For those unaware, Muddy Waters is one of the most important singer-songwriter/guitarists of the post-war blues era. His early tours of the UK inspired many British musicians, including the Rolling Stones who took their name from his classic song Rollin’ Stone.

This previously unreleased live set was recorded at the Ash Grove club in Los Angeles over the 1971 Blues Summit weekend. One year later, Waters would win the first of his six Grammy Awards and the digital single I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man is available now.

1. Juke
2. I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man
3. Blow Wind Blow
4. Strange Woman
5. Honey Bee
6. Walkin’ Through the Park
7. Long Distance Call
8. Got My Mojo Working

This beautiful live reflection of a man on the verge of greatness, opens on the harmonica-driven Juke and then leans into one of the most famous guitar riffs in the history of the blues, the magnificent I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, then we get the sheer blues soul of Blow Wind Blow (and, quite possibly, the best live version of this song I have ever heard), and the low slung, key harp-imbued Strange Woman.

Along next is the heartbreaking blues played out, and with Muddy playing a Telecaster with a capo and a slide, of Honey Bee, and that is in turn backed by the incredible virtuoso’s displayed within Walkin’ Through the Park, the recording rounding out on the timeless Chicago Blues of Long Distance Call, closing all too soon on a track combining speed and a modern, for the time, twist that is almost punk in style, Got My Mojo Working.

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