"Fathers And Sons" by MUDDY WATERS – August 1969 (USA) and October 1969 (UK) Double-Album on Chess Records in Stereo - featuring Otis Spann, Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Donald "Duck" Dunn of Booker T & The MGs, Phil Upchurch and Buddy Miles (October 2001 US MCA/Chess CD Reissue – Part of the Blues Classics - Remastered & Revisited Series - Erick Labson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…She's Been Gone Twenty-Four Hours... 

And That's Twenty-Three Hours Too Long…"

If you were to pick one release that perfectly blended great Old-School Blues with Classic Rock - then 1969s "Fathers And Sons" featuring the mighty MUDDY WATERS and good friends would be the album. And now that 16-track sweet-as-a-nut double LP set is further supplemented on this fabulous CD reissue with 4 great bonuses (part of Universal’s “Blues Classics - Revisited & Remastered” CD Series). Its like being handed a virtual master class in Blues-Rock - truly blistering stuff. Here are Honey Bee details…

USA released October 2001 - "Fathers And Sons" by MUDDY WATERS on MCA/Chess 088 112 648-2 (Barcode 008811264826) is an Expanded Edition Reissue in the Blues Classics - Remastered And Revisited Series that offers the original 2LP Remastered onto 1CD with Bonus Tracks. It plays out as follows (77:38 minutes):

1. All Aboard

2. Mean Disposition

3. Blow Wind Blow

4. Can’t Lose What You Ain’t Never Had

5. Walkin’ Thru The Park

6. Forty Days And Forty Nights

7. Standin’ Round Cryin’

8. I’m Ready

9. Twenty Four Hours

10. Sugar Sweet 

11. Country Boy - Previously Unreleased

12. I Love The Life I Live (I Live The Life I Love) - Previously Unreleased

13. Oh Yeah - Previously Unreleased

14. I Feel So Good - Previously Unreleased

15. Long Distance Call [Live]

16. Baby, Please Don’t Go [Live]

17. Honey Bee [Live]

18. The Same Thing [Live]

19. Got My Mojo Working, Part One

20. Got My Mojo Working, Part Two

Tracks 1 to 10 of the CD (studio recordings) combined with 15 to 20 (live recordings) make up the "Fathers And Sons" double-album issued August 1969 on Chess LPS-127 in the USA and October 1969 on Chess CRL 4556 in the UK (both 2LP vinyl sets).

Tracks 11 to 14 are previously unreleased studio tracks from the sessions; Track 14 (a cover of Big Bill Broonzy's “I Feel So Good") is previously unreleased in the USA on album - it was a USA 7" single in 1970 - the B-side to "Going Home" on Chess 2085.

The studio tracks (1 to 14) were recorded 21, 22 and 23 April 1969 in Chicago, Illinois, while the live tracks were recorded on 24 April 1969 (with the same band) at the "Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree" also in Chicago, Illinois.

The band for the sessions was:

MUDDY WATERS - Vocals and Guitar

OTIS SPANN - Piano

MIKE BLOOMFIELD - Guitar

PAUL BUTTERFIELD - Harmonica

DONALD "DUCK" DUNN - Bass

SAM LAY - Drums

Guests were:

PHIL UPCHURCH - Bass on "All Aboard" only

JEFF CARP - Chromatic Harmonica on "All Aboard" only

PAUL ASBELL - Rhythm Guitar on "Walking Thru The Park", "Forty Days & Forty Nights" and "Sugar Sweet" only)

BUDDY MILES - Drums on "Got My Mojo Working, Part Two" only

Digitally remastered by ERICK LABSON of Universal - the sound quality is typically fantastic (he has over 1000 mastering credits to his name for audio restoration and transfer) and reflect the superb original Production skills of NORMAN DAYRON. The 12-page booklet has typically brilliant and informative liner notes by Blues and R'n'B expert BILL DAHL and features a few photos of the sessionmen (Butterfield, Donald "Duck" Dunn etc) - clearly enthused to be playing with a legend.

