Live At The Cafe Au Go-Go (And Soledad Prison)

How about John Lee Hooker backed by Muddy Waters and his band? That's what went down at the Cafe Au Go-Go in 1966, and the first eight tracks capture this meeting of immortals for posterity. The other six tracks were recorded at Soledad Prison in 1972, and are quintessential Hooker-ian "endless boogie." One Scotch, One Bourbon and One Beer , and more.

Simply one of the greatest live blues recordings ever. Hooker plays alone at Soledad, yet the real thrill is hearing him backed at Greenwich Village's Café Au-Go-Go in 1966 by Muddy Waters and his band, including pianist Otis Spann, unsung harmonica giant George Smith, Francis Clay on drums, and guitarists Sammy Lawhorn and Luther Johnson. All are at the height of their abilities, but it's Hooker who works like a hoodoo conjurer, making misery rain down in "Seven Days" and "When My First Wife Left Me." This August night's reading of "I'm Bad Like Jesse James" ranks among the most intimidating vocal performances ever taped. His guitar and baritone singing sink to rarely heard depths of the blues--that secret place in the music (known only to its absolute masters) where it becomes an elemental force. --Ted Drozdowski