Muddy Woters

One could definitely argue that this 16-track album doesn't in fact contain the best of Muddy Waters since it lacks any of his template-setting and explosive 1950s sides from Chess Records, being compiled instead from Waters' late-'70s and early-'80s output on the Blue Sky label with Johnny Winter in the producer's chair. No, the Chess tracks are the ones to get first, but the Blue Sky material makes for a nice addendum, featuring a slightly more refined sound that allows each song to develop easily and naturally. Highlights include a wonderfully ragged and loose acoustic do-over of "I Can't Be Satisfied," a sturdy "Good Morning Little School Girl," and a copycat but still fun version of Slim Harpo's "I'm a King Bee."

Steve Leggett - All Music

If you like hearing '70s British rock stars attempting to jam with one of the originators of the form, then you'll probably like the results from this tepid 1971 session. Only the late Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher seems to be interacting with the old master here (and guitarist Sammy Lawhorn) while Stevie Winwood, Georgie Fame and Mitch Mitchell seem to be totally lost.–by Cub Koda

Arguably the heaviest bluesman ever, Muddy Waters literally electrified the Chicago blues world with the 1948 release of his first single on Chess Records ("I Can't Be Satisfied"). By taking the Robert Johnson and Son House-inspired acoustic Delta blues that he had played in Mississippi and firing it up with raw amplification, he created the blueprint for generations of Chicago blues players. Bob Margolin played guitar in Muddy Waters' band for seven years in the '70s, absorbing his music first-hand. In this DVD, he shares the secrets of Muddy's solo guitar and ensemble work and covers slow blues, boogie blues, slide guitar and guitar bass lines in standard and open tunings.