Dei
siste to åra har Mud Morganfield, eldste sonen til
blueskongen Muddy Waters, levert sin karismatiske Chicago-blues av
beste merke til publikum over heile verda. I Russland, Sverige,
Australia, Brasil, Storbritannia og mange andre land har opplevd
Mud-effekten. Han har ei kraftig og stor stemme som klarar å
formidla blues på ein emosjonell måte. Frå scenen greier han ofte å
trollbinda publikum. Han blandar eigenprodusert stoff med
materiale som far hans har laga. Scene har han delt med storleikar
som Buddy Guy, Pinetorp Perkins, Jimmie Johnson og mange andre
venner av faren.
Litt
presseomtale
Mud Morganfield Band - Norden Farm Fri 27th May 11
Mud Morganfield is a big bear of a showman and on
stage he is electric - which is fitting for a artist steeped in
electric blues. His two-hour set at Norden Farm endeared him to the
lovers of this musical genre who had packed themselves into the
theatre.
Authentic blues, Chicago style, rarely finds its way to
middle-of-the-road, middle class Maidenhead and even more scarcely
with a genuine heritage attached. Morganfield is the eldest son of
Muddy 'Mississippi' Waters, legendary icon of the blues, and it was
to his father's back catalogue and influence that he dedicated the
show. He also threw in a few of his own, well-honed compilations.
The
bluesman, who still lives and works in the Windy City, belted out
Baby Please Don't Go, Hoochie Coochie Man, If You Ain't Got Your
Health You Ain't Got Nothing, and one of my favourites I'm Ready For
You, I Hope Your Ready For Me. He was supported brilliantly by West
Weston on harmonica, Ronni Boysen on guitar, Ian Jennings on double
bass and drummer Mike Hellier.
Morganfield together with these coolest of cats produced a sound and
quality you would expect in the blues joints on the south side of
Chicago or Beale Street in Memphis. It was that good. The big man
finished on a high with Mannish Boy, Got My Mojo Working, and You
Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone. Morganfield follows in the footsteps of
his infamous father with aplomb, but he does it with a gait which is
all his own.
Graeme Copas
It could have been downtown Chicago – a small Intimate club, booze
flowing, smoke filled atmosphere (but it has to be admitted the
smoke was from a smoke machine, not cigarettes). The Dirty Aces, who
are a great Blues combo in their own right, came onstage and played
a couple of warm up numbers. There was a great groove in the room,
then Giles Robson, who had been singing and playing blues harp until
then, announced, “Ladies and Gentlemen! All the way from Chicago,
Mud Morganfield! All eyes went to the stairs from the balcony, as
Mud made his triumphal entrance, got up on stage and began to sing.
Instantly, you were transported back to the Electric Blues of
Chicago, maybe 40 years ago and the sound, reminiscent of all the
classic Electric Blues greats. So who is this guy? Who is Mud
Morganfield? Well, it’s hardly surprising he captures that classic
sound, because nobody could come with a greater pedigree than him.
He
is the eldest son of Muddy Waters, who many would credit with the
creation, along with John Lee Hooker and others, of the Electric
Blues sound that is still loved by so many devoted fans, fans that
include some of British Rock Music’s “Royalty”. As he said to the
audience “I grew up with this kind of thing around our house when I
was a kid”. Sitting casually on a bar stool, Mud turned to the band
and said, “OK fellas, let’s play the Blues” and that is just what
they did. With a short break, for over 2 hours they enthralled the
packed bar, receiving ovation after ovation at the end of each
number. They played all the classic Blues numbers that one
associates with Muddy Waters and played them exceedingly well but
don’t be fooled – this was no tribute band. This was a band of Blues
virtuosi, who put their own “edge” on the sound, still classic
Electric Blues, but very much something of today as well. When they
left the stage the crown called them back for more. After an evening
of blues classics. the encore saved the best for last with
renditions of two Muddy Waters anthems I’ve got my Mojo Working and
finishing with the slow ballard She’s Nineteen years Old. What a
The
Dirty Aces, a great UK, or should I say Jersey, Blues combo in their
own right, were the perfect backing for Mud. The solid rhythm of Ian
Jennings’ bass and Mike Hellier’s drums, made a perfect base for
Filip Kozlowski’s cutting guitar and Giles Robson’s blues harp can
only be described as exquisite. This man could well be the best
harmonica player on the Blues scene today. At one point, Mud joined
the band on electric bass. A fantastic evening, thoroughly enjoyed
by all who were there. If you get a chance to see them while they
are touring, then do. You will have a good time.
Review, November 2010 by Paul Stewart from the Daily
Express.
