Muddy’s Back

Muddy Waters, his first gig out'of the hospital, on crutches, at the Chessmate. Innate Journalistic Sense (not mine) Says: great pics and more, in a month that has Seen the return of Howlin’ Wolf and the deaths of Earl Hooker and Otis Spann. I go.

In time for the last set. Muddy’s band starts the set as usual, but Muddy comes on sooner than usual,' with less fanfare, and, yes, on crutches. Slowly and obviously painfully he approaches the stage, leaves his crutches at its edge and sits in a luncheonette-style metal and plastic chair. He picks up his guitar and with no more than a nod of his head, starts to play. The tune is one I’m not familiar with, and it turns into a long jam. Muddy starts slowly, begins to loosen up, and by the end is rippling off slide riffs with’ most of his usual poise.