Highlights would include Muddy's mournful yet fun cover of Eddie Boyd's "Twenty Four Hours" (lyrics from the song title this review), the live version of Willie Dixon's sex song "The Same Thing" and the in-your-face rocking of "Blow Wind Blow". Then there's the accompaniment - Donald "Duck" Dunn of Booker T & The MG's providing tight-as-a-nun's-knickers bass playing, Mike Bloomfield blissed out and licking away on Guitar - while Paul Butterfield and his mean harmonica simply blast their way through the songs like a pair possessed (Butterfield is particularly brilliant on “Forty Days And Forty Nights”). The icing on the cake is the four studio cuts that make “Fathers And Sons” even stronger than before - "Country Boy" being intense Blues Rock with Butterfield laying down a harmonica storm that would have made Little Walter proud - wow…

This is a great Muddy Waters record - not just a good one - and this cool CD reissue (at less than five quid from some retailers) does that vinyl-double proud - and then some…

Titles in the Universal US-Only 

Blues Classics - Remastered & Revisited CD Series

1 and 2 are SUHA GUR remasters

 3 to 11 are ERICK LABSON remasters (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)

"Original Album Series" by THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND (March 2010 UK Elektra/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review And 374 More Like It Are Available In My E-Book

GROOVIEST SOUNDS AROUND!

1960s MUSIC ON CD 

Your All-Genres Guide To 

Exceptional Reissues and Remasters 

"…Blues With A Feeling…"

Quite possibly one of the best Blues-Rock CD Mini Box Sets I have in my fine household (can’t tell the wife how many there are lest I suffer serious physical injury – after the mental torture that is) – Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band is a very definite jewel in the erratic crown of WEA’s “Original Album Series” reissues. When the 5-disc series began in 2009  – ‘some’ of the first vanguard of 40 or so titles featured remasters (many unfortunately didn’t). This beauty is one that does – and from the second the opening track “Born In Chicago” on their incendiary debut hits your speakers – it rocks like a madman on Blues Boogie acid and doesn’t let up. Here are the harmonica wails, guitar licks and chooglin’ white boys doing the blues details…

Released March 2010 in the UK - "Original Album Series" by THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND on Elektra/Rhino 8122 79834 0 (Barcode 081227983406) is a 5CD Mini Box Set and breaks down as follows (all are Stereo mixes):

Disc 1 (38:09 minutes):

1. Born In Chicago

2. Shake Your Money-Maker

3. Blues With A Feeling

4. Thank You Mr. Poobah

5. I Got My Mojo Working

6. Mellow Down Easy

7. Screamin’

8. Our Love Is Drifting

9. Mystery Train

10. Last Night

11. Look Over Yonders Wall

Tracks 1 to 11 are the LP "The Paul Butterfield Blues Band" - their debut album released December 1965 on Elektra EKS 7294 in the USA (May 1966 in the UK same no.)

Disc 2 (44:47 minutes):

1. Walkin’ Blues

2. Get Out Of My Life, Woman

3. I Got A Mind To Give Up Everything

4. All These Blues

5. Work Song

6. Mary, Mary

7. Two Trains Running

8. Never say No

9. East-West

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "East-West" - released September 1966 on Elektra EKS 7315 in the USA (December 1966 in the UK same no.)

Disc 3 (45:45 minutes):

1. One More Heartache

2. Driftin’ And Driftin’

3. Pity The Fool

4. Born Under A Bad Sign

5. Run Out Of Time

6. Double Trouble

7. Drivin’ Wheel

8. Droppin’ Out

9. Tollin’ Blues

Tracks 1 to 9 are the LP "The Resurrection Of Pigboy Crabshaw" - released January 1968 on Elektra EKS 74015 in the USA (February 1968 in the UK same no.)

Disc 4 (34:30 minutes):

1. Last Hope’s Gone

2. Mine To Love

3. Get Yourself Together

4. Just To Be With You

5. Morning Blues

6. Drunk Again

7. In My Own Dream

Tracks 1 to 7 are the LP "In My Own Dream" - released August 1968 on Elektra EKS 74025 in the USA (September 1968 in the UK same no.)

