Mud Morganfield -- "Son Of The Seventh Son"

Larry 'Mud' Morganfield is the eldest son of Muddy Waters. "Son Of The Seventh Son" is his national debut. Mud came to singing the blues professionally rather late--he made his debut at the 2007 Chicago Blues Festival. Since then he has been getting ready for this cd. He proves to be a chip off the old block with a set of songs in the classic Chicago blues style. Morganfield wrote seven of the songs; he also covers his father's "You Can't Lose What You Never Had." There is an original song by Billy Flynn "Money (Can't Buy You Everything)" and one song by Bob Corritore, "Go Ahead And Blame Me," and the title track is written by John Grimaldi, who you may also know as Studebaker John. The cd was recorded in Chicago and produced by Bob Corritore. The band is made up of blues all-stars, including Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith on drums (son of long-time Muddy Waters' drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith), Rick Kreher and Billy Flynn on guitar, Barrelhouse Chuck on keyboards, E.G. McDaniel on bass, and Harmonica Hines and Bob Corritore on harp. With Mud’s earthy, soulful vocals, he really does sound like his father when he sings, and the songs sound like an updated Muddy Water set--Corritore calls Mud's sound "a contemporary version of traditional Chicago blues."

This is a good fun cd--the singing and playing are fantastic. Special notice to Bob Corritore's harp work throughout--he is playing music he has played for nearly 40 years, but every note here sounds fresh and new. And wow, Barrelhouse Chuck--his work here really hits the mark, especially when he plays piano. Check him out on "Go Ahead and Blame Me." It cooks!

Mud's entry into "the family business" means now there are two of Muddy's sons out singing blues on the road--Mud and Big Bill Morganfield. They are both very good at what they do--if they weren't they could never have stood the comparisons to their father. Consider this cd a primer on how to make the real deal Chicago blues.

This cd will be released March 20. You can buy this cd at http://www.severnrecords.com