Muddy Waters & James Cotton – Breakin’ It Up, Breakin’ It Down

The story goes something like this: In 1977 Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Johnny Winter and Pinetop Perkins did a small tour to support Muddy’s latest release, Hard Again and now, some 30 years later, that material has found its way from tape to the cd that’s been in my deck for a few weeks now. It is really by little more than luck alone we are getting this cd at all. The boxes that held these tapes were for all purposes abandoned and set out to trash by the long defunct Blue Sky Records. Fortunately for us, they were discovered, preserved and now brought to disc.

While one could believe that Muddy, Cotton, Winter and Perkins on the same stage might turn into a case of too many chiefs not enough Indians, the disc proves otherwise. And while no one would ever suggest that this is a monumental performance by any of the major players, it is an awesome glimpse back to a time with four blues veterans on a single stage trading licks and jokes, all the while creating a magic that can only happen on a stage, in front of a crowd.

I really wanted to mention this album at the front end of this month since Mr. Johnny Winter himself will be performing December 16th at The State Theater here in St. Pete. Local readers, this will be a good show. Seth Walker is the opener and as I’ve said many times before: Blues is a genre best enjoyed live.

Muddy Waters & James Cotton – Caledonia
Muddy Waters & James Cotton – Got My Mojo Workin’
Muddy Waters & James Cotton – Trouble No More

Buy Breakin’ It Up, Breakin’ It Down