Disc 5 (42:11 minutes):

1. Love March

2. No Amount Of Loving

3. Morning Sunrise

4. Losing Hand

5. Walking By Myself

6. Except You

7. Love Disease

8. Where Did My Baby Go

9. All In A Day

10. So Far So Good

11. Buddy’s Advice

12. Keep Moving

Tracks 1 to 12 is the LP "Keep On Moving" - released October 1969 on Elektra EKS 74053 in the USA (November 1969 in the UK same no.)

ARTWORK/PACKAGING:

The five single card sleeves reflect the 'original' front and rear US LP artwork (the gatefolds are unfortunately not reproduced). Also each front sleeve is now 'bordered' with a colour and the label on the CD then reflects that colour code - Green for Disc 1, Light Blue for 2, Orange for 3, Dark Blue for 4 and Brown for 5. It would have been more appropriate to have the original label colour configurations - maybe even the Elektra inner bags (like they did on the Doors albums in the Complete Studio Recordings box set), but alas... The track list is to the left on the CD label with band members with recording credits listed on the right (as there's no booklet nor site to download details from - as there is on the Sony issues - this is some compensation to the lack of readable details).

It has to be said that the outer card box is lightweight and therefore disappointingly flimsy (unlike the glossy hard-card Sony issues). Having said that the card sleeves still look cool once out of the box and it's nice to see the original artwork used - which in these cases are very sweet to look at (it really makes such a big difference on the Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Drifters and Clyde McPhatter rear sleeves too - beautiful original album artwork). As you can see from the timings - there are no bonus tracks.

SOUND:

The music is incredibly bluesy and ballsy –truly stunning Paul Rothchild Sixties Production values coming at you on every disc. The instrumental “Thank You Mr. Poobah” for instance will probably have your speakers for breakfast. The opening guitars on “Walkin’ Blues” are the same – back in the mix – but still powerful. Don’t get me wrong – these CDs aren’t amped up for effect – they’re just beautifully handled – and it’s sonically obvious that the original master tapes are in tip-top condition. And throughout the records - you get Butterfield’s deep and muscular harmonica slaying all in its path.

Highlights are many and varied – their Soulful and Brassy cover of Marvin Gaye’s “One More Headache”, the wailing Blues of Otis Rush’s “Double Trouble” and the huge Albert King power of “Born Under A Bad Sign”. I love the slinky “Come Together” (Beatles) bass line that opens the slightly jazzy “Last Hope’s Gone” – a sort of precursor to Blood, Sweat & Tears debut album “Child Is The Father To The Man:”. Elvin Bishop provides the witty “Drunk Again” (“ain’t got a dime and smellin’ like a brewery…”) while “No Amount Of Loving” on “Keep On Moving” is a tremendous chugger.

If you want a slice of Sixties Blues-Rock - then you can't go much wrong with these albums (although for me the quality really tapers off on Disc 5). Fans who already own these treasured LPs on previous CD incarnations may balk at acquiring this box set just to have those dinky little card sleeves – but everyone else should just get with the beat, crank up that stereo and annoy the neighbours right away...



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"In A Wild Sanctuary/Gandharva/All Good Men" by BEAVER & KRAUSE - 1970, 1971 and 1972 Albums Remastered onto 2CDs (March 2019 UK Righteous Records Compilation - 3LPs onto 2CDs - Alan Wilson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 100s of Others Available in my e-Book:

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CADENCE / CASCADE 

PROG ROCK, PSYCH, AVANT GARDE...
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Covering 1967 to 1977 - It Also Focuses On

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"...Spaced..."

There aren't many bands or artists who 'don't' make the Record Collector Rare Records Price Guide when they issued albums as far back as 1970, 1971 and 1972 - but the eccentric and frankly noodlesome output of PAUL BEAVER and BERNARD KRAUSE are among that select few.

