Shes got one hell of a voice, I mean she was the inspiration for Janis Joplin for Petes sake! Shes got balls, this is real gritty dirty blues, and its magnificent! The guitar playing on here is courtesy of Mr. Muddy Waters so youd better believe its pretty darned impressive, and perfect for backing up Big Mama. The real impressive thing is that although some of the most talented blues musicians of all time are playing on here (Otis Spann and James Cotton play on this album also) yet still its clear that the attention is on Big Mama. This recording is from a live performance and includes amazing performances of Bumble Bee, Black Rat, and Im Feeling Alright to name a few, but truly every last song on this album is memorable. The fact that she is able to get that kind of sound and power and emotion behind her voice, and in a live recording no less really makes me depressed that I never had the chance to see her live. This album is truly classic, and if youve ever wondered about Big Mama then you must check this album out! Rewiew by Christine G.K. LaPado-Breglia (newsreview) With the Muddy Waters Blues Band-1966 Big Mama Thornton Arhoolie Productions, Inc. Impressive Alabama blues shouter Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton (who, by the way, had a U.S. hit in 1953 with “Hound Dog” three years before Elvis Presley did) died in 1984. But, lest we forget her (and we shouldn’t), Arhoolie Records has recently re-released an album of her 1966 recording session—the originally released 10 tracks plus seven more—with the Muddy Waters Blues Band (including the wonderful Otis Spann on piano). Raw and at times rough (the rhythm section isn’t always totally together, but frankly that’s part of the gutsy charm), the CD is nevertheless a gem. When you hear Thornton, in her big, inimitable, joy-inspiring voice, singing the sassy lyrics to “Black Rat” (“You is one black rat/ Someday I’ll find your trail/ I’m gonna hide my shoe/ Somewhere close to your shirttail”) or “Big Mama’s Bumble Bee Blues” (“Bumblebee, bumblebee, why don’t you come back home?/ You got the best stinger of any bumblebee I ever seen”), well, you just gotta love it! Description by .... (cduniverse) In the mid- 60s, Big Mama Thornton was a relatively obscure blues singer known mainly for her original recording of Hound Dog in 1953, three years before Elvis had a monster hit with it. Due to a lack of gigs, Thornton had a tough time keeping a steady band on the road and would scramble to gather consistently decent musicians. Fortunately, Arhoolie Records founder and president Chris Strachwitz had witnessed an amazing performance of the era which had Thornton backed by a group of Chicago musicians who included Buddy Guy on guitar. With that performance in mind, Strachwitz was determined to capture that excellence in the studio. He offered the gig to Muddy Waters, whom he met in San Francisco a few days prior to this session. Muddy accepted and brought with him James Cotton (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Sammy Lawhorn (guitar), Luther Guitar Junior Johnson (bass), and Francis Clay (drums). What came out at Coast Recorders on April 25, 1966 is presented on this 17-track disc including seven previously unreleased cuts. From the low-down gutbucket blues of Black Rat, and Big Mamas Shuffle (featuring both Thornton and James Cotton engaging in a battle of the harps), to the hazy, late-night atmosphere of Life Goes On, Since I Fell for You, and I Feel the Way I Feel, all of this material is absolutely timeless. One can only imagine what would have happened if Big Mamas hopes of recording a gospel album with this band had been fulfilled. ~ Al Campbell Recording information: Coast Recorders, San Francisco, CA (04/25/1966). Photographer: Jim Marshall . Arrangers: Big Mama Thornton; Minnie Lawlars. Personnel: Big Mama Thornton (vocals, harmonica, drums); Big Mama Thornton; James Cotton (harmonica); Luther Houserocker Johnson (bass guitar); Muddy Waters, Sammy Lawhorn (guitar); Otis Spann (piano); Francis Clay (drums); Muddy Waters Band, James T. Cotton. Liner Note Authors: Chris Strachwitz; Ralph J. Gleason; Philip Elwood. Album Notes by Al Campbell (ebay) Personnel: Big Mama Thornton (vocals, harmonica, drums); Big Mama Thornton; James Cotton (harmonica); Luther Houserocker Johnson (bass guitar); Muddy Waters, Sammy Lawhorn (guitar); Otis Spann (piano); Francis Clay (drums); Muddy Waters Band, James T. Cotton.Liner Note Authors: Chris Strachwitz; Ralph J. Gleason; Philip Elwood.Recording information: Coast Recorders, San Francisco, CA (04/25/1966).Photographer: Jim Marshall .Arrangers: Big Mama Thornton; Minnie Lawlars.In the mid- 60s, Big Mama Thornton was a relatively obscure blues singer known mainly for her original recording of Hound Dog in 1953, three years before Elvis had a monster hit with