Larry "Mud" Morganfield is the oldest son of
Muddy Waters and bears a striking resemblance to his father both vocally and physically. He grew up in Chicago, raised primarily by his mother -- his dad was always on the road to support the family.
Mud started playing drums as a boy, then switched to bass guitar, although he doesn't play on-stage. He was always interested in music, but didn't think about turning pro until his dad died in 1983 and didn't start performing professionally until he was in his early fifties. On this, only his second album, he sounds like a seasoned pro and delivers a blistering set that honors his dad's legacy while carving out a comfortable niche of his own. "Short Dress Woman" opens the album with tune that uses the changes of "Got my Mojo Workin'."
Mud's vocal is sharp and energetic as he sings the praises of a big-legged woman. He delivers
Muddy's "You Can't Never Lose What You Never Had" with a performance that's an eerie echo of his dad's while the band channels the vibe of a 1950s Chess Records session, with excellent work from pianist
Barrelhouse Chuck and soulful slide guitar fills by
Billy Flynn. The title track, written by John Grimaldi, is a celebration of sexual prowess that integrates images from
Muddy's repertoire into the lyric.
Mud sings it with an understated menace that accentuates its slow, dark sexual vibe.
Mud's original songs here stack up favorably to his dad's. "Love to Flirt" rides an easy-rolling rhythm to tell the story of a woman who makes eyes at every guy she sees.
Mud sings it with a combination of irritation and weary resignation. "Leave Me Alone" sounds like a classic, a weary lament full of ironic humor with a bouncy tempo,
Bob Corritore's solid harmonica fills, and
Mud's growing vocal. The funky "Catfishing" is obviously not about fishing, as
Mud's sly vocal implies;
Barrelhouse Chuck supplies playful, bubbling organ fills. The band includes some of Chicago's best players, with standout work throughout by the rhythm section of E.G. McDaniel on bass and drummer "Beedy Eyes" Smith, pianist
Barrelhouse Chuck, and harmonica player and producer
Corritore. ~ j. poet