When I worked as a Rock and Rarities Vinyl Buyer at Reckless Records (a stretch of 20 years penal servitude) - Beaver & Krause albums were like Bach on a Moog or Sitar for your Grannies Bunions - curios that sold for a few quid, usually bought by hipster DJs looking for samples, quirky bits of noise they could use in between spins on the Technics 1200s. And in some respect, not a lot has changed for this dynamic duo of alternate soundscapes.

What you're getting here is three full albums the keyboard bending boys did for Warner Brothers in the early Seventies (they did their first in 1968 "The Nonesuch Guide To Electronic Music" and a second on Limelight Records in 1969 called "Ragnorök (Electronic Funk)") – the third having slowly moved away from Ambient Electronics to embrace proper songs (even if they are a bit weepy and let the side down somewhat). Short on playing time but impactful nonetheless, the first and third of these forgotten albums were only released in the USA ("In A Wild Sanctuary" in 1970 and "All Good Men" in 1972) - whilst the more commercially accessible "Gandharva" LP saw both America and Blighty outings and remains the one album most British Rock heads have ever seen by them.

Insider support was impressive too. The first two albums drew in some world class players prepared to bolster up experimental outings - Bud Shank on Flute and Saxophone, Dave Grusin on Keyboards, Gerry Mulligan on Saxophone with Milt Holland on all manner of Percussion. The Electronic Rock of the "Gandharva" album even has the guitar work of Mike Bloomfield and Ronnie Montrose on it with genuine Soulful bonuses being supplied by that trio of classy backing vocalists - Vanetta Fields, Clydie King and Patrice Holloway – Clydie lending "Walkin'" an almost ethereal Rotary Connection feel before the three launch into a full-on see-me-in-church Gospel romp on the very next song (and that's a Nirvana for me I can tell you). Ace Conductor Jimmie Haskell arranged the third platter where the duo did most of the playing – tackling Scott Joplin amongst other things - all forgotten now in a sea of existential bum fluff.

But (and as they say in a Donald Trump shower situation, here comes the big but) - there's much to be getting on with here - goodies due reappraisal - music that is actually moving and even beautiful at times - tunes that have passed many discerning ears by. Beaver & Krause even championed environmental and ecological issues in 1970 on their big label debut "In A Wild Sanctuary" with the full permission of Warner Bros executives - back in the days when hopeful men ran the music business and not disinterested suits. I mean how can you not love a band that has song titles like "Aurora Hominis" and "Walking Green Algae Blues". For sure the third platter lets the side down somewhat...

Anyways, some reissue crowd called 'Righteous' seem determined that we pay attention with this 2019 digital twofer and start yanking on those bare wires again. So as the plugged-in boys said in their original liner notes - let's get to our 'environmental expressions recorded with Moog synthesiser' (I will if you will baby)...

UK released Friday, 29 March 2019 (5 April 2019 in the USA) - "In A Wild Sanctuary/Gandharva/All Good Men" by BEAVER and KRAUSE on Righteous PSALM23:93D (Barcode 5013929989320) offers 3 albums from 1970, 1971 and 1972 (originally on Warner Brother Records) Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (46:30 minutes):

1. Another Part Of Time [Side 1]

2. And There Was Morning

3. Spaced

4. So Long As The Waters Flow

5. Aurora Hominis [Side 2]

6. Salute To The Vanishing Bald Eagle

7. People's Park

8. Walking Green Algae Blues

9. Sanctuary

Tracks 1 to 9 are their third studio album "In A Wild Sanctuary" - released June 1970 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1850 (no UK release).

10. Soft White [Side 1]

11. Saga Of The Blue Beaver

12. Nine Moons In Alaska

13. Walkin'

14. Walkin' By The River

Tracks 10 to 14 are Side 1 of their fourth studio album "Gandharva" - released May 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1909 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46130.

Disc 2 (55:49 minutes):

1. Gandharva [Side 2]

2. By Your Grace

3. Good Places

4. Short Film For David

5. Bright Shadows

Tracks 1 to 5 are Side 2 of their fourth studio album "Gandharva" - released May 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1909 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46130.

