Muddy Waters in Concert 1971

'Rolling his eyes toward heaven and shaking his head like a man possessed, Muddy Waters cast a powerful spell. His high cheekbones and Oriental eyes gave him a certain Eastern, inscrutable quality, and at times his face even became angelic. He could easily work audiences into a frenzy, marrying the unmistakable sexual urgency of his lyrics to the vocal slide statements that for 40 years were as much a part of his signature as his voice, which many claim was the best in electric blues.

A native Mississippi Delta bluesman, Muddy instinctively understood the unpretentious beauty and power in simplicity. Time and again, he transformed basic patterns into blues masterpieces. Decades after their introduction, hypnotic stop time songs such as 'Manish Boy' still electrify audiences. Like the superstitions and voodoo images prominent in Waters' best-known lyrics, the primal earthiness of his rhythms contains a deep, almost subconscious appeal.' Jas Obrecht, Guitar Player Magazine.

The rare footage presented in this video presents Muddy Waters at his prime and with one of his best bands. The concert was filmed during a West Coast tour in 1971.

Running time 58 minutes