If you were to pick one release that perfectly blended great blues with rock, then 1969’s “Fathers And Sons” would be that album. And now that 16-track sweet-as-a-nut double album is further supplemented on this 2001 reissue with 4 great bonuses. It’s like being handed a virtual master class in blues-rock – truly blistering stuff.
Here’s a detailed breakdown (77:38 minutes):
CD tracks 1 to 10 (studio recordings) and 15 to 20 (live recordings) make up the “Fathers And Sons” album issued August 1969 on Chess LPS-127 in the USA and issued October 1969 on Chess CRL 4556 in the UK (both 2LP vinyl sets).
CD tracks 11 to 14 are previously unreleased studio tracks (14 being unreleased in the USA on album, it’s Chess 7” single 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 were:
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 800 mastering credits to his name), the 12-page booklet informative with the contributors pictured and the artwork faithful to the original. Highlights would include a mournful yet fun cover of Eddie Boyd’s “Twenty Four Hours” (lyrics above), the live version of Willie Dixon’s sex song “The Same Thing” and 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!
This is a great Muddy Waters record – and this cool CD reissue does it proud. Highly recommended.
PS: this title is part of Universal’s “Blues Classics – Remastered & Revisited” Series – I've listed all 10 titles in another Blogger entry