it. Due to a lack of gigs, Thornton had a tough time keeping a steady band on the road and would scramble to gather consistently decent musicians. Fortunately, Arhoolie Records founder and president Chris Strachwitz had witnessed an amazing performance of the era which had Thornton backed by a group of Chicago musicians who included Buddy Guy on guitar. With that performance in mind, Strachwitz was determined to capture that excellence in the studio. He offered the gig to Muddy Waters, whom he met in San Francisco a few days prior to this session. Muddy accepted and brought with him James Cotton (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Sammy Lawhorn (guitar), Luther Guitar Junior Johnson (bass), and Francis Clay (drums). What came out at Coast Recorders on April 25, 1966 is presented on this 17-track disc including seven previously unreleased cuts. From the low-down gutbucket blues of Black Rat, and Big Mamas Shuffle (featuring both Thornton and James Cotton engaging in a battle of the harps), to the hazy, late-night atmosphere of Life Goes On, Since I Fell for You, and I Feel the Way I Feel, all of this material is absolutely timeless. One can only imagine what would have happened if Big Mamas hopes of recording a gospel album with this band had been fulfilled. Little biography by .... (amazon) Willie Mae Big Mama Thornton only notched one national hit in her lifetime, but it was a true monster. Hound Dog held down the top slot on Billboards R&B charts for seven long weeks in 1953. Alas, Elvis Presleys rocking 1956 cover was even bigger, effectively obscuring Thorntons chief claim to immortality. Thats a damned shame, because Thorntons menacing growl was indeed something special. The hefty belter first opened her pipes in church but soon embraced the blues. She toured with Sammy Greens Hot Harlem Revue during the 1940s. Thornton was ensconced on the Houston circuit when Peacock Records boss Don Robey signed her in 1951. She debuted on Peacock with Partnership Blues that year, backed by trumpeter Joe Scotts band. But it was her third Peacock date with Johnny Otis band that proved the winner. With Pete Lewis laying down some truly nasty guitar behind her, Big Mama shouted Hound Dog, a tune whose authorship remains a bone of contention to this day (both Otis and the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller claim responsibility), and soon hit the road a star. But it was an isolated incident. Though Thornton cut some fine Peacock follow-ups -- I Smell a Rat, Stop Hoppin on Me, The Fish, Just like a Dog -- through 1957, she never again reached the hit parade. Even Elvis was apparently unaware of her; he was handed Hound Dog by Freddie Bell, a Vegas lounge rocker. Early-60s 45s for Irma, Bay-Tone, Kent, and Sotoplay did little to revive her sagging fortunes, but a series of dates for Arhoolie that included her first vinyl rendition of Ball and Chain in 1968 and two albums for Mercury in 1969-1970 put her back in circulation (Janis Joplins overwrought but well-intentioned cover of Ball and Chain didnt hurt either). Along with her imposing vocals, Thornton began to emphasize her harmonica skills during the 1960s. Wikipedia Willie Mae Big Mama Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984) was an American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter. She was the first to record Leiber and Stollers Hound Dog in 1952, which became her biggest hit. It spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B charts in 1953 and sold almost two million copies. However, her success was overshadowed three years later, when Elvis Presley recorded his more popular rendition of Hound Dog. Similarly, Thorntons Ball n Chain, had a bigger impact when performed and recorded by Janis Joplin in the late 1960s. Biography Early life Thornton was born in Ariton, Alabama. Her introduction to music started in a Baptist church, where her father was a minister and her mother a church singer. She and her six siblings began to sing at very early ages. Thornton left Montgomery at age 14 in 1941, following her mothers death. She joined Sammy Greens Georgia-based Hot Harlem Revue. Her seven-year tenure with them, which included touring the South, gave her valuable singing and stage experience. In 1948, she settled in Houston, Texas, where she hoped to further her career as a singer. She was also a self-taught drummer and harmonica player, and frequently played each instrument onstage. Career[edit] In Houston, her career began to take off. She signed a recording contract with Peacock Records in 1951 and performed at the Apollo Theater in 1952. Also in 1952, she recorded Hound Dog while working with another Peacock artist, Johnny Otis. Songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were present at the recording, with Leiber singing the song in the style they had