6. A Real Slow Drag [Side 1]

7. Legend Days Are Over

8. Love Of Col. Evol

9. Sweet William

10. Bluebird Canyon Stomp

11. Looking Back Now

12. Prelude

13. Child Of The Morning Sun

14. Between The Sun And The Rain

15. All Good Men

16. Waltz Me Around Again Willie/Real Slow Drag

Tracks 6 to 16 are their fifth and final studio album "All Good Men" - released September 1972 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2624 (no UK release).

The liner notes by DAVE HENDERSON are witty and suitably eclectic (given the two involved) – but there is precious little by way of actual album credits (the guest musicians I've mentioned above) and he barely touches the actual music. For instance the third LP has songwriter Adrienne Anderson giving it some love you soulful vocals on Side 1's "Sweet William" and US Folky Cris Williamson getting all Jimmy Webb on "Looking Back Now" – ballads that are more Dionne Warwick than Karlheinz Stockhausen. There’s an Native Indian voice attributed to Elizabeth Watson in the LP credits on the repeated spoken lyrics in "Legend Days Are Over" – but again no background as to who or why – when it would have been cool to know after all these decades.

ALAN WILSON has done the mastering - the 8-page booklet peppered with snaps of those WB master tapes. "Gandharva" was done digitally in 1994 with Lee Herschberg on the Warner Archives Series while two ok Collector’s Choice CDs came out in 2006 for "In A Wild Sanctuary" and "All Good Men" and I suspect that all three of these have been used (licensed from WEA). The audio is good – at times great – but at other times just a tad low and wanting. Overall I'd say four out of five stars. To the sounds...

Patters of a Tabla Drum are quickly joined by cool synth notes and a hip organ melody on "Another Part Of Time" – the first LP's opener. It's a tune that acts like its Ramsey Lewis on Cadet Records in 1968 instead of 1970. The instrumental "And There Was Morning" has huge dawn-of-man notes and apes an ELP moment. The quiet "Spaced" has surprisingly little hiss as the synth notes trickle like water dripping on a sidewalk – while "So Long As The Water Flows" forgoes dribbles in space and gives us the full storm – crashes and bangs and static sounding like lashing rain – synth notes rising above- all majestic for five minutes. There is even an "Obscured By Clouds" Pink Floyd feel to "Salute To The Vanishing Bald Eagle" – the whole flowery album plea ending with one and half minutes of the peaceful "Sanctuary".

While the first LP is undoubtedly interesting, things pick up steam considerably with "Gandharva". The Bluesy Guitar picking of Mike Bloomfield follows a huge synth swish at the beginning of "Saga Of The Blue Beaver" – an instrumental that thereafter chugs along in a Funky fashion to a point where you feel you've stumbled on a Shuggie Otis LP over on Epic Records. That’s followed by a droning synth instrumental called "Nine Moons In Alaska" that sounds not unlike "Electro Lux Imbroglio" on Steve Miller's "Book Of Dreams" album in 1977. But this is only a prelude to my fave – Clydie King scatting echoed vocals on the fabulous "Walkin'" – a trippy Soulful moment that acts as a lead in to the full-on Gospel of "Walkin' By The River". Perhaps even better is Gerry Mulligan playing on his own "By Your Grace" over on Side 2 followed strongly by another pretty floating Sax moment in "Good Places".

Minus the big names and with almost every instrument played by the duo only – unfortunately the third album is a very mixed bag (worst of the three) coming across at times like some bad Paul Williams schlock and not the wired experimentalism of the groovy first and second platters. Beaver unwisely sings with his twee voice of a child running in meadows and the sun shining and la-la-laing his way through saccharine flutes. The intro synth drone of "Between The Sun And The Rain" quickly gives way to bopping Salsa rhythms that is frankly way too close to some bad lounge band taking the Michael. The Scott Joplin covers just feel out of place too. There are other better moments on "All Good Men", but they’re not the Side 2 Flute and Sax instrumentals of "Gandharva'".

So musically it's a bit of mishmash then, the first two offering genuinely surprising moments of grandeur and vibe whilst number three loses its way without those big name helps.

Still, a timely reminder and a cool little reissue into the Moogy bargain...