envisioned. The record was produced by Otis, and went to number one on the R&B chart. Although the record made her a star, she saw little of the profits. In 1954, Thornton was one of the eyewitnesses to the accidental self-inflicted handgun death of blues singer Johnny Ace. She continued to record for Peacock until 1957 and performed with R&B package tours with Junior Parker and Esther Phillips. As her career began to fade in the late 1950s and early 1960s, she left Houston and relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she mostly played local blues clubs and began an association with Berkeley-based Arhoolie Records. In 1965, she toured with the American Folk Blues Festival package in Europe. While in England that year, she recorded her first album for Arhoolie, titled Big Mama Thornton — In Europe. It featured backing by blues veterans Buddy Guy (guitar), Fred Below (drums), Eddie Boyd (keyboards), Jimmy Lee Robinson (bass), and Walter Shakey Horton (harmonica), except for three songs on which Fred McDowell provided acoustic slide guitar. In 1966, Thornton recorded her second album for Arhoolie titled Big Mama Thornton with the Muddy Waters Blues Band – 1966, with Muddy Waters (guitar), Sammy Lawhorn (guitar), James Cotton (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Luther Johnson (bass guitar), and Francis Clay (drums). She performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1966 and 1968. Her last album for Arhoolie, Ball n Chain, was released in 1968. It was made up of tracks from her two previous albums, plus her composition Ball and Chain and the standard Wade in the Water. A small combo including her frequent guitarist Edward Bee Houston provided backup for the two songs. Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Companys performance of Ball n Chain at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and release of the song on their number one album Cheap Thrills renewed interest in Thorntons career. By 1969, she signed with Mercury Records, who released her most successful album Stronger Than Dirt, which reached number 198 in the Billboard Top 200 record chart. In the 1970s years of heavy drinking began to hurt Thorntons health. She was in a serious auto accident, but recovered to perform at the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival with Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, a recording of which is called The Blues — A Real Summit Meeting released by Buddha Records. One of Thorntons last albums was Jail for Vanguard Records in 1975. It captured her performances during mid-1970s concerts at two Northwestern U.S. prisons. She was backed by a blues ensemble that featured sustained jams from George Harmonica Smith, as well as guitarists Doug Macleod, Bee Houston and Steve Wachsman, drummer Todd Nelson, saxophonist Bill Potter, bassist Bruce Sieverson, and pianist J. D. Nicholson. In 1979, she performed at the San Francisco Blues Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival in 1980. Thornton continued to work the blues festival circuit until her death of a heart attack in Los Angeles on July 25, 1984, at age 57. Recognition During her career, she was nominated for the Blues Music Awards six times. In 1984, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. In addition to Ball n Chain and They Call Me Big Mama, Thornton wrote twenty other blues songs. Her Ball n Chain is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame list of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The first biography about Big Mama Thornton will be published in 2014. Discography Studio & live albums Year Title Label 1965 Big Mama Thornton — In Europe Arhoolie 1966 Big Mama Thornton with the Muddy Water Blues Band Arhoolie 1969 Stronger Than Dirt Mercury 1970 The Way It Is Mercury 1970 Maybe Roulette Records 1970 Shes Black Backbeat 1973 Saved Backbeat 1975 Jail (Live) Vanguard 1975 Sassy Mama! (Live) Vanguard 1978 Mamas Pride Vanguard Compilation Year Title Label 1968 Ball N Chain Arhoolie Muddy Waters was an American blues artist, generally considered to be the most important figure in post-World War II Chicago blues. As with most postwar blues musicians, his recordings were released as two-song record singles until the 1960s, when his record company began focusing on long-playing albums. As a result, Waters most celebrated recordings from earlier in his career appear on various Best of collections and anthologies, often with significant overlap and duplication (Allmusic shows nearly 300 entries under compilations. Included here are the singles and albums released during Muddy Waters lifetime, as well as the more notable and current live and compilation albums. McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913 – April 30, 1983), known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician who is considered the father of modern Chicago blues. He was a major inspiration for the British blues explosion in the 1960s and is ranked No. 17 in Rolling Stone magazines list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. His influence is tremendous, over a variety of music genres: blues, rhythm and blues, rock n roll, hard rock, folk, jazz, and country. He also helped Chuck Berry get his first record contract. His 1958 tour of England marked possibly the first time amplified, modern urban blues was heard there, although on his first tour he was the only one amplified. His backing was provided by Englishman Chris Barbers trad jazz group. (One critic retreated to the toilets to write his review because he found the band so loud). His use of amplification is cited as, the technological missing link between Delta Blues and Rock N Roll. This is underlined in a 1968 article in Rolling Stone magazine: “There was a difference between Muddy’s instrumental work and that of House and Johnson, however, and the crucial difference was the result of Water’s use of the electric guitar on his Aristocrat sides; he had taken up the instrument shortly after moving to Chicago in 1943.” The Rolling Stones named themselves after his 1950 song Rollin Stone (also known as Catfish Blues, which Jimi Hendrix covered as well). Hendrix recalled the first guitar player I was aware of was Muddy Waters. I first heard him as a little boy and it scared me to death. Cream covered Rollin and Tumblin on their 1966 debut album Fresh Cream, as Eric Clapton was a big fan of Muddy Waters when he was growing up, and his music influenced Claptons music career. The song was also covered by Canned Heat at the legendary Monterey Pop Festival and later adapted by Bob Dylan on the album Modern Times. One of Led Zeppelins biggest hits, Whole Lotta Love, is lyrically based upon the Muddy Waters hit You Need Love, written by Willie Dixon. Dixon wrote some of Muddy Waters most famous songs, including I Just Want to Make Love to You (a big radio hit for Etta James, as well as the 1970s rock band Foghat), Hoochie Coochie Man, which The Allman Brothers Band famously covered (the song was also covered by Humble Pie and Steppenwolf), and Im Ready. In 1993, Paul Rodgers released the album Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters, on which he covered a number of Muddy Waters songs, including Louisiana Blues, Rollin Stone, Hoochie Coochie Man and Im Ready (among others) in collaboration with a number of famous guitarists such as Gary Moore, Brian May and Jeff Beck. Angus Young of the rock group AC/DC has cited Muddy Waters as one of his influences. The AC/DC song title You Shook Me All Night Long came from lyrics of the Muddy Waters song You Shook Me, written by Willie Dixon and J. B. Lenoir. Earl Hooker first recorded it as an instrumental which was then overdubbed with vocals by Muddy Waters in 1962. Led Zeppelin also covered it on their debut album. Muddy Waters songs have been featured in long-time fan Martin Scorseses movies, including The Color of Money, Goodfellas and Casino. Muddy Waters 1970s recording of his mid-50s hit Mannish Boy (a.k.a. Im A Man) was used in Goodfellas, Better Off Dead, and the hit film Risky Business, and also features in the rockumentary The Last Waltz. The song Come Together by The Beatles references Muddy Waters: He roller coaster/he got Muddy Waters. Van Morrison lyrics include Muddy Waters singin, Im a Rolling Stone from his 1982 song Cleaning Windows, on the Album Beautiful Vision American Stoner Metal band Bongzilla covered Muddy Waters song Champagne and Reefer on their album Amerijuanican. The 2006 Family Guy episode Saving Private Brian includes a parody of Muddy Waters trying to pass a kidney stone; his screams of pain form a call and response with the Chicago blues band in his bathroom. In 2008, Jeffrey Wright portrayed Muddy in the biopic Cadillac Records, a film about the rise and fall of Chess Records and the lives of its recording artists. A second 2008 film about Leonard Chess and Chess Records, Who Do You Love, also covers Muddys time at Chess Records. In the 2009 film The Boat that Rocked (retitled Pirate Radio in the U.S) about pirate radio in the UK, the cryptic message that late-night DJ Bob gives to Carl to give to Carls mother is: Muddy Waters Rocks. In 1990, the television show Doogie Howser, M.D. featured an episode called Doogie Sings the Blues with the main character, Blind Otis Lemon, based on Muddy Waters, with references to his influence on the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, along with the performance of Got My Mojo Working by Blind Otis Lemon. He is also referred to as the original Hoochie Coochie Man.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 07:59:48 